Standards and Accreditations - Counselling
Accrediting our courses with governing industry bodies
Accredited Counselling Courses
To ensure we deliver the most up-to-date material, we regularly accredit our courses with relevant governing industry bodies.
Course accreditation is an ongoing process that occurs throughout the year. This process allows for quality checks and assurances and provides certainty to students that our courses are industry-relevant and meet training standards.
Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
ACA is a national peak body and professional association of counsellors and psychotherapists with over 17,000 individual members.
Their main objectives are to monitor, maintain, set and improve professional standards in counsellor education and practice.
The volunteering component of the Bachelor of Counselling (including Coaching Minor) is a mandatory component of the course for all students starting their studies T1 2020 onwards and optional for students in the 2nd and 3rd year. Upon graduation, when applying for ACA membership, students will need to inform ACA that they have yet to complete these voluntary hours. If the Service-Learning Unit is not studied, an additional 50 hours is required bringing the total of voluntary hours to 140.
Student membership with ACA is an important pathway to demonstrate affiliation and engagement within the industry. Students will receive instant membership approval and student membership is valid for up to 6 years. All ACA a student members also receive a $50 discount when upgrading to practising membership.
Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
PACFA is a national peak body and professional association of psychotherapists and counsellors.
Their primary goals are to formulate, monitor and review standards of training and education.
ACAP has been working with accreditation bodies, such as PACFA, to highlight the value of Counselling and Coaching careers. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to developing highly skilled professional counsellors and coaches who are career-ready and fit to practice ethically. The video below highlights the benefits of PACFA membership.
Accredited Course Information
| COURSE TITLE | ACA | PACFA | OTHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Counselling | Currently accredited. Re-accreditation due 01/01/2023 |
Currently accredited. Re-accreditation due 10/02/2027 |
Minor units in Coaching accredited with International Coaching Federation. Re-accreditation due 31/07/2023 |
| Bachelor of Psychological Science and Counselling | Currently accredited. Re-accreditation due 10/02/2027 |
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| Graduate Diploma of Counselling | Currently accredited. Re-accreditation due 10/02/2027 |
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| Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy | Currently accredited. | Currently accredited. Re-accreditation due 10/02/2027 |