納爾遜馬爾伯勒理工學(xué)院(NMIT)

If your aim is to become a professionally qualified counsellor, this is the programme for you.

After completing this programme, you’ll be able to enter the counselling profession at a beginning practitioner level.

Practical placements are an essential part of the programme and you’ll spend time working in community agencies and organisations.

There will be opportunities to experience counselling yourself and be involved in a group process in your first year.

In your final year, you’ll be able to select a practice focus in either Mental Health and Addictions counselling, Family/Whanau counselling or working with children and young people.

Once you’ve graduated, you’ll be able to apply for provisional membership of a relevant professional body such as the NZAC, Te Whariki Tautoko, DAPAANZ or NZ Christian Counsellors Association.

You’ll have developed the skills and professional attributes to enable you to work collaboratively within this increasingly complex and interdisciplinary sector.

Career opportunities & pathways

As a graduate of this programme you’ll be eligible for provisional membership of professional associations. While registration of counsellors is currently not mandatory, the current benchmark for counselling practice is membership of an appropriate professional association with an appropriate code of ethics such as the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC), Te Whariki Tautoko, or the New Zealand Christian Counsellors Association (NZCCA). Counsellors working in the addictions field in the health workforce require DAPAANZ registration.

You'll be qualified to work in a range of social services, mental health, and other counselling related roles. You may also pathway into relevant postgraduate programmes at Wintec and/or other tertiary education providers. Postgraduate study will enable you to practice at a more advanced level specialist fields such as education, management, human resources, career development, social services and mental health.

Industry based learning

Emphasis is given to blending theory and practice through supervised practice and the application of theory in work-based projects and applied research.

Practice-based learning is a significant element in the programme. You’ll be introduced to practice learning in year 1 with an emphasis on understanding the practice environment and group processes.

In the second and third years, the emphasis shifts to engagement in counselling and group work practice. The practice-based learning provides the experience on which classroom discussions and integration of theory is based. This provides an ongoing and current work-based context for all learning.

In year 1 you will undertake placement observations and have access to qualified supervision to ensure you are well prepared for undertaking practicum in years 2 and 3.

Practicums in Year 2 and 3 will be supervised by qualified supervisors. The practice modules will have clearly articulated assessment strategies to ensure integration of theory, practice and placement learning.