Counselling Subject regulations
Counselling programmes at the University of Waikato take a distinctive orientation to counsellor education. These programmes emphasise narrative approaches in counselling and therapy. These approaches depend upon a social constructionist and post structuralist epistemological base.
Initial enquiries should be made to the Division of Education.
Other qualifications
Prescriptions for:
-
PGCertCouns(ProfSup) The PGCertCouns(ProfSup) - previously named the PGCertCouns(CounsSup), is designed to offer experienced counselling practitioners advanced education in supervision. The programme is available for students who have completed a bachelors degree, or equivalent, and a counselling qualification, and who have at least five years' full-time equivalent experience in counselling.
To complete the PGCertCouns(ProfSup), students must complete 60 points at 500 level (COUNS547, COUNS548). These papers each include an on-campus component and are taught partially online.
Applications must be received by 30 November in the year prior to enrolment.
-
MCouns The MCouns programme is designed to offer students the opportunity to develop professional skills well-grounded in constructionist theories. Such a professional education programme invites students to consider their own lives, and how they are storied, both as persons and professionals. The programme aims to develop the professional identity, including skills and ethical behaviours, of the student counsellor. It is a recognised qualification for membership of The New Zealand Association of Counsellors.
To complete an MCouns, students must complete 240 points, including the five compulsory papers COUNS531, COUNS541, COUNS542, COUNS544 and COUNS545.
Students may include:
(a) the five compulsory papers and a 90 point thesis, or
(b) the five compulsory papers, a 60 point dissertation, and 30 points from approved 500 level papers, or
(c) the five compulsory papers, a 30 point dissertation, and 60 points from approved 500 level papers, or
(d) the five compulsory papers and 90 points from approved 500 level papers.
Entry into COUNS542 and COUNS545 requires the approval of the Professional Leader - Counsellor Education Programmes. Such approval is conditional on both a pass and demonstrated satisfactory professional performance in COUNS541 and the satisfactory arrangement of a practicum placement. Students without sufficient background in counselling may be required to complete COUNS549 in addition to the five compulsory papers. Students who complete the MCouns by coursework alone would not normally be permitted to apply for admission directly to doctoral study.
The MCouns is equivalent to two years' full-time study, but students may complete it on a part-time basis. The papers include an on-campus component and are either supported or taught partially online.
Applications must be received by the 1st of October in the year prior to enrolment.
Counselling papers
| Code and paper title | Points | |
|---|---|---|
|
COUNS531
Counselling Skills - Ethics, Ideas and Practices
This paper runs concurrently with COUNS541 – Counselling Practice - First Year Practicum. This paper focuses on Ethics in counselling practice... |
30 | 27X (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS540
Working with Groups
This paper explores dialogic group processes with selected kinds of groups. Students will be given the opportunity to develop group membership and... |
30 | 27B (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS541
Counselling Practice - First Year Practicum
This paper runs concurrently with COUNS531 – Counselling Skills - Ethics, Ideas and Practices. The focus of this paper is the practice of... |
30 | 27X (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS542
Counselling Practicum
This paper requires 400 counselling hours in an agency, organisation or school. This paper is taught partially online. It is a compulsory paper for... |
30 | 27X (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS543
Counselling Young People and Families
This paper extends the narrative counselling skills taught in COUNS541. Its particular focus is counselling children, young people, families and... |
30 | 27B (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS544
Discourse and Counselling Psychologies
This paper offers a social constructionist and poststructuralist perspective on counselling and includes consideration of cultural approaches and... |
30 | 27X (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS545
Professional Practice of Counselling
This paper is designed to bring together the narrative theory and practice issues arising in COUNS542. Students will meet on campus at regular... |
30 | 27X (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS546
Conflict Resolution: Restorative Approaches
This paper develops the skills of facilitating conflict resolution using mediation, conferencing and other types of restorative and generative... |
30 | 27B (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS547
Professional Supervision
This paper introduces and examines theory and practice of counselling supervision, including approaches produced within postmodern therapies... |
30 | 27A (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS548
Supervision Practice
This paper is an introduction to the practices of counselling supervision from a narrative stance, including reflecting on team supervision. |
30 | 27D (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS549
Counselling and Contexts
This paper provides an overview of counselling practice and its contexts, including optional modules on school counselling, or addictions. It teaches... |
30 | 27A (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS550
Narrative Approaches to Addictions Counselling
This paper focuses on narrative approaches to addictions counselling. The paper teaches poststructural therapeutic ideas and practices including... |
30 | 27B (Hamilton) |
|
COUNS590
Directed Study
Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff. |
30 | 27I (Hamilton) & 27I (Online) |
|
COUNS592
Dissertation
A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. |
60 | 27I (Hamilton) & 27I (Online) |
|
COUNS593
Counselling Thesis
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. |
90 | 27I (Hamilton) & 27I (Online) |
-
COUNS531 Counselling Skills - Ethics, Ideas and Practices
This paper runs concurrently with COUNS541 – Counselling Practice - First Year Practicum. This paper focuses on Ethics in counselling practice...
Points 30This paper explores dialogic group processes with selected kinds of groups. Students will be given the opportunity to develop group membership and...
Points 30This paper runs concurrently with COUNS531 – Counselling Skills - Ethics, Ideas and Practices. The focus of this paper is the practice of...
Points 30This paper requires 400 counselling hours in an agency, organisation or school. This paper is taught partially online. It is a compulsory paper for...
Points 30This paper extends the narrative counselling skills taught in COUNS541. Its particular focus is counselling children, young people, families and...
Points 30This paper offers a social constructionist and poststructuralist perspective on counselling and includes consideration of cultural approaches and...
Points 30This paper is designed to bring together the narrative theory and practice issues arising in COUNS542. Students will meet on campus at regular...
Points 30This paper develops the skills of facilitating conflict resolution using mediation, conferencing and other types of restorative and generative...
Points 30This paper introduces and examines theory and practice of counselling supervision, including approaches produced within postmodern therapies...
Points 30This paper is an introduction to the practices of counselling supervision from a narrative stance, including reflecting on team supervision.
Points 30This paper provides an overview of counselling practice and its contexts, including optional modules on school counselling, or addictions. It teaches...
Points 30This paper focuses on narrative approaches to addictions counselling. The paper teaches poststructural therapeutic ideas and practices including...
Points 30Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff.
Points 30A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation.
Points 60An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.
Points 90
2027 Subject regulation information current as at 18 Sep 2026 01:00am