Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology

The AUT postgraduate programme in Counselling Psychology provides a pathway towards applying for registration as a counselling psychologist in New Zealand.

Counselling psychology focuses on health and wellbeing, and collaboration between psychologist and client to achieve desired mental health outcomes. Counselling psychologists recognise the importance of medical, psychosocial and cultural perspectives in understanding and explaining how mental illness and problem behaviour forms, and how to implement treatments and sensitively address illnesses and issues.

Key features:

  • The only postgraduate psychology pathway leading to registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board, allowing you to practise as a psychologist.

Quick Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum entry requirements

You must have completed one of the following or equivalent:

  • Master of Health Science with a specialisation in Psychology
  • Relevant master’s degree in psychology and have passed the papers (Psychological Intervention, Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis, Supervised Practicum)
  • Relevant master’s degree in psychology and papers equivalent to those listed above

Other requirements

  • May be required to meet Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCA Act) and Vulnerable Children’s Act (VCA Act) requirements and other relevant legislation

Majors

Additional Majors and Minors

Additional majors and minors

Structure and Content

The Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology internship is an integral part of the programme. This is a full year of practice: four days a week working in a practice setting (the equivalent of 1,500 hours as required by the Psychologists’ Board) and one day a week at AUT North Campus.

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