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Pastoral counselling

Master degree

The Master of Pastoral Counselling from Charles Sturt University provides advanced training in professional counselling theory and practice, integrated within a theological framework. This course enables you to develop the skills necessary to offer counselling across a wide range of settings and gain a pathway to counsellor registration. 

This course is part of an articulated program of study. Articulated programs allow you to build on your study to achieve the right level of qualification for you.

Career opportunities

The Master of Pastoral Counselling (with specialisation) will prepare you to work in a variety of institutional, congregational or educational roles in which formal counselling or working with mental health is a central part. Your opportunities include private practice counsellor, clinical counsellor, organisational staff counsellor, pastoral counsellor, registered counsellor, chaplain, hospital chaplain, military chaplain, school chaplain, aged care chaplain and pastoral care coordinator. You could also further your expertise by pursuing a Higher Degree by Research.

Award name:

Master of Pastoral Counselling

Study Level:

Postgraduate

AQF Level:

Level  9

Credit Points:

128

Duration:

4 years part-time

Charles Sturt Faculty:

Faculty of Arts & Education

Charles Sturt School:

School of Theology

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • be able to demonstrate through a pre-admission interview 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

  • hold an undergraduate degree (or AQF equivalent) in theology or psychology, however applicants with degrees in other disciplines are encouraged to apply;

OR

  •  have successfully completed the Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling

OR

  • hold a Graduate Diploma of Counselling from another institution; These applicants may be required to complete the core subject theological component of a Graduate Diploma of Theology before being granted admission to the Master of Pastoral Counselling.

The non-specialised course consists of ten core subjects and two compulsory subjects. The Clinical specialisation course consists of the same ten core subjects, but includes one compulsory subject and two specialisation subjects

 

 

PART-TIME

 

Year 1 - Session 1

  • THL400 Pastoral Counselling Skills
  • THL420 Pastoral Counselling: Theory & Professional Issues

 

Year 1 - Session 2

  • THL428 Pastoral Counselling: Grief and Loss
  • THL435 Applied Pastoral Theology

 

Students may choose to exit at this point with the award Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counselling

 

 

Year 2 - Session 1

  • THL430 Pastoral Counselling: Crisis Intervention
  • THL433 Pastoral Counselling: Mental Health and Trauma

 

Year 2 - Session 2

  • THL432 Pastoral Counselling: Relationship and Family
  • THL434 Spiritual Direction in the Christian Tradition

 

Students may choose to exit at this point with the award Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling

 

 

NON-SPECIALISED

 

Year 3 - Session 1

  • THL557 Advanced Pastoral Counselling (16) (commence)
  • THL530 Social Research Methods for Pastoral Studies

 

Year 3 - Session 2

  • THL520 Advanced Pastoral Counselling (16) (complete)
  • THL531 Pastoral Counselling Research Proposal

 

Year 4 - Session 1

  • THL604 Pastoral Counselling Dissertation (32) (commence)

 

Year 4 - Session 2

  • THL604 Pastoral Counselling
  • Dissertation (32) (complete)

 

 

SPECIALISED

 

Year 3 - Session 1

  • THL520 Advanced Pastoral Counselling (16) (commence)
  • THL521 Theological Ethics for the Helping Professions

 

Year 3 - Session 2

  • THL520 Advanced Pastoral Counselling (16) (complete)
  • THL530 Social Research Methods for Pastoral Studies

 

Year 4 - Session 1

  • THL558 Pastoral Counselling Professional Practice (16) (commence)
  • THL559 Reflective Practitioner Perspectives in Pastoral Counselling (16 points) (commence)

 

Year 4 - Session 2

  • THL558 Pastoral Counselling Professional Practice (16) (complete)
  • THL559 Reflective Practitioner Perspectives in Pastoral Counselling (16) (complete)

 

 

For more details about the individual components of this course see Charles Sturt University School of Theology Handbook.

Upon completion of this course, graduates will:

 

  1. Be able to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge in pastoral counselling and to reflect critically on theory and professional practice or scholarship in the field, including models of assessment and intervention, knowledge and integration of social contexts, referral and referral options, and suicide risk assessment and management
  2. Be able to demonstrate cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories, including theories and processes of psychotherapy/counselling, alternative modes of working with clients (e.g. telephone and real-time internet), and potential security and confidentiality issues
  3. Be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of professional, ethical and theological issues in pastoral counselling, including the ethics of clinical practice and supervision
  4. Be able to demonstrate in-depth understanding of the stages of human development, together with knowledge and integration of the range of understanding of human diversity, including culture, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, class, religion and ethnicity
  5. Be able to demonstrate advanced cognitive skills in analysis, critical self-reflection and evaluation, and professional application of skills and knowledge in specialised and complex pastoral counselling situations, including grief and loss, crisis intervention, and couples and families
  6. Be able to evaluate critically the integration of pastoral theology and pastoral counselling theory
  7. Be able to demonstrate creativity and flexibility in working with the interface between psychological and spiritual dimensions within pastoral counselling practice.
  8. Be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of indigenous culture and history and its application in the pastoral counselling context
  9. Be able to establish a therapeutic pastoral counselling relationship and environment
  10. Be able to demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills with creativity and initiative to new situations in professional pastoral counselling practice
  11. Be able to demonstrate a high level of autonomy, responsibility, and accountability for personal professional practice
  12. Be able to demonstrate independent research, organisation, written and oral communication skills in the presentation of pastoral counselling papers
  13. Be able to integrate critical analysis of appropriate literature with their own experience and knowledge in the field of pastoral counselling
  14. Be able to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of research principles and methods applicable to pastoral counselling, and their application to chosen research question
  15. Be able to design, plan and execute a substantial research-based project and/or piece of scholarship
Articulated Set
 
1304PC01 - Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counselling [Exit point only]
1604PC01 - Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Counselling
  • Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
  • Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

 

Notes: https://study.csu.edu.au/courses/professional-accreditation

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