Bachelor of Psychology and Counselling

The Bachelor of Psychology and Counselling at The Cairnmillar Institute is a three-year degree that sits across two related fields. You study how people think, feel and behave, and you learn how to work with them when they are struggling. Cairnmillar is a Melbourne institution with a long history in psychology training and community counselling, so the counselling side of this degree is taught by people who practise it, not just lecture about it.

What you actually study

The degree is built from units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you accumulate those across three years of full-time study. Psychology units cover the core areas: developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive processes, biological bases of behaviour, personality, research methods and statistics. Counselling units run alongside them, covering counselling theory, interviewing and micro-skills, ethics and professional boundaries, and approaches such as person-centred and cognitive-behavioural work. Assessment is a mix of essays, exams, practical skills demonstrations, and research reports. In the later years you take on a research project or capstone unit where you design and run your own small study under supervision. Some counselling units include supervised skills practice, and the later years may include placement or practicum hours in a counselling setting, which is standard for this field because you cannot learn to sit with a client from a textbook. Confirm the exact placement requirements with Cairnmillar before you enrol.

How the Australian qualification works

A bachelor degree in Australia is normally three years full time, and this one follows that structure. It sits at Level 7 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. If you want to go further, an honours year adds one more year of research training, a master's takes one to two years, and a doctorate takes three or more. That ladder matters in psychology because registration and endorsement as a psychologist in Australia require postgraduate study and supervised practice beyond the bachelor degree. This degree gives you the undergraduate foundation and the counselling skills, but it is a starting point, not the end of the road. If your goal is to register as a psychologist, plan for honours and a master's or doctorate after this.

Who it suits

This degree suits people who want to work with people. If you are interested in why people behave the way they do, and you want practical skills in listening, supporting and counselling, this course fits. It also suits students who want a psychology degree with a stronger applied, human-services flavour than a straight science stream. It is a good pathway towards further study in psychology, counselling, social work, or mental health work, and towards roles in community services while you decide on postgraduate study.

Studying in Australia as an international student

International applicants need to evidence English proficiency. The common standard for undergraduate and coursework postgraduate courses is IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall, rising to 7.0 to 7.5 for teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institution's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so check both. On a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets eligible graduates stay and work in Australia. Tuition for this course is published on the CRICOS register under course code 106811F, and the official source is the CRICOS website. Always confirm fees, English requirements, placement details and intake dates on the official page before you apply.

• Support worker or case worker in community mental health organisations
• Counsellor in community services, family support or alcohol and other drug services (check whether your employer requires a specific qualification or registration)
• Youth worker or family support worker in government and non-government services
• Wellbeing or student support officer in schools, TAFEs and universities
• Disability support coordinator or NDIS support coordinator
• Research assistant on psychology or public health projects
• Human services officer in state government departments such as health, justice or child protection
• Further study pathway: honours year, then master's or doctorate, towards registration as a psychologist in Australia