• Friends & Alumni
  • News & Events
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Bookstore
Menu
  • Friends & Alumni
  • News & Events
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Bookstore
Cart $0.00
0
0
Subtotal: $0.00
No products in the cart.
Filter by :
News
Courses
Staff
Events
  • Home
  • Why study with us
        • Who we are
        • Distance learning
        • Studying theology at St Mark’s
        • Studying ministry at St Mark’s
        • Studying counselling at St Mark's
        • Studying supervision at St Mark's
  • Our courses
        • Courses We Offer
        • Funding your study
        • Fees and payment options
        • RTO Application & Enrolment Process
  • Student Centre
        • Key dates and timetables
        • Intensives
        • Textbook List
        • Subject enrolment
        • Policies and Procedures
  • St Mark's Review
        • About St Mark’s Review
        • Subscribe to St Mark’s Review
        • St Mark’s Review Blog
  • About us
        • History
        • Mission and Vision
        • Our people
        • Contact
        • Worship at St Mark’s
        • Venue Hire
        • Key dates
        • Donate
        • COVID Response Plan
LOGIN
LIBRARY
  • Home
  • Why study with us
    • Who we are
    • Distance learning
    • Studying theology at St Mark’s
    • Studying ministry at St Mark’s
    • Studying counselling at St Mark’s
    • Studying supervision at St Mark’s
  • Our courses
    • Fees and payment options
    • RTO Application & Enrolment Process
    • Funding your study
  • Student Centre
    • Key dates and timetables
    • Intensives
    • Textbook List
    • Subject enrolment
    • Policies and Procedures
  • St Mark’s Review
    • About St Mark’s Review
    • Buy St Mark’s Review
    • Subscribe to St Mark’s Review
    • St Mark’s Review Blog
  • About us
    • History
    • Mission and Vision
    • Our People
    • Worship at St Mark’s
    • Venue Hire
    • Key dates
    • Donate
    • COVID Response Plan
    • Contact
  • Friends & Alumni
  • News & Events
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Library
Menu
  • Home
  • Why study with us
    • Who we are
    • Distance learning
    • Studying theology at St Mark’s
    • Studying ministry at St Mark’s
    • Studying counselling at St Mark’s
    • Studying supervision at St Mark’s
  • Our courses
    • Fees and payment options
    • RTO Application & Enrolment Process
    • Funding your study
  • Student Centre
    • Key dates and timetables
    • Intensives
    • Textbook List
    • Subject enrolment
    • Policies and Procedures
  • St Mark’s Review
    • About St Mark’s Review
    • Buy St Mark’s Review
    • Subscribe to St Mark’s Review
    • St Mark’s Review Blog
  • About us
    • History
    • Mission and Vision
    • Our People
    • Worship at St Mark’s
    • Venue Hire
    • Key dates
    • Donate
    • COVID Response Plan
    • Contact
  • Friends & Alumni
  • News & Events
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Library

Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling

Enabling you to make a difference to people’s lives
Home / Course / Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling

close

Apply now
Apply now !
Recommended Supervisors
Download our brochure

Charles Sturt University’s Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling enables you to make a difference in people’s lives by providing spiritual and psychological support to those who need it most.

Our course develops your knowledge and skills to minister in areas of specific relevance, including pastoral counselling in crisis situations or in circumstances involving relationship difficulties. Our training covers a wide range of counselling theories and models, integrated into a Christian framework. Those working in chaplaincy settings or other work areas where embedded counselling is an integral part of the job role will benefit from the detailed skills and knowledge about counselling they will acquire in this program.

This degree will equip you for – or enhance your performance in – a wide range of people-centered professions, faith-based or otherwise. These include counselling, pastoral care, aged care, school welfare, grief counselling, care coordination and institutional or congregational chaplaincy. The course also provides a solid foundation for further study in the discipline (for example the Master of Pastoral Counselling), or you could use your pastoral counselling studies to articulate into further study for ministry.

This award has professional accreditation by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) as an approved postgraduate counselling training program.
INTERESTED IN THIS COURSE?

