Counselling Major - Bachelor of Health Science
If you become a counsellor you help people deal with their feelings, better understand themselves, make decisions and create change in their lives. The Counselling major prepares you to work with a diverse client base as a counsellor.
You become familiar with the history and theory of counselling, and the relational counselling model. AUT's counselling degree includes 200 hours of counselling practice, bicultural learning, marae visits and knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi issues. It's suitable for adult students who have appropriate life experience like a personal development course (eg Youthline), personal experience of counselling, volunteer work, peer support work, or other relevant work or experience.
To study this major, you should apply by 5 December*. Completed applications received before this date will be assessed and an outcome will be provided as soon as possible.
*The apply by date is a guideline only. If there are more applications than places available, applications may close earlier than the date above. Applications received after this date may not be considered.
New Zealand Association of Counsellors website
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This is part of the Bachelor of Health Science.
Download programme guides
You can study the Counselling major either full-time or part-time. View the information below to see what your studies as a counselling student could look like.
Year 1
Semester 1 courses
- HEAL506 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication (15 points)
- HEAL512 Te Tiriti Ora (15 points)
- HEAL513 Introduction to Healthcare Systems and Practice (15 points)
- HEAL514 Understanding the Human Body Systems for Health Practice (15 points)
In the first semester all students study the same four courses to help you develop an in-depth understanding of general healthcare, learning alongside other health science students.
Semester 2 courses
- COUN501 Group Theory and Practice I (15 points)
- COUN502 Relational Counselling: History and Theories (15 points)
- COUN503 Counselling Knowledge and Skills I (15 points)
- HEAL610 Methods of Research and Enquiry (15 points)
Year 2
You take courses from your major areas of study and begin your first counselling placement.
Full-year courses
- COUN603 Counselling Practicum I (30 points)
- COUN607 Counselling Knowledge, Skills and Issues (30 points)
Semester 1 courses
- COUN606 Group Theory and Practice II (15 points)
- PSYT702 Social and Cultural Analysis (15 points)*
Semester 2 courses
- MENH602 Mental Health and Psychopathology (15 points)*
- Plus one optional course
Year 3
Full-year courses
- COUN704 Counselling Practicum II ( 30 points)
- COUN705 Counselling Skills and Knowledge III (30 points)
Semester 1 courses
- HLAW701 Health Law and Policy (15 points)**
- Plus one optional course
Semester 2 courses
- Two optional courses
*You could also study any of these courses in Year 3 and instead take optional courses in Year 2
**You could replace your Year 2 optional course with the course HLAW701 instead of taking it in Year 3
Year 1
Semester 1 courses
- HEAL506 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication (15 points)
- HEAL514 Understanding the Human Body Systems for Health Practice (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- COUN501 Group Theory and Practice I (15 points)
- COUN502 Relational Counselling: History and Theories (15 points)
Year 2
Semester 1 courses
- HEAL512 Te Tiriti Ora (15 points)
- HEAL513 Introduction to Healthcare Systems and Practice (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- COUN503 Counselling Knowledge and Skills I (15 points)
- HEAL610 Methods of Research and Enquiry (15 points)
Year 3
Semester 1 courses
- COUN606 Group Theory and Practice II (15 points)
- PSYT702 Social and Cultural Analysis (15 points)*
Semester 2 courses
- MENH602 Mental Health and Psychopathology (15 points)*
- HLAW701 Health Law and Policy (15 points)*
Year 4
Semester 1 courses
- Two optional courses
Semester 2 courses
- Two optional courses
Year 5
Full-year courses
- COUN603 Counselling Practicum I (30 points)
- COUN607 Counselling Knowledge, Skills and Issues (30 points)
Year 6
Full-year courses
- COUN704 Counselling Practicum II ( 30 points)
- COUN705 Counselling Skills and Knowledge III (30 points)
*You could also study any of these courses in Year 4 and instead take optional courses in Year 3
Full-year optional courses
Psychotherapy
- PSYT707 Relational Psychotherapy Theories and Modalities (30 points)*
Semester 1 optional courses
Addictions
- MENH704 Theories and Principles for Addiction Practice (15 points)*
- MENH705 Assessment and Intervention in Addiction Practice (15 points)*
Māori health
- MAOH701 Māori Health Promotion (15 points)*
Other optional courses
- MENH703 Counselling Children and Young People (15 points)
- HEAL708 Professional Practice and Ethics (15 points)*
- HEAL711 Creative-Expressive Interventions in Healthcare (15 points)
Semester 2 optional courses
Addictions
- MENH706 Recovery and Wellbeing in Addiction Practice (15 points)*
Māori health
- MAOH702 Applied Primary Māori Mental Health (15 points)*
Other optional courses
- COUN706 Cognitive Behavioural Approaches (Block course) (15 points)
- HEAL708 Professional Practice and Ethics (15 points)*
Summer school optional courses
- PSYT705 Introduction to Transactional Analysis (2025/2026 Summer School) (15 points)
- PSYT713 Introduction to Narrative Therapy (2026/2027 Summer School) (15 points)
*With approval from the programme leader
Workplace experience in the Counselling major
As part of this major you complete a minimum of 200 hours of counselling practice and 20 hours of supervision, along with 10 hours of cultural supervision as required by the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. Please note that there will be an additional cost for this supervision.
Want more info about work integrated learning at AUT?
Read more about workplace experience in AUT programmes, how it works and why it’s so beneficial when you start your career.
Workplace experience in AUT programmes
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- Community counselling agencies
- Counsellors in schools
- Mental health providers
- Māori health providers
- Pacific health providers
- Refugee and migrant services
AUT counselling graduates are eligible to apply for provisional membership of New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) to begin practising as a counsellor.
Other undergraduate study options
Majors in this degree
- Case Management
- Health Management
- Paramedicine
- Perioperative Practice
- Psychology
- Public and Environmental Health
- No major (tailor the degree to your interests and career goals)
Other health science degrees
Postgraduate study options
- The only undergraduate counselling degree by a New Zealand university
- Includes 200 hours of counselling practice and 10 hours of external supervision
- Prepares you for application as a provisional member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors
- Offered at the South Campus
- Part-time study options available
- Interested in the counselling and mental health sector
- A good listener
- Self-aware
- Having relevant life experience
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.