Bachelor of Counselling

All applicants who endeavour to submit an application must meet the general admission requirements.

Admission to the Bachelor of Counselling requires:

• An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or its equivalent (eg. OP ≤ 16); OR
• Satisfactory completion an AQF 5 Diploma of Counselling (or equivalent) from an institution recognised by the Academic Board; OR
• Mature Age and Special Entry Admissions for those who have reached the age of 20; AND
• Satisfactory completion of a pre-enrolment interview with a relevant course advisor

English Proficiency: Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5 in all bands of the test. A student can be admitted provisionally into the BCouns when they have an IELTS result of 6.0 with no score less than 6.0 in all bands of the test.

All candidates must be 18 years old or older.

Applicants must confess their faith in Christ under the PBC Statement of Faith, be involved regularly in a local church, demonstrate a desire to be involved in church ministry, demonstrate the physical and psychological capacity for studying in a tertiary institution, agree to abide by PBC policies and procedures and agree to abide by the Student Code of Conduct.

Before applying, please ensure you have:

• A Unique Student Identifier number (USI). If you don’t have one, you can apply here. To find your number, click here.
• A colour PDF of your birth certificate, passport, and permanent resident visa (or a certified copy)
• A digital passport-style image
• A colour PDF of previous academic transcripts and certificates of completion(or a certified copy)
• A page or two detailing your testimony, including how you became a Christian and why you believe the Lord would have you train for Christian life and service at PBC
• Contact information for two chosen referees
• Contact information for your Pastor/Leader.

When you have all the required supporting information for your application, please apply online here.

In combination with meeting the general admission requirements Overseas students must also provide:

• Evidence of English Proficiency
• A medical certificate verifying you are fit for study at a higher education institution
• $500 AUD application fee.

The Bachelor of Counselling is a higher education award provided by Sydney College of Divinity (SCD).

CRICOS Provider Code: 02948J
CRICOS Course Code: 114818K

The Bachelor of Counselling requires the completion of 216 credit points (24 units) which will include:

• a major (54 credit points) in the sub-discipline of Counselling consisting of three units of counselling practicum and three units of counselling theory
• an additional sub-major (36 credit points) in the sub-discipline of Counselling
• a sub-major (36 credit points) in Pastoral Theology
• a sub-major (36 credit points) in either Biblical Studies or Theology or Christian Life and Ministry
• additional units as required to complete the award from the suite of available SCD units

All course units will be taken from Sydney College of Divinity Schedule of units of study coded within the 7100 series and above.

The list of Bachelor of Counselling Units – Two-Year Cycle 2024-2025

*Spinal units require student’s live participation either via Zoom or in person.

The Bachelor of Counselling Unit Planner 2024 – 2025

A7100 Critical Thinking and Writing in Theological Studies

This introductory course unit provides structured, practical instruction in the nature and skills of critical thinking, reading and writing in a theological context. It is designed as a generic introduction to the academic skills relevant to the various disciplines in theological studies.

B7150 Introduction to the New Testament

This course unit introduces students to the critical study of the New Testament, its literary forms, historical and cultural contexts and theological themes. It provides a solid foundation for further biblical and theological study.

B7204 Trauma and Growth in Biblical Perspective

This undergraduate course unit leads students through the interpretation and application of biblical texts, via relevant trauma theories. This is in order to provide them with the knowledge and skills required for a healthy biblical trauma hermeneutic that addresses ancient and modern contexts.

C7102 Counselling Theory and Practice I

This unit Counselling Theories and Practice I aims to introduce students to the foundations of ethical counselling practice. Students will learn a range of theories, explore why particular skills are helpful and reflect on their integration in ethical ways.

C7106 Introduction to Psychology

The unit aims to introduce students to basic psychology and its contribution to understanding human development, learning, memory, personality, motivation and social behaviour. Students will be able to apply knowledge gained to a range of contexts and evaluate current events using psychological concepts.

