Master of Mental Health
MMH
The ideal path for those with a undergraduate degree already (in any field of study) who want to get qualified and respond to the evolving priorities for mental health service delivery.
Our Master of Mental Health has been developed in response to evolving national priorities for mental health service delivery and the growing need for a workforce equipped with advanced knowledge and capabilities to support individuals experiencing mental ill-health across diverse service settings.
Our Master of Mental Health is the ideal qualification for you if you want to transition into a Mental Health career or enhance your current career with a new qualification. As a Mental Health professional with a Master of Mental Health, there are many opportunities for you to work across a broad range of community-based, psychosocial, wellbeing and interdisciplinary mental health service settings. Seeking employment in government, non-government and private sector organisations providing mental health, community and human services.
Our program is approved for FEE-HELP and is delivery mostly online with some residential schools at our national campuses.
You can apply for entry to the Master of Mental Health if you have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (Bachelor or Higher) in any field of study.
The Master of Mental Health has attained industry accreditation through the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). ACA is the leading industry body for Counsellors in Australia. Upon graduation, you automatically qualify for membership to the ACA.
FEE-HELP is a loan scheme for eligible students to pay their tuition (subject) fees.
Pay your subject fees direct to the institute each trimester for each subject in which you are enrolled.
Split Payments. This means you can pay a portion of your subject fees yourself, and the remaining portion using FEE-HELP (if elgible).
Pay via Credit Card or Direct Debit.
Request Course Guide
By submitting this form, you agree to receive marketing emails from AIPC. You can opt out at any time.
Course Recognition
Why study our Master of Mental Health
Our Master of Mental Health provides a flexible and affordable alternative to traditional tertiary education.
Career ready
When you graduate, you will be extremely well prepared to pursue a career in counselling – employed or self-employed – enjoying our strong industry reputation and linkage.
Extremely applicable
This course is extremely applicable to people from all sorts of backgrounds. Whether you are seeking a fresh start in a rewarding profession; or want to acquire counselling skills as an adjunct to your core profession – such as teachers, nurses, ministers of religion, corrective services officers and administrators.
Counselling education specialists
We believe you're better off learning from a specialist than a generalist. Many training providers deliver courses across a variety of industries. At AIPC, we prefer to concentrate on counselling and community services education.
Flexible Learning
With so many demands on our time it can be difficult to fit study in around other commitments, that's why our Master of Mental Health has been designed to maximise your learning from home where you can progress through your studies in a full-time or part-time pace.
Career ready
When you graduate, you will be extremely well prepared to pursue a career in counselling – employed or self-employed – enjoying our strong industry reputation and linkage.
Extremely applicable
This course is extremely applicable to people from all sorts of backgrounds. Whether you are seeking a fresh start in a rewarding profession; or want to acquire counselling skills as an adjunct to your core profession – such as teachers, nurses, ministers of religion, corrective services officers and administrators.
Counselling education specialists
We believe you're better off learning from a specialist than a generalist. Many training providers deliver courses across a variety of industries. At AIPC, we prefer to concentrate on counselling and community services education.
Flexible learning
With so many demands on our time it can be difficult to fit study in around other commitments, that's why our Master of Mental Health has been designed to maximise your learning from home where you can progress through your studies in a full-time or part-time pace.
Course Outline
Prerequisite: NIL, EFTSL: 0.125
Establishes foundational understanding of contemporary mental health practice, including key mental health concepts, biopsychosocial-cultural influences, mental health systems, service pathways, person-centred and recovery-oriented principles, cultural safety and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing perspectives.
Prerequisite: NIL, EFTSL: 0.125
Develops foundational counselling process knowledge, therapeutic relationship skills, awareness of diversity and culture, and reflection on the impact of self in counselling processes.
Prerequisite: NIL, EFTSL: 0.125
Extends counselling skills development by focusing on the counselling relationship, change processes, skills demonstration, client interview practice and reflective evaluation of student capability.
Prerequisite: NIL, EFTSL: 0.125
Develops understanding of human development across the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, emotional, social and moral development and the implications of developmental difficulties for counselling and mental health practice.
MMH01, MC05
Develops capability in respectful, structured and culturally responsive mental health assessment and case formulation. Students examine assessment principles, biopsychosocial-cultural formulation, risk and protective factors, referral needs, ethical reasoning and professional communication.
MMH01
Develops understanding of trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, person-centred and culturally responsive practice. Students examine trauma-related impacts, re-traumatisation risks, lived and living experience, self-determination, strengths, support networks, practitioner responsibilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing perspectives.
Prerequisite: NIL, EFTSL: 0.125
Develops ethical, legal and professional reasoning in counselling and mental health-related practice, including supervision, limits of competence, ethical dilemmas, values, biases and reflective practice.
MC02 & MC03
Develops understanding of cognitive behavioural theories, techniques and evidence-based. Students examine CBT principles, outcomes literature, key techniques and the application of CBT-informed approaches in practice.
MMH02 and MMH03
Develops capability to respond safely, respectfully and ethically to crisis, trauma-related distress and suicide-related concerns. Students examine immediate support needs, risk and protective factors, safety planning, referral and escalation pathways, documentation awareness, role boundaries, practitioner wellbeing and culturally responsive crisis response.
MMH03
Develops capability to work in community-based, psychosocial and non-clinical mental