Health

Diploma of Counselling and Communication Skills

What is a Diploma of Counselling and Communication Skills?

The Diploma of Counselling and Communication Skills builds a foundation of key counselling and communication skills through a combination of theoretical and practical components. Upon completion, you’ll have the opportunity to build a career in the industry or enrol in the Bachelor of Counselling and receive credit from this counselling diploma.

This course offers the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in the community sector. You’ll develop an understanding of human behaviour at different stages, behavioural problems and strategies for positive behaviour management, and the impact of society and culture. You'll learn how to critically review a range of theories in counselling and relate them to issues in practice, take an ethical approach to counselling and develop skills to assess, manage and refer clients accordingly.

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Learning outcomes

Explore an array of theoretical perspectives on counselling and discover the drivers for human behaviour.
Learn how to evaluate different situations to determine your best approach.
Study the core principles of case management.
Understand common mental health conditions, behaviours and thought patterns.

ARCAP professional registration access

Upon completion, you’re eligible to join the Australian Register of Counsellors & Psychotherapists.

Download course guide Start online application

Study mode

Online

Campus locations

Online

Student

Domestic

Course duration

1 year full time, part-time options available

Start date

18 Sep 2023

Fees

View fees

This is an AQF Level 5 course delivered by Torrens University Australia Ltd.

Ultimate flexibility

With the option to study full or part time and all your course materials online, you can tailor your study to suit your lifestyle.

Learn from specialists in their field

Our academics understand where the industry is heading and will guide you on your learning journey.

Tap into our knowledge

Our heritage with the Jansen Newman Institute ensures you’re learning from more than 40 years of counselling experience.

When you study with us, you’ll get hands-on practical experience in world-class clinics making a difference to real patients.

Career opportunities

This course will prepare you with the skills to enter a successful career in corporate health or aged care, or to further your study in health at bachelor’s level.

Potential career paths

Family Services Worker
Average salary: $73,330 - $114,495
Disability Support Manager
Average salary: $81,596-$128,133
Health Promotion Officer
Average salary: $80,769 - $99,500

Learn more about careers in Health

Subjects and units

Each subject involves 10 hours of study per week, comprising 3 hours of facilitated study and 7 hours self-directed study.

Requirements

These eight core subjects must be completed.

Core subjects

Social and Emotional Wellbeing | HWEL2006

This subject covers the principles of social, emotional and psychological health, as well as how they relate to health behaviours. You will analyse the role of capacity building and the promotion of wellbeing through mindfulness, positive behavioural change and resilience.
Counselling and Communication Skills | CCS103A

This subject covers foundational counselling skills needed by health professionals for effective communication. It takes a practical approach to a variety of communication skills and best-practice strategies including promoting change, compliance, obstacles to change, transition and self-care. You will develop effective listening and responding skills, increased personal awareness and insight that will help you build professional relationships with clients, colleagues and members of the community.
Case Management and Understanding Community Services | HCCSSD101

This subject examines the practice and skills required for case management and program development in community services. It includes an overview of the theory and practice of program planning, development and evaluation that address the diverse and varied needs of clients. You will be introduced to appropriate professional standards in case management and learn to develop a case management plan that helps you advocate for and empower clients within an ethical framework. You will have the opportunity to apply theory to practice in a community services setting.
Person-Centred Practice | HCCSSD102

In this subject, you will learn the key tenets of person centred practice beginning with a philosophical understanding of what it means to be a person including values, knowing self, and flourishing as a human. You will learn the underpinning skills necessary for professional practice including communicating clearly navigating systems, appreciating contexts, and engaging authentically while being empathetically present. In addition, you will learn the principles of person centred practice including the skills it takes to be a good communicator and the core conditions required of the professional. You will learn core micro skills for effective communication and practice effective means to action these skills in everyday and professional contexts
Mental Health | HCCSSD103

This subject provides you with a foundational understanding of mental health, including definitions of mental health, mental health theories, risk factors and disorders. You’ll also learn about the impact of mental illness on the individual and develop skills in crisis management, particularly as it relates to clients with mental health issues.
Lifespan Development | HCCSSD104

This subject introduces you to the field of developmental psychology and explores what drives or motivates human behaviour. It examines the key life stages from birth to death, taking into account social and cultural contexts. You will be introduced to scholarly work about human development and models for critical self-reflection. Drawing on a range of disciplines, topics include theories of attachment, cognitive and social development, trauma responses at various stages of development, and the role of families and communities in supporting healthy development. You will be required to reflect on your own lifespan development.
Theories of Counselling | HCCSSD105

