Master of Professional Counselling

Duration

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

Type

Coursework

Intakes

February and July

Fees

In 2026, the tuition fees for the full course of the Master of Professional Counselling are:

• RM72,960 for Malaysian students
• RM83,520 for international students.

General fees

• Application (once only) - RM100
• Registration (once only) - RM200
• General amenities (per semester) - RM100
• International student pass application - Click here.

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.