Welcome to AU: Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling

Congratulations and welcome to the Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling program at Athabasca University!

You are joining a rigorous, nationally aligned program. While the program is delivered 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 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 is based on your application cycle:

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
• 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: 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 your first course, 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 Faculty of Health Disciplines 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 Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling section of the Graduate Calendar now and revisit it each term. 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: Located 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 registration and payment

The program consists of 4 courses, and typically they are:

• GCAP 643 Health Psychology
• GCAP 648 Counselling Children and Adolescents from a Developmental Perspective
• GCAP 654 Family Therapy: Theory and Practice
• GCAP 672 Group Counselling and Process Skills

Other GCAP courses are open for registration to Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling students, with the exception of GCAP 681/682 (practicum) and GCAP 695, although most students would have already taken similar courses during their graduate credential.

Should you wish to be considered for any course outside of the 4 courses outlined above, we will try to accommodate you. Please respond to this email indicating which courses you plan to take, and the terms you plan to take them in. There are three terms in each academic year, starting with Fall (September to December), Winter (January to April), and ending with Spring (May to August).

Financial aid:

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

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.

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 Disciplines Graduate Advisors – Program planning, course selection and progression questions, and general guidance.

Faculty of Health Disciplines Graduate Administrative Assistants – Registration, forms, policies, and grades.

Practicum: For practicum questions, Typhon (practicum portal) access, and pre-placement processes, consult the Program Resources section of Brightspace.

Technology requirements and support

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

If you need technical support, contact:

• Support Services
• Technical Services Call Centre