Master of Professional Counselling (Monash Malaysia)

KPT/JPT (R2/0923/7/0003) 05/30 - MQA/FA12898

Applications for the Master of Professional Counselling are currently closed. Updates on future intakes will be published on this page as they become available. Thank you for your interest!

If you're passionate about mental health, this is the course for you.

This skill-based Master of Professional Counselling course is taught by leading academics with extensive experience working as counsellors and psychologists. It is perfectly suited to those interested in counselling.

The Master of Professional Counselling offers a combination of theory and professional experience, providing you with the knowledge and skills to begin a rewarding career as a culturally competent counsellor in Malaysia and the region.

This degree is also suitable if you’re already in a profession that needs counselling skills, such as teaching, social work or human resources.

Register for course updates ⎋

Course map

Handbook

Course guide

At a glance

Course structure

Why Monash?

Career paths

Entry requirements

Duration

2 years (full-time) or 4 years (part-time) Part-time classes are scheduled on weekdays from 9am to 6pm

Type

Coursework

Part A. Professional studies in counselling (78 points)

Part A of Professional Studies in Counselling (78 points) provides a comprehensive foundation in both theory and practice, covering essential areas such as counselling skills, mental health assessment, multicultural considerations, and advanced techniques for working with individuals, couples, and groups.

• Counselling practice and theory
• Human growth and lifespan development
• Mental health issues assessment: grief, trauma and substance abuse
• Counselling in a multicultural context
• Children and adolescents counselling
• Personnel and career development counselling
• Counselling skills: individuals and couples
• Ethics and professional issues in counselling and psychology
• Group counselling skills and psychotherapy
• Cognitive behaviour therapy
• Advanced personnel and career development counselling
• Counselling research design, statistics and program evaluation
• Psychological assessment and measurement

Part B. Professional practice in counselling (18 points)

• Counselling internship
• Counselling practicum

More information The Monash University Handbook has detailed information about the course structure and requirements.

View the course map here.

Quality education

Your Master of Professional Counselling degree will be recognised wherever you want to work or study in the world. Monash University is ranked #45 in the world for psychology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026).

Professionally accredited

The Master of Professional Counselling course is fully accredited by the Malaysian Board of Counsellors, Australian Counselling Association, and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia. This means that after you graduate, you'll be able to apply for membership and practise in Australia.

Work placement

A distinctive aspect of this course is its focus on preparing students to be culturally competent counsellors. You’ll complete 768 hours of clinical placements, comprising 300 hours of client contact and 468 hours of non-contact placement activities.

Learn from professionals

At Monash you'll learn from academics with professional experience. Many are renowned in their field and you’ll benefit from their extensive industry networks.

Flexibility

Choose between full-time or part-time study. As a part-time student, you’ll have access to the same resources as your full-time peers.

Be supported

If you’re a Monash graduate, you’ll receive a 10% tuition fee waiver for the Master of Professional Counselling course. If you aren't, you'll still be eligible for a partial tuition fee waiver for full-time study if you meet the requirements. Click here for more details.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to work as a counsellor with an advanced level of knowledge, and awareness of the professional issues involved in undertaking counselling as a profession in Malaysia and the region. You’ll be able to work in settings such as community mental health clinics, schools, health centres, workplaces and in private practice.

To enter Monash University, you must satisfy particular academic, English language and age requirements.

To apply for the Master of Professional Counselling, you must have completed at least:

Minimum entry score

• An Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least a WAM of 60 or any other qualification deemed equivalent by the University.

Additional selection criteria

You must also:

• provide your latest CV
• provide two academic referee reports and
• pass an interview that consist of a multi-station assessment process.

Inherent Requirements (Effective 2024 intakes and onwards)

To complete your degree, you will need to demonstrate that you have the abilities, knowledge, and skills to achieve specific core learning outcomes, these are called inherent requirements.

Find out more about inherent requirements for this course here.

"Monash is generous with their efforts in organising training seminars and workshops to expand our knowledge across a variety of disciplines within the counselling field. I had enriching experiences in my practicum and internship where I was able to practise skills learnt in the course and obtain first-hand encounters with the rewards and challenges of working in the counselling industry."

Sara Au Su Yi Master of Professional Counselling Mental Health Counsellor at Cara Cara Mental Fitness

Related courses

• Master of Clinical Psychology
• Master of Biomedical Science
• Master of Biotechnology
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Get in touch

For more information about this degree, including how to apply, contact us.