In this subject, you are introduced to the core skills required for counselling. The subject provides you with theoretical and practical learning opportunities to develop their counselling skills in an interactive and supportive learning environment with feedback from others. Practising throughout the subject increasingly complex counselling skills in small groups, they begin to develop their preferred counselling style. The interrelationships between counselling theories, modalities, and related macro and micro skills are explored. This subject also includes a focus on research into counselling outcomes and effective change processes. Face-to-face students develop the practical skills in their weekly classes whereas online students achieve this outcome by participating in a compulsory weekend residential.
Professional Practice and Industry Placement | HCCSSD106

Two hundred hours of industry placement will be undertaken in this subject. With both theory learning and industry placement, you will gain valuable experience of being involved in an organisation that offers counselling or other relevant community services to clients/consumers of their services. You will also be introduced to the purpose of supervisory relationships. You will learn how ethical and legal frameworks are applied to community services and counselling-related organisations.

Industry partners and work placements

Students are eligible to join the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (RCAP). Work-Integrated Learning and Clinical Practicum Experience are embedded throughout the course and are incorporated into theory subjects.

Work placement hours

During your degree, you’ll undertake 120 hours clinical experience at an external organisation.

Entry details

Fees

Check the domestic course fee schedule for the cost of your course.

FEE-HELP

Eligible Australian students may choose to defer some, or all, of their tuition fees through FEE-HELP, a loan scheme repaid through the tax system based on income.

Learn more about fees and FEE-HELP

Scholarships

If you are truly passionate about health, we want to hear from you. We have a variety of health scholarships on offer to assist you in becoming a key part of the health industry:

Admission criteria

Before you begin your application to study as a domestic student, check that you meet the requirements listed below.

Year 12 (Australian secondary school certificate) or equivalent

Vocational qualification (AQF Level 4), or above

OR

Successful completion of a Higher Education qualification.

View full course admission information

Guaranteed pathway and Recognition of Prior Learning

If you have already completed a qualification or gained skills through life or work experience, you may be able to credit this against your degree with us. Check information about Recognition of Prior Learning and Course Credit transfer. We also offer pathway opportunities to further your learning.

Learn more about study pathways

Frequently asked questions

What are Torrens University Australia’s ATAR requirements for domestic students?

Torrens University Australia no longer considers ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) as our primary entry requirement. We have removed ATAR as the key admissions criteria for applicants aiming to study at Torrens University Australia. We strongly believed an alternative to the ATAR system should be found, which more broadly assesses students, especially when soft skills are emerging as important employability attributes. So, students with a recent secondary school education are now considered for admission if they have a Year 12 (Australian secondary school) certificate. Exceptions may apply to some courses.
What if  I don’t meet the entry criteria for a degree?

Torrens University Australia has a range of application pathways to help you gain entry into our degrees based on different criteria.

To find out more, visit Study Pathways or contact our Future Student Advisors.
Am I eligible for FEE-HELP?
If you are a domestic student attending university or an approved higher education provider, you can get a FEE-HELP loan to pay all or part of your tuition fees.

You are eligible for FEE-HELP assistance for a unit of study (i.e. subject) if you:

Undertake study with an approved provider.

Meet the citizenship and residency requirements:

An Australian citizen or a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the long-term residency criteria and who will undertake, in Australia, at least one unit of study contributing to your course; OR

A permanent humanitarian visa holder who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit; OR

Are a permanent visa holder who is undertaking bridging study for overseas-trained professionals, and will be a resident in Australia for the duration of the study.

Enrolled in an eligible unit of study by the census date for the unit.

Have not exceeded the FEE-HELP limit.

For full details, visit the Australian Government website Study Assist.

If you are still unsure, please contact our Future Student Advisors who can talk you through the information.

Can I get course credit for previous experience?

Yes, course credit is available for most courses upon application and academic approval (excluding Higher Degree by Research programs). 

If you have already completed a qualification or have relevant work experience, you may be eligible for credit towards your course. This credit can take the form of credit transfer, block credit or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Review our Course Credits page or chat to our Future Student Advisors.
What are Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT)? How do I apply?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that recognises experience, previous study and qualifications, and other forms of informal and non-formal learning, to determine if you meet course requirements.

If you have relevant qualifications or experience, you may be eligible for credit towards your course and a reduction in tuition costs.

Please speak to our Future Student Advisors to discuss your prior learning experiences.

For more information, please visit Course credits.
How do I apply for a scholarship?

Torrens University has a wide range of scholarship options to support new, returning, international and Australian students. They all include a reduction in tuition fees, and some scholarships include a mentoring component with our industry partners.

Domestic students

When you speak to our Future Student Advisors, let them know you wish to be considered for a scholarship in your application form. They will show you how to apply for a scholarship.

International students

Please contact your Education Agent for further information. Alternatively, you can call us on 1300 575 803 or by email.

For more details, explore our range of scholarships.

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Diploma of Counselling and Communication Skills