Master of Arts (Pastoral Counselling)

What is this course about?

CSU's Pastoral Counselling program qualifies individuals to undertake professional or highly skilled work in the field of Pastoral Counselling in settings such as pastoral and clinical counselling practise, church and community work, and lay or ordained ministry.

Pastoral counselling skills are exercised in a variety of institutional settings within the overall framework of the churches in Australia at the corporate and congregational levels of denominations, universities, military, corrective services, police, ambulance, trade and industry, and like situations.

These courses are a response to community expectations for professionally trained pastoral counsellors in the church and community. They provide an opportunity for lay or ordained church workers to develop their counselling skills and qualifications.

Residential schools

In every session there will be a two- to four-day residential school for the subjects coded THL, with the exception of THL434 which has a five day residential school and THL435, which does not have a residential school. These are normally held in February, April/May, July or September.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.