Master of Rehabilitation Counselling

The Master of Rehabilitation Counselling is designed to teach and assess the established and developing body of knowledge required for rehabilitation counselling practice in Australasia and internationally, covering all of the knowledge and skills domain established in the most recent (2010) Australasian rehabilitation counselling competency study, as well as broad human services knowledge. Graduates of the Master of Rehabilitation Counselling will demonstrate multi-disciplinary knowledge about:

1. various systems influences on rehabilitation counselling and human services practice
2. the role of, methods for and applicability of research within human services and research questions relevant to the health and human service professions
3. human behaviour, the nature of social inequality, and the implications of diversity, disability and chronic illness and be able to work effectively with people from diverse and disadvantaged groups
4. workplace health and safety practices, procedures and legislation
5. the roles of other professions in the same field and inter-professional practice
6. the relationships between personal, professional, organisational and sector values
7. the roles and functions of organisations within the rehabilitation counselling and human service sectors
8. the principles of ethical practice applicable to rehabilitation counselling, human services, disability and mental health.

Graduates of the Master of Rehabilitation Counselling will demonstrate discipline specific knowledge about:

1. rehabilitation counselling professional practice including: policy and legislation; disability, rehabilitation and psychosocial theory; and current professional literature
2. rehabilitation case management including: principles and processes; funding and regulatory requirements; and policy and legislation
3. vocational rehabilitation including: vocational assessment tools and qualitative evaluation processes; career development theories; and vocational training, job matching and placement processes
4. counselling including the psychosocial aspects of behaviour and theoretical frameworks relevant to counselling
5. workplace disability/injury case management including: functional implications of injury and disability; and return to work assessment, planning and management
6. workplace intervention and program management including: injury and disability prevention; and injury and disability program management.

Rehabilitation counsellors are allied health professionals who work within a counselling and case management framework to assist people who are experiencing disability, a health condition or social disadvantage to participate in employment or education, or to live independently and access services in the community. In this program you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to work as a rehabilitation counsellor in government, insurance, workers compensation and motor accident rehabilitation, disability employment services, the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS), the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (or equivalent internationally), and private and not-for-profit rehabilitation services.

You will learn about vocational evaluation, job placement, injury management, disability studies, applied counselling and research methods. You will also undertake a supervised practicum placement, which will give you the opportunity to apply theory to practice.

Additionally, you will complete a supervised dissertation or choose from elective courses in areas such as workplace health and safety, mental health, entrepreneurial and negotiation skills, disability and ageing studies. This will allow you to complete specialist courses and research relevant to your interests in a particular area of rehabilitation counselling practice.

Recommended study pattern

The program is offered full-time and part-time via off-campus study only.

As a guide, core subjects in this degree can include: 

• Applied Counselling
• Foundations of Research Inquiry
• Dissertation
• Introduction to Rehabilitation Counselling

Plus there’s a selection of electives to choose from. As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.

Award requirements

For the award of Master of Rehabilitation Counselling (MRehabCounsel), you must successfully Complete 120 credit points for one of the following:

• 120 credit points for all Pathway 1 - duration 1 year (80CP of study and 40CP for prior learning), or
• 120 credit points for all Pathway 2 - duration 1.5 years (120CP of study - related degree), or
• 120 credit points for all Pathway 3 - duration 1.5 years (120CP of study - any degree)

This degree may be awarded with Distinction where a student achieves a minimum program GPA of 6.5 with no failed courses. The words "This award was achieved with Distinction" will be recorded on the testamur.

Exit points

To be eligible to exit with the 4210 - Graduate Diploma of Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, you must successfully complete 80 credit points from courses listed in the program.

The Graduate Diploma exit point is not available to students admitted to the Masters program Pathway 1 - 1 year program (80CP) related bachelor and work experience or related Graduate Certificate.

To exit, you should apply for a program transfer.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $24,000

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.

Learn more about Griffith University.

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QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

18

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

21

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Rehabilitation Counselling, you must have one of:  

Pathway 1 - 1 year program (80CP) - related Bachelor AND relevant experience or related Graduate Certificate: 

• A recognised Bachelor degree (or higher) in a *related discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale; AND a minimum 2 years full-time (or equivalent) relevant ^professional experience; OR  
• A Griffith Graduate Certificate in Case Management and Mental Health (or equivalent) with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale. Applicants must meet the English language requirements for the program.

Pathway 2 - 1.5 year program (120CP) - related Bachelor:

• A recognised Bachelor degree (or higher) in a *related discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.

Pathway 3 - 1.5 year program (120CP) - any Bachelor: 

• A recognised Bachelor degree (or higher) in any discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.

*Related disciplines include: vocational rehabilitation, psychology, exercise science, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, occupational health nursing, human services, social work, industrial relations, human resource management, occupational health and safety 

^Relevant professional experience includes: disability, rehabilitation or related human services settings. 

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 7.0
• OR a minimum score of 580 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 92 (no score less than 22)
• OR no score less than 4 in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR a minimum overall score of 185 (no score less than 176) on C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• OR an overall score of 65 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 65.

English test results must be no more than two years old.

The Direct Entry Program (DEP) pathway is not accepted for this program.

The above requirements are HIGHER than those stipulated in University policy. Applicants should refer to the English language requirements section of the following procedure for further information:

• Admission Procedure

Reduce the time it takes to finish your degree. You can apply to Griffith to recognise your prior learning, including: 

• Formal learning through courses completed at uni and TAFE. 
• Informal learning through workplace experience or volunteer training. 
• Non-formal learning through social experiences and hobbies. 

There are placements associated with this program and before undertaking professional experience placements, all students in this program are required to have completed the following by the end of their first trimester of study:

• Vaccinations and Health Tests
• Licenses and Certificates
• Online Training
• Health Placement Requirements

Students should refer to the checklist of professional practice requirements for their Health discipline on the Health Placement Support Hub for full details of the requirements regarding professional placement to ensure that they meet eligibility for placement.

Work-integrated learning is established in the capstone course 7313AHS Rehabilitation Counselling Practicum which is completed in the final trimester of study. Students are required to complete 200 hours (minimum) on-site supervised practice in a suitable rehabilitation counselling practice context. Students will be required to meet pre-placement requirements in consultation with Master of Rehabilitation Counselling program staff prior to their final trimester of study. The placement will be negotiated with the course convenor, the student, the host organisation and the placement officer. This will 6-12 months prior to the placement.