Master of Counselling

To be admitted to the Master of Counselling (MC) program, applicants must have:

• an undergraduate (baccalaureate) degree, normally 4 years.*
• a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in the last 10 half course equivalents (30 credits).
• a minimum of 3 courses** (nine credits) in psychology or educational psychology, including:
  • a course in developmental psychology (3 credits),
  • a course in learning psychology (3 credits),
  • a course in counselling theories or personality theories (3 credits).

* The undergraduate degree must be conferred prior to the application deadline. Official, sealed transcripts including the date of degree conferral must be received by the FHD program office on or before the application deadline. Canadian degrees must be granted by institutions that are members of Universities Canada or are provincially authorized to grant university degrees. US degrees must be granted by institutions that are regionally accredited.

** These courses must be at the second-year undergraduate level or above (senior-level), and must be completed, with a grade issued on an official transcript, by the application deadline. An official, sealed transcript stating final course grades must also be received by the Faculty of Health Disciplines office on or before the application deadline. Official translated transcripts must be submitted for applicants with transcripts issued in a language other than English (e.g. Canadian French language post-secondary institutions).

To calculate your program admission GPA (the GPA AU will use for your entry into the program), please visit the Graduate Admission GPA page on the Faculty of Health Disciplines website.

If you are lacking the prerequisite psychology courses, they are available through Athabasca University. These courses are offered in an online learning format. To register in a course, please follow Athabasca University undergraduate course registration process.

If you are submitting alternative prerequisite courses from another post-secondary institution, please submit a course outline/syllabus and a website link to the course if available. Courses are not reviewed for equivalency prior to the application deadline. Prerequisites will be evaluated during the admission process.

Preference is given in the admissions process to applicants who have at minimum 1–2 years full-time paid or volunteer experiences in counselling or a related field.

Successful applicants are required to participate in an online self-study GCAP 500: Student Orientation before the start of the program. Failure to successfully complete the orientation may result in removal from the program.

Applicants without a 4-year degree

Applicants without a 4-year degree will be considered if they have completed a degree equivalent to 3-year academic degree programs at Athabasca University. The degree must consist of a minimum of 90 credits (15 full-course equivalents). In addition, applicants must meet 1 of the following additional criteria:

1. A minimum of 18 additional credits (3 full-course equivalents) at the senior undergraduate or graduate level. The average grade point of the additional coursework must be at least 3.0 to apply to the Master of Counselling program or 2.5 to apply to the Graduate Diploma –  Counselling. (OR)
2. Evidence of at least 3 years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) work experience. Applicants must demonstrate that the work experience has been completed within the last 5 years and was in an area related to counselling/human services or equivalent. Applicants must also demonstrate active professional development during that time period in areas related to counselling. Applicants must have an average GPA of 3.3 in psychology and educational psychology courses in their degree program and in any additional program prerequisites if applying to the Master of Counselling (and 2.8 if applying to the Graduate Diploma –  Counselling*).

Advanced standing

Some learners may have completed work at other post-secondary institutions that is applicable to the MC program. Only courses taken within 6 years of the date of application will be considered for advance credit. Learners may apply for advance credit for up to 12 credits of graduate study from other universities into the MC program. A maximum of 3 credits can be used toward an elective. Learners must demonstrate that previous course work is equivalent to core MC courses or appropriate for option course credit.

Transfer credit

Learners may apply for transfer credit for up to 12 credits of graduate study from other universities into the MC program if courses were not used to fulfill requirements of a completed degree or credential. A maximum of 3 credits can be used toward an elective. The remaining courses must be applied to the core program courses. Transfer credit maximums are inclusive of any advance credit awarded at the time of admission. Only graduate level course that were successfully completed with a final grade of B- (70%) or higher, will be considered for transfer credit. For more information on applying for transfer credit, there is a Transfer credit tab below.

Non-program students

Current and post-master's learners who are not enrolled in the MC program may apply to register in MC courses on a first-come-first-served basis, space permitting. Applications are considered based on credential evaluation from a regulatory or crediting body that specifies the courses required. Courses taken as a non-program learner may be directly applied toward the program in accordance with the degree requirements, if and when a learner becomes a program student. However, the MC program is under no obligation to admit non-program learners. To apply to take a course as a non-program learner, please contact fhdgradadmin@athabascau.ca.

