Welcome to AU: Graduate Diploma – Counselling

The information on this page is only for students who applied and have been admitted into the Graduate Diploma – Counselling program.

Congratulations and welcome to the Graduate Diploma – Counselling program at Athabasca University!

You are joining a rigorous, nationally aligned graduate program designed to prepare you for entry-level regulated counselling professional practice across Canada. While the program is delivered primarily online, you will be well supported through academic, administrative, and clinical resources throughout your studies.

This program requires a significant commitment of time, effort, and engagement. Some courses may have mandatory in-person, synchronous, and/or practicum requirements that you are required to attend as scheduled.

Our program team is committed to supporting you as you progress and develop the competencies required for professional counselling practice.

As a graduate student, you are part of both the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Health Disciplines. We recognize that there are several steps required to get started, and the information below is provided to guide you through the process.

Your official admission date for the Graduate Diploma – Counselling program is September 1^st.

Before you begin: Please read carefully

The information below outlines the steps required to get started in the program and explains how key systems and requirements fit together. Completing these steps will help ensure a smooth start and prevent delays in your progression.

Getting started: Your first steps

Accept your offer of admission and complete payment by the deadline
Log in to myAU and activate your account
Watch for instructions to activate your AU email account (sent prior to your course start date)
Activate your AU email and Office 365 account once received
Monitor your AU email for registration updates, including GCAP 500
Plan and register for your first course in accordance with registration deadlines
Review key program documents once available in Brightspace

Step 1: Getting started with myAU

The myAU portal is your starting point for all AU systems. You will use myAU to view your courses, check grades, update contact information, and access student services, and other supports.

To access myAU:

Go to athabascau.ca and select myAU
Log in using username (which is your student ID) and enter your password
Your initial password is your date of birth in YYYYMMDD format
(for example, if your birthday is July 23, 1986, your password will be 19860723)
You will be prompted to reset your password
Returning AU students should use their existing password

Your AU student ID: Your student ID, assigned at the time of program admission, is required for all system access and official communication with Athabasca University. Keep this number confidential and include it in emails and forms so staff can assist you efficiently.

Step 2: Required orientation: GCAP 500

After you accept your offer of admission, the program office will enroll you in GCAP 500 Program Student Orientation. This course provides an overview of the program and introduces key academic and professional expectations.

Registration is completed as a block. You will receive an email once registration is complete and information on when GCAP 500 begins, typically, during the summer prior to the first semester of the program.

Once you are registered and enrolled in GCAP 500:

The course will appear in Brightspace, AU’s online learning management system.
Brightspace access occurs after registration, not before
Course links are accessed through myAU
You may log in directly to Brightspace once the term begins.

Student Brightspace Training resources are available. You are responsible for ensuring that your AU Microsoft Office 365 account is activated and that you are using your “@learn.athabascau.ca” email address to log in.

GCAP 500 is mandatory and non-credited. This is a paced orientation, and you will complete it with your cohort.

Important: If you do not complete GCAP 500, you will receive a failing grade (U) on your transcript and will not be permitted to proceed in the program.

Step 3: Activate and use your AU email

Your AU email account is created closer to your course start date, not at the time of admission. After registration in GCAP 500, you will receive your AU email account approximately 2–3 weeks before your course start date. Please review the academic schedule to confirm your program’s start date and other important deadlines.

You can expect to receive your AU email by:

August 15 (September course start)
December 15 (January course start)
April 15 (May course start)

All program communication for FHD students is sent to the AU email account. You are responsible for activating and monitoring your AU email and using this as their primary email. Staff will only provide account-specific information for inquiries that include a student ID number.

You will also receive instructions on how to set up Office 365 using your new AU email address. If you do not receive these instructions by the date outlined above, consult the Welcome to Office 365 for students and the Office 365 Support Services pages. This also applies to former non-program students who have not yet created an Office 365 account.

Program expectations and responsibilities

Graduate Calendar: Carefully review the respective section of the Graduate Calendar now and revisit it each term: Graduate Diploma – Counselling Program. If discrepancies exist among webpages, the Graduate Calendar is the official and governing source.

Graduate course regulations: Refer to these regulations for details on registrations, withdrawals, re-registrations, Letters of Permission (LOPs), Transfer Credit, course extensions, the grading system, and grade appeal guidelines.

Program resources in Brightspace: This resource hub contains the most current program information. Proceed to Content and access the information within for review:

Graduate Student Handbook Online
Program Management
Master of Counselling Professional Writing Sheet
Mandatory Participation

These documents are updated regularly and should be accessed online to ensure you are using the most current version.

Course load, registration, and program planning

Recommended course load: We recommend following the program plan outlined in the Program Resources section of Brightspace. If you wish to take one course per term for the length of the program, please contact an Faculty of Health Disciplines Graduate Advisor prior to registration. At the graduate level, full-time status is defined as 9 credits per academic year.

Course sequencing and workload: Completion of these courses is required before enrolment in subsequent program courses. Workload may vary depending on course content and individual learning needs.

As we anticipate that Graduate Diploma – Counselling students will be laddering to the Master of Counselling program, Graduate Diploma – Counselling students are expected to follow the same sequencing. To learn more about the laddering process, please contact an Faculty of Health Disciplines Graduate Advisor.

Mandatory participation: In order to receive passing credit for courses, all course assessments must be completed. To maintain program status, you must successfully complete 6 credits per academic year (September 1 to August 31). Students who do not meet this requirement may be withdrawn from the program.

Courses	Credit	Estimated time commitment	Sequencing notes
GCAP 500	0	4-6 weeks	Orientation course. You will be manually registered.
GCAP 631	3	10-20 hrs./week	1^st course; Fall only
GCAP 633	3	10-20 hrs./week	2^nd course, Winter only
These two courses are pre-requisites to the remaining program requirements.

Before you register for a course: Before registering, review course registration options, the Athabasca University Calendar, course syllabi to understand all prerequisites, fees, and regulations. Ensure you review:

Pre-requisites: mandatory course requirements completed before course enrollment

Please note: If you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite course for your next course (for example, GCAP 631 is required before GCAP 633), the registration system may ask whether you have completed the prerequisite. Select "Yes", as the prerequisite course (e.g. GCAP 631) will be completed before the next course (e.g. GCAP 633) begins.

Co-requisites: courses that can be taken concurrently

If needed, contact the Faculty of Health Disciplines Graduate Advisors for program planning advice before registering.

Financial aid:

Planning to apply for Government Student Financial Assistance? Your first stop should be Financial Aid. Faculty of Health Discipline students are required to pay out of pocket for their registration and be reimbursed when loan funds become available

Course registration and payment

Students are responsible for monitoring all deadlines through the Academic Schedule. Registration windows close months prior to the term start date.

You must complete registration and payment by the University deadline. Late registrations or changes are not permitted. You are responsible for retaining your receipt for your records. For receipt inquiries, contact Financial Services.

Materials waitlist. Select “Yes” to ensure access to required electronic textbooks. Failure to do so may delay access to course materials.

Important: Access to online course materials is provided from within the course on the first day of the term.

If you experience technical issues during registration, take a screenshot and contact a Graduate Administrative Assistant before the deadline.

Practicum

GDC students who will NOT be laddering to the MC program do not take a practicum.

Practicum is to be completed in the final year of the program and consists of 400 hours spanning 2 consecutive semesters (GCAP 681 + GCAP 682). Students are strongly encouraged to seek a practicum placement as early as possible.

To support your preparation, it is important to review practicum set-up resources available in Brightspace under: Master of Counselling: Program Resources → Content → Practicum. These resources are updated periodically, you are expected to review them regularly to ensure you are using current information.

You are also encouraged to subscribe to topics of interested under: Discussions.

If you have questions after reviewing available resources, contact the Practicum Administrator.

Academic and professional expectations

APA format: All written assignments must follow APA style. Students are responsible for ensuring proper formatting and citation using the most up to date APA Manual.

Plagiarism: Incorrect citation, use of others’ work without proper credit, or improper paraphrasing may result in plagiarism. Penalties range from failure of an assignment to removal from the program. Refer to the AU Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal Regulations for full details.

Who to contact

Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Advisors: Contact for help with program planning, course selection, progression questions, prior learning assessment recognition (PLAR), transfer credits, or general guidance. Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Advisors. For questions about a course you are currently enrolled in, contact the course instructor.

Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Administrative Assistants: Contact for program-related inquiries, information on policies and procedures, and required forms. They handle questions related to course registration, withdrawals, extensions, and grades and grade processes.

Technology requirements and support

Ensure your computer meets the minimum requirements for computer hardware and software as outlined on the Faculty of Health Discipline website and keep anti-virus software up to date.

If you need technical support, contact:

Updated August 05, 2026 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)