Our course advisors are well placed to match your background and educational objectives to the course that would best suit your needs. 

Just fill out our online form and one of our course advisors will get in touch with you.

Ask for a course advisor
Course Duration

2 years part-time

Study Mode

Online (Distance Education) with compulsory Intensives in Canberra.

View our Intensives calendar. (Includes Residential or Intensive dates for subjects across our courses.)

CSU students may be eligible for financial support to attend compulsory Intensives in person.

Admission

Applicants should be able to demonstrate personal suitability to undertake professional practice as a pastoral counsellor, including self-awareness, relational capacity, personal ethical practice, being able to reflect on and learn from experience, and being open to positive and challenging feedback; and

  • Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in theology, psycholofy or equivalent. Applicants with degrees in other disciplines are encouraged to apply; or
  • Applicants without an undergraduate degree will be considered, with evidence that they are able to undertake tertiary studies in this area (such as a letter of motivation and two professional or academic references), as assessed by the Course Coordinator.
Subjects

Core Subjects

  • Pastoral Counselling Skills
  • Pastoral Counselling: Theory and Professional Issues
  • Pastoral Counselling: Grief and Loss
  • Pastoral Counselling: Crisis Intervention
  • Pastoral Counselling: Relationship and Family
  • Pastoral Counselling: Mental Health and Trauma
  • Spiritual Direction in the Christian Tradition
  • Applied Pastoral Theology

The first two courses are prerequisite subjects and should be completed first. These eight subjects are also part of the Masters of Pastoral Counselling Course.

Practical Experience

This counselling graduate diploma emphasises face-to-face practical sessions for role play and hands-on learning. This course includes emphasis on applying course learning to the student’s background context for all assessment tasks.

Professional Recognition

The Graduate Diploma has professional accreditation by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) as an approved postgraduate counselling training program. 

Career Opportunities

The Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling enables you to make a difference to people’s lives by providing spiritual and psychological support to those who need it most. 

You will develop the skills and experience to offer counselling across a wide range of settings – from pastoral and clinical practice, church and community work, to lay and ordained ministry – to help them with any issue, be it personal, family, marital or faith.

Early Exit Point or Further Study

Students can graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counselling with the successful completion of FOUR subjects:

  • Pastoral Counselling Skills
  • Pastoral Counselling: Theory and Professional Issues
  • Pastoral Counselling: Grief and Loss
  • Applied Pastoral Theology

You could also further your studies through our Master in Pastoral Counselling course after gaining this Graduate Diploma.

Keep in touch with our eNews
St Mark’s National Theological Centre © 2022 | RTO Code 88072

Who We Are

  • About St Mark’s
  • Visit our Library
  • Meet our Faculty
  • Meet our Business & Admin Staff
  • Donate to St Mark’s
  • Contact Us
  • About St Mark’s
  • Visit our Library
  • Meet our Faculty
  • Meet our Business & Admin Staff
  • Donate to St Mark’s
  • Contact Us

Our Courses

  • All VET courses
  • CSU School of Theology
  • Dip Christian Ministry & Theology
  • Bachelor of Theology
  • Master of Ministry
  • Master of Pastoral Counselling
  • Grad Cert Professional Supervision
  • All VET courses
  • CSU School of Theology
  • Dip Christian Ministry & Theology
  • Bachelor of Theology
  • Master of Ministry
  • Master of Pastoral Counselling
  • Grad Cert Professional Supervision

A partner in the school of theology at

Terms & Conditions

  • Privacy Policy
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Security Statement
  • Payment, Delivery, Returns (Books)
  • Privacy Policy
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Security Statement
  • Payment, Delivery, Returns (Books)

Contact

  • Getting to St Mark's
  • 15 Blackall Street, Barton ACT 2600
  • 02 6272 6252
  • +612 6272 6252
  • admin@stmarks.edu.au
  • ABN 295 77 118 972

Application

If you are enquring about commencing study at St Mark's, complete the form below.

Or, email Marie-Louise for further guidance.