English language proficiency

There are minimum English language proficiency requirements required to take graduate courses with Athabasca University. It is the learner's responsibility to ensure they meet the minimum requirements.

Application deadlines

The Faculty of Health Disciplines typically recommends that students start the application process at least 12-16 weeks prior to the application deadline (noted in the chart below). Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. It may take 8-12 weeks after the deadline to receive an admission decision.

These deadlines are final, and no exceptions will be granted. There are no appeals to admissions decisions. Incomplete or late applications are not assessed nor retained for consideration for admission the following year.

Only after you've been accepted to your Athabasca University program, can you apply for transfer credit for courses previously taken at other institutions towards your AU program.

To apply for transfer credit, please complete the following steps:

1. Carefully review the transfer credit allowance for the program to which you are applying to.
2. Complete the Transfer Credit Evaluation Request Form, making sure to include the following information for each course:
   • a clear indication of the Faculty of Health Disciplines course you are seeking transfer credit toward and
   • institution name, course title and number, and number of credits of the previously completed course that you want to have evaluated for transfer credit.
3. Provide a complete syllabus for each course, including course description, learning objectives, course materials list, evaluation procedures, outline of core topics covered, and program regulations related to mark required for a passing grade. It is your responsibility to ensure that the information provided is complete.
   
   Submit all the following components for transfer credit assessment:
   • official transcripts
   • Transfer Credit Evaluation Request Form
   • course syllabi
   • other pertinent materials

Transfer Credit Assessment Forms are to be emailed to the graduate academic advisor at fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca.

Payment for transfer credit evaluation

You can pay your fees either by credit card or by electronic funds transfer (e-transfer). E-transfer information can be found on the Office of the Registrar site. More information on fees can be found here. Please do not submit your payment until the amount has been confirmed by your academic advisor.

For more information contact fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca

Program delivery

The program is offered during 3 semesters each year. Learners participate in paced learning activities that require completion of course work on a fixed schedule. All course work should be completed during the semester periods. 

Learners progressing through the Master of Counselling program on the standard program plan sequence generally complete the program in 3.3 years. Learners may take courses at a slower pace to accommodate life circumstances. Thesis learners usually take approximately 1 extra year to complete the program.

It is strongly recommended that you consider the time commitment involved with online graduate work as you prepare for this program. You should plan to devote a minimum of 15 hours per week in each course. During the semesters when you are completing your practicum, you must be able to devote 200 hours per semester on your practicum placement.

Program requirements

The MC program involves 36 credits of graduate psychology courses: 7 core courses, two 3-credit practicum courses, and 9 more credits.

Core courses

All learners are required to complete the following core courses:

All learners are also required to complete 2 counselling practicum courses:

All learners are automatically enrolled in the course-based exit route. In the course-based exit route, learners also complete 2 elective courses:

And the following culminating course

Learners may apply to complete a thesis as part of the counselling psychology program. Thesis learners complete the following additional courses:

Maximum time in the program

Under exceptional circumstances, you may be permitted to complete the program over a longer period of time (taking up to a maximum of 7 years). However, you must still complete the first-year courses as part of your cohort. Be prepared to plan ahead to ensure course availability if you deviate from the standard program plan.

Program status

To maintain program status, learners must successfully complete 6 credits during each academic year (Sep. 1 to Aug. 31). Learners are required to receive an overall grade of 70% or B- to pass each MC course. In addition, learners are expected to maintain at least a B or 75% in the program. Learners who fail a course or receive a grade of B- in 2 courses will be removed from the program with no option for re-admission to MC graduate programs (with the exception of GCAP 695 - Specialization Seminar – Knowledge Transfer where learners may have a second opportunity to repeat the seminar if they do not pass).

Residency

In keeping with Athabasca University's mandate of open access, residency requirements for the MC are satisfied when the learner has successfully completed 24 credits within the MC program. The remaining credits may be transferred from other institutions if they are applicable to AU's MC program.

Throughout the program, learners must participate in synchronous virtual labs and virtual intensive seminars (VIS). All learners must complete GCAP 671 – Responsive Counselling Relationships & Interpersonal Communication, GCAP 681 – Counselling Practicum I, and GCAP 682 - Counselling Practicum II within the MC program.

Program withdrawal

Learners may withdraw from the program by submitting their request in writing to the FHD program office and formally withdrawing from any courses in which they are currently registered. Learners who withdraw may apply to re-enrol in the program by following the regular application procedures outlined above.

Full- and part-time status

Normally, the MC program is completed at a pace of 4 courses per year. Learners may study in the program on a full- or part-time basis. Part-time learners must complete a minimum of 6 credits per calendar year. Program learners are considered full time if they complete a minimum of 9 credits in a given calendar year. Note however, that other organizations (e.g. provincial student loan programs, First Nations, Canada Revenue Agency) may have other criteria for defining full-time status, and part-time completion may exclude you from eligibility for scholarship nomination.

Program completion time limits

Learners must complete the MC degree requirements within 7 years of their initial enrolment in the program. Learners who do not do so may be required to repeat courses completed at the beginning of their program.

Use of Master of Counselling credential

The MC program does not have candidacy exams, therefore the use of MC (C) or MC (Candidate) during your program is not permitted. You may use this credential only after the degree is conferred.

Graduation requirements

To be eligible for graduation, each learner must successfully complete 36 credits of graduate coursework required for the MC degree, including either the thesis or course-based exit.

Grading system

All courses will be graded using the Alpha/4.0 grading scale (effective September 1, 2004).

Please review the Graduate Grading Policy and information about academic records on the Office of the Registrar site for more information on grading scales.

Clinical Placement

FHD students in a clinical placement are bound by the Clinical Placement Misconduct Policy. Any actions or behaviours that fall under the scope of the university’s Academic Misconduct Policy, Non-Academic Misconduct Policy, or Academic Integrity Policy will continue to be dealt with under those policies.

A non-refundable convenience charge will be charged when using Visa or Mastercard to pay student fees. American Express is no longer an accepted method of payment. For more information on the convenience charge, please visit the Financial Services website.

The following fees are effective for courses starting Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars and are subject to change. Academic-related fees are exempt from the Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST). GST is added to all other goods and services, for example, workshops, some publications, self-help seminars, and Athabasca University promotional sales items.

Course tuition fees (includes all required materials)

¹ Master of Counselling (MC) course tuition fees now include a Course Administration and Technology Fee of $58 and Course Materials Fee of $37 per course and are included in this calculation. This calculation also includes the Athabasca University Graduate Students Association (AUGSA) Fee of $14 per credit.

² The total program fee is split up and charged with individual course registrations.

Estimated program tuition cost (2024-2025):

The total tuition cost for a learner living in Canada who takes all courses from Athabasca University, over a 3 ⅓ year period, would be $30,504 ($1,866 x 12 = $22,392, 3-credit course equivalents, plus program fees of $8,112 for a total of $30,504). AUGSA fees are included in the above calculations. Application, admission, and Art Therapy specialization fees are not included in the above calculation.

Other fees

A non-refundable convenience charge will be charged when using Visa or Mastercard to pay student fees. American Express is no longer an accepted method of payment. For more information on the convenience charge, please visit the Financial Services website.

The following fees are effective for courses starting Sep. 1, 2025 to Aug. 31, 2026. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars and are subject to change. Academic-related fees are exempt from the Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST). GST is added to all other goods and services, for example, workshops, some publications, self-help seminars, and Athabasca University promotional sales items.

Course tuition fees (includes all required materials)

¹ Master of Counselling (MC) course tuition fees now include a Course Administration and Technology Fee of $59 and Course Materials Fee of $37 per course and are included in this calculation. This calculation also includes the Athabasca University Graduate Students Association (AUGSA) Fee of $14 per credit.

² The total program fee is split up and charged with individual course registrations.

Estimated program cost (2025-2026):

The total tuition cost for a learner living in Canada who takes all courses from Athabasca University, over a 3 ⅓ year period, would be $31,140 ($1,902 x 12 = $22,824, 3-credit course equivalents, plus program fees of $8,280 for a total of $31,140). AUGSA fees are included in the above calculations. Application, admission, and Art Therapy specialization fees are not included in the above calculation.

Other fees