C7140 Counselling Practicum I

The unit Counselling Practicum I aims to provide students with an initial opportunity to practice counselling skills in a closely supervised context. Students will evaluate their practice and skill development in counselling and grow in their understanding of the counselling task and the importance of managing connected relationships.

C7192 Studies in Self Care

This unit offers prospective and current practitioners the educational elements required to develop and enhance healthy self-care practices, consider learned coping patterns and deepen awareness of the biblical and theological aspects of rest.

C7202 Counselling Theory and Practice II

This unit Counselling Theory and Practice II aims to continue developing students in the foundations of ethical counselling practice.

C7203 Human Development & Pastoral Counselling

This course unit provides an understanding of the physical, social, psychological and spiritual dimensions of the human life cycle through all the stages from infancy to older age. As such, it provides knowledge of life experiences that can be addressed in pastoral care and counselling.

C7204 Counselling Theory and Practice III

This unit aims to expand the student’s developing understanding of counselling theories and psychotherapy. Students will reflect on underlying assumptions of different counselling modalities and provide reasoned explanations for how to apply different methods to support clients.

C7208 Addiction Counselling

This unit aims to introduce students to the theoretical concepts and terminology associated with addiction as a foundation for counselling practice. Students will gain knowledge of the clinical features of addiction, the addiction cycle and co-occurring disorders. Support and treatment options will also be introduced.

C7228 Psychopathology

This unit aims to introduce students to the field of abnormal psychology. Students will analyse the core concepts in the discipline and critically evaluate its classification methods. Through this, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how psychological disorders are identified and categorised, fostering a deep appreciation for the complexity of mental health when supporting people who are experiencing psychological disorders.

C7240 Counselling Practicum II

The unit Counselling Practicum II aims to provide students with ongoing opportunities to practice counselling skills in a supervised context. Students will evaluate their practice and skill development in counselling and grow in their understanding of the counselling task and the importance of managing connected relationships.

C7241 Counselling Practicum III

This unit Counselling Practicum III aims to provide students with further opportunities to develop counselling skills within a supervised context.

C7245 Working with Trauma and Grief

This unit aims to equip the student to understand the special challenges faced by counsellors and pastoral care workers in situations marked by intense grief and trauma.

C7250 Child and Adolescent Counselling

This unit aims to introduce students to the range of issues and challenges facing the treatment of children and adolescents. It explores how an understanding of human developmental theory can aid in counselling this age group and examines a range of key techniques and theoretical approaches that can be employed.

C7254 Relationship Counselling

This Unit Relationship Counselling aims to introduce students to the issues and approaches relevant to couples counselling. The student will examine a range of theoretical perspectives and learn specific skills and intervention techniques. Contemporary relationship issues that are commonly present will be a particular focus.

C7256 Family Counselling

This Unit Family Counselling aims to introduce students to the issues and potential treatment in family-related presentations. Students will examine a range of systemic theoretical positions and learn how to apply this knowledge to specific scenarios. In addition, students will learn to use relevant tools to analyse and evaluate family structures and to apply these tools to effectively engage in treatment techniques.

C7292 Counselling in Cultural Context (ISS)

This unit aims to provide students with a knowledge of the need, a conceptual framework for and the necessary skills for cross-cultural counselling. Both cultural diversity within Australia and the implications of working with people with families overseas will be examined to outline the complexity of working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Within the study, students will be encouraged to identify their own cultural framework and understand their own cultural predisposition.

C7191 Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

This advanced graduate course offers helping professionals an understanding of the therapeutic principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Students will gain an understanding of CBT and will apply empirically-validated techniques to assess, conceptualize, and help people from a cognitive-behavioural orientation. Specific skills to be discussed and developed include Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

P7224 Pastoral and Spiritual Care Responses to Mental Health

This advanced graduate course will enable students to demonstrate proficiency in the theoretical foundations and practical applications of counselling for mental health and wholeness. Students will critically analyse the diverse factors affecting mental health, including cultural, social, and psychological determinants, and apply evidence-based counselling techniques to facilitate holistic well-being of individuals and groups.