Master of Counselling

For those wishing to undertake a research component within the qualification the forms and guidelines are listed below:

• EDUCA590 Directed Study - see the Directed Study Guidelines and application form
• EDUCA592 Dissertation - see the Dissertation Guidelines and application form
• EDUCA593/594 Masters Thesis - see the Masters Thesis Guidelines and application form

Research is governed by the Ethical Conduct in Research Regulations. For advice about the online Research Ethics Application please email fedu.ethics@waikato.ac.nz.

This information is provisional and subject to change.

Professional papers offer students the opportunity to have supported professional experience in community and or education settings. Efforts are made to cater for and respond to the individual student’s particular background and professional education goals.

Practicum placements

In order to gain a place in the programme, students must be able to demonstrate a relationship with a community-based counselling service or school or mental health service which will give them access to an appropriate practicum placement.

Students must have a commitment to ongoing appropriate professional supervision. However, students will not establish any formal contract with an agency until they have been selected into the Counsellor Education Programme and have received all the necessary information on practicum placements.

In general, students in the first year of a full-time programme complete 200 hours in a professional counselling setting and complete 80 hours of counselling. They will engage in professional supervision*. The supervisor must be a member of a professional helping body such as NZAC, NZASW, NZPsS, or NZAP. Students must engage in a minimum of 16 supervision sessions, in each of the practicum papers. Students should note that NZAC membership now requires supervision with an experienced NZAC Member.

In the second year of the full-time programme the practicum involves 450 hours in counselling settings. Up to three placements may be arranged.

Note: Successful applicants will be completely responsible for setting up an appropriate placement to meet the requirements of the counselling practicum for the various papers.

*There may be a cost involved.

As a graduate of the MCouns programme, you will have developed competence in the practices of counselling, and established a firm understanding in philosophical and ethical issues relating to professional counselling practice.

You'll learn how to engage critically with the theoretical concepts and research which underpins counselling practice and the knowledge of the professional context within which you work.

Not only will your studies set you up with a well-articulated theoretical position and reflective professional stance in your counselling work, you'll also gain a recognised qualification for membership of New Zealand Association of Counsellors.

Manākitanga (hospitality and care) is offered by Tāngata whenua, people of the land, who open the space for collaboration, with the intention of weaving cultural knowledge and practice into the shaping of our counsellor education programme. The significant contributions include interchanges, connections, noho marae and visits to the following marae:

• Te Kohinga Marama Marae at The University of Waikato (over night noho)
• Maniaroa Marae at Mokau (week long stay with workshops and presentations)
• Parihaka (visit to learn about Māori passive resistance to land confiscation).