Counselling courses

At an undergraduate level, online counselling courses cover the theoretical concepts you need to be a successful counsellor. If you choose to move on to postgraduate study, you can specialise further.  

You’ll graduate with a thorough understanding of:

• mental health first aid for a wide range of mental health and lifestyle issues
• how to support individuals through grief, trauma, or chronic illness 
• how to encourage healthy thoughts and behaviours
• techniques for managing stress 
• how to apply relevant counselling theories and research
• ethical considerations 
• how to deliver counselling services
• how to apply cultural awareness and provide culturally safe counselling. 

Counselling is a broad field, so there are plenty of areas you can focus on, including:   

• Wellbeing in education settings 
• Learning difficulties 
• Rehabilitation 
• Trauma-informed counselling  
• Alcohol and drug counselling 
• Couples and family counselling  

If you don’t want to complete a full degree, take a single subject or short course to upskill in a specialty area.   

Not only is counselling a fascinating study area, but there is significant demand for new workers in this field. Data gathered by Labour Market Insights suggests that Australia will need 3,500 new trained counsellors by 2026. 

Studying counselling courses online might initially feel strange, given that the profession centres on interpersonal connection. However, online counselling courses focus on giving you the strongest theoretical foundation possible so that when you sit down with clients in the future, you have the expertise to guide them through their particular challenges.  

Some courses require students to complete a placement or attend on-site workshops. If a practical component is important to you, choose a course that includes this. Throughout your course, you might also participate in role-playing activities via video chat to experience what it’s like to apply your newfound skills.

Entry requirements vary and are listed on the course details page of every course offered through Open Universities Australia.  

There’s likely an ATAR cut-off for entry to undergraduate courses. But if you don’t meet these requirements, don’t worry. There are other pathways available through us. Consider single subject study to get relevant study experience or complete an undergraduate certificate. 

To enrol in a postgraduate course, you will need to have completed relevant undergraduate study or demonstrate relevant work experience.  

If you’re unsure which option is best for you, book a call with our friendly team of student advisors. They’ll help you figure out your study path.      

There’s no shortage of careers available to counselling graduates. You’ll have opportunities to help others in a wide range of settings, including:  

• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation  
• Family counselling and welfare 
• Crisis support  
• Phone counselling  
• Trauma counselling 
• Youth work  

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.

Not a problem. There are plenty of related career paths you can walk down instead. Take a look at these online courses available through Open Universities Australia: