Cengage Education is now
Open Colleges
Welcome to a new era in open learning

Print Page Print Page Decrease font size Increase font size

Course: Diploma of Counselling CHC51708 (in partnership with Integrated Care & Management Training)

Take a significant step towards a rewarding career in the fast-growing counselling profession with this nationally recognised qualification.

The Diploma of Counselling CHC51708 provides a range of skills required to undertake general counselling work, communicate effectively at a high level, refer clients and work within a case-management framework. It is also ideal for professionals in HR and other areas where counselling skills are highly valued, as the distance learning format allows you to complete the course at your own pace.

With guidance from an experienced trainer, access to high-quality learning materials and a work placement for practical experience and industry contacts, you could be ready to pursue counselling work in as little as 12 months – or even open your own practice.

Potential jobs:
  • Counsellor

Extras

Upon successful completion of this program, you will be eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Community Counselling Association.

Partnership with ICMT

Open Colleges (formerly Cengage Education), Australia's leading distance education provider, has partnered with Integrated Care & Management Training (ICMT) to promote and provide access to the Diploma of Counselling CHC51708, which is delivered through distance education.

ICMT (National Provider Code 90197) is a leading provider of education and training in the Health and Community Services sectors. ICMT is distinguished by its up-to-date courses, designed in partnership with industry, and its outstanding student and graduate outcomes.

This is a popular course so we recommend that you enrol as soon as possible to secure your place.
Course Number E0098
Course Fees From $110.00 per week View our payment options
Delivery mode: Print or online
Course duration: Max 24 months
Assessments: Written, role-play and self-reflection
Qualification: Diploma
Nationally Recognised Yes
Government Funding Yes
Career One jobs for:
Community & Social Services 308
General/Other: Voluntary, Charity & Social Work 34

ID

Subject

Subject Lists toggleexpand all
CHCCM503C
CHCCS514A
  • Recognise and respond to individuals at risk
    • Identify and assess the person's current risk
    • Work actively with the person to reduce the immediate risk and increase safety
    • Provide referral for crisis intervention support
CHCCSL501A
CHCCSL502A
CHCCSL503A
CHCCSL504A
  • Apply personality and development theories
    • Apply theories of personality and human development in the counselling process
    • Use concepts from theories of personality and human development to analyse and understand human behaviour
CHCCSL505A
  • Apply learning theories in counselling
    • Apply behaviourism in counselling practice
    • Analyse environmental modelling influences in counselling practice
    • Analyse possible behavioural outcomes of different modelling and reinforcement influences
    • Formulate a program for change in a counselling context
CHCCSL506A
CHCCSL507A
CHCCSL508A
  • Apply legal and ethical responsibilities in counselling practice
    • Address client and counsellor rights and responsibilities within counselling practice
    • Analyse issues involved in counselling practice and client-counsellor relationships
    • Demonstrate ethical practice in client-counsellor relationships
    • Formulate a plan for ongoing personal and professional development
    • Formulate referral procedures
CHCCSL509A
CHCCSL512A
HLTHIR403C
HLTOHS300A
  • Contribute to OHS processes
CHCCS403B
  • Provide brief intervention
    • Explain what brief intervention is and how it can be effectively used
    • Assess a client's need for intervention and the type of brief intervention required
    • Practise and use brief intervention strategies which match a client's stage of change
CHCICS405A
CHCCS426A
  • Provide support and care relating to loss and grief
    • Identify effects and impact of loss and features of grief
    • Engage empathically with people who are living with loss
    • Provide support for individuals who are grieving and identify potential for healing and growth
    • Identify, inform and refer to appropriate grief and bereavement care services and resources
    • Identify and recognise risks associated with grief and bereavement support
    • Access appropriate supervision and debriefing
    • Review and evaluate grief and bereavement support provided

Entry requirements

Minimum education

To gain entry into this qualification it is recommended that candidates have sufficient relevant work experience to indicate likely success at this level. The work experience will have been achieved in a role involving:

  • The self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in some areas
  • The exercise of independent judgement and decision-making
  • The application of relevant technical and other skills.

Minimum age

As the role of a counsellor involves working with individuals or families who are in distress, a level of personal maturity is required. Therefore it is recommended that individuals are at least 21 and have had some life experience.

Computer requirements

Students will need access to a computer and the internet. For students who do not have access to either a computer or the internet please contact a course and careers adviser to discuss alternative methods of communication.

Minimum specifications for the computer are:

  • Microsoft Office 2003 or equivalent and
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 or Mac OS X and
  • CD-ROM drive.

Students will also need access to a printer and the following applications:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader and
  • Macromedia Flash player.

English language requirements

If English is your second language and you did not complete the last two years of secondary education in English, you are required to provide evidence of English language competency before enrolling into the course. Examples of appropriate evidence are listed below:

Evidence

Example
IELTS Overall score of 5.5
TOEFL 530 (paper), 197 (computer) or 71 (internet)
12 months in English-speaking employment Testimonial, statutory declaration

Open Colleges will endeavour to provide additional assistance to students who experience difficulties with language, literacy and numeracy.

Workplace requirements

Students will be required to undertake 200 hours of work placement. Students will be required to demonstrate their skills according to the units of competency they are studying.

Additional requirements

National Criminal Record Check: Prior to commencing work placement, students willl be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate.

Commission for Children and Young People Student Declaration: Before commencing work placement, students will be required to sign a CCYP Student Declaration form, which they must provide to the state public health facility. This form declares that the student is not prohbited from working with children and young people.

Equipment: Students will need access to a digital video camera and related software to record some of the assessment tasks.

Students who successfully complete the Diploma of Counselling CHC51708 may go on to further education in this field.

Dr Marilyn Dunn-Bernstein

Dr Marilyn Dunn-Bernstein

Marilyn Dunn-Bernstein is a senior trainer who has worked at Open Colleges for the past 13 years in the fields of Psychology, Social Sciences and Counselling. During her time with Open Colleges, Marilyn has earned a reputation as something of a hard taskmaster. However, it is all in a good cause as feedback has highlighted the benefit students derive from her ability to expand their thinking in both personal and academic domains, and thus ultimately become more effective mediators and counsellors.

An eminent educator with nearly 40 years’ experience, Marilyn has taught in a range of educational environments and roles, ranging from high school vice-principal to university lecturer and PhD supervisor. Amongst her many qualifications, she holds a Ph.D. in Education, a Master’s in Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Human Behaviour.

Marilyn’s early projects included 10 years of research, lecturing and publishing with the Cognitive Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and 16 years with the Gifted Child Program for disadvantaged individuals in South African townships. In parallel, she spent 20 years as vice-principal of a prominent high school. Her current work as a psychologist in Australia involves enhancing cognitive, emotional and creative development in autistic, Down syndrome, Asperger’s and gifted individuals. She has run her own practice for 13 years, where she specialises in counselling young adults, adolescents, their parents and siblings.

For a significant part of her career, Marilyn has participated in running international workshops in Australia, South Africa, Israel and New Zealand on learning enhancement and cognitive modifiability. Her most recent publications include: Mediated Learning – Teaching, Tasks and Tools to Unlock Cognitive Potential (Sage Publications 2008) and Bridging Learning – Unlocking Cognitive Potential In and Out of the Classroom (Sage publications 2009).

Maurice Benfredj

Maurice Benfredj

One of Open Colleges' most experienced and highly qualified trainers, Maurice Benfredj also has an intimate knowledge of distance learning from the student perspective. In fact, he has studied nearly 50 courses with us, and holds qualifications from other distance education providers.

Maurice’s connection with Open Colleges spans more than 40 years, and for around half that time he has been helping our students to improve their skills and prospects across a range of disciplines.

A senior trainer in our Diploma of Counselling CHC51708, Maurice also works at a counselling and psychotherapy practice in Adelaide, where he has amassed extensive practical experience in conflict-resolution and mediation. Maurice also trains students in Open Colleges' Certificate in Beginner’s German.

Maurice holds bachelors in Arts, Science and Education, along with three graduate diplomas, a Master of Arts and Master of Letters. He also has a workplace training qualification, as well as counselling and applied science qualifications gained through Open Colleges. Maurice is currently a CMACA (Clinical Member, Australian Counselling Association).

Possible Jobs for this Course include: Podiatrist Riverland Regional Health Service Indicative Total Remuneration: $58,032 - $71,093 – Perm F/T – AHP1 Under the direct supervision of the Senior Podiatrist, you will provide a high quality clinical Podiatry service to eligible community members. These serv... Read MoreRead More
Drugs and Alcohol Services Clinician (RN / RPN Gr 3, P2, SW2, OT Gr 2) Barwon Health’s Drugs and Alcohol Services (DAS) is looking to recruit a full time Clinician with qualifications and professional registration in the areas of Nursing (RN/RPN Div 1/Div 3 – Grade 3), Psychology (full registration – P2), Social Work (Grade ... Read MoreRead More
Social Workers: There's never been a better time to register with McArthur We are currently experiencing acute shortages in the sector; your skills and experience are highly valued by our clients. With over 40 years’ experience McArthur is Australia’s most respected social welfare recruitment specialist and renowned for our high... Read MoreRead More
Volunteer Volunteer Berry Street Volunteer - Free Rent! GOALS PROGRAM Footscray Location Berry Street offers a variety of youth housing, support and education programs across the North & West Region. The GOALS Program is a holistic support service for young people ... Read MoreRead More

Available payment options

Pay Just $110.00 per week with a $100.00 deposit
or
Pay in full $5,360.00 and save $1340.00
Fortnightly and monthly payment plans are also available through EduPay. Click Enrol Now and choose a payment plan or call a Course and Careers advisor on 1300 853 033 for more details. (Prices shown are for the online study option only. A surcharge is applicable for the print study option).
Start today - enrol now

Government Funding

In some instances, students may be eligible for Austudy, Centrelink or other government-funded programs to help with study. Please check with Centrelink regarding eligibility, or contact a course and careers advisor on 1300 853 033.

Work Placement

Why is a Work Placement Required?

This course includes 200 hours of work placement. Work placement is required to ensure that the student is able to demonstrate and apply what he or she has learnt in an industry context.

Workplace assessments and training must be undertaken in workplace organisations that are suitable for the course. The student must be under the direction of an appropriately qualified and experienced supervisor. The workplace assessments will be conducted by Open Colleges Workplace Assessors, who will contact both the workplace organisation and the student to arrange mutually convenient times to conduct the workplace assessments.

Open Colleges will assist students to identify work placement opportunities in an appropriate organisation however, it is the responsibility of the student to find and complete the work placement. In the event that the student has previously arranged a work placement Open Colleges will check the suitability of this arrangement.

Open Colleges will make reasonable efforts to organise for assessment to be conducted in the workplace however, the student may be required to attend assessment events at other locations. If the student does not complete a mandatory work placement within the duration of the course Open Colleges is not permitted to issue the qualification.

You will need to complete this part of your studies in an Australian workplace.

Insurance

Open Colleges is pleased to offer our students insurance cover for any mandatory work placement they undertake as part of their course.

Please note that this policy does not provide professional indemnity coverage.

Take the next step

Call us on 1300 853 033 Start today - enrol now
Enquire Now
Fill in your details and one of our course & careers advisors will be in touch.
Title
First Name *
Last Name *
Date of Birth
Send my info pack:
Email *
Phone *
Preferred Callback Time (AEST)
Street number & name*
Suburb*
State *
Postcode*
Course of Interest*
Current Student
Message
       Submit enquiry
Top of page
© 2012 Open Colleges (Formerly Cengage Education) Site Map Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Open Colleges Group
Home     OpenSpace: 1300 853 033
All Courses
Accounting & Finance
Beauty
Business Administration
Business & Management
Community Services
Design & Photography
General Interest
Health & Fitness
Information Technology
Natural Therapies
Tourism & Hospitality
Writing & Communication

All Courses

Choose from over 100 vocational and leisure courses All Courses

Online courses
Distance education
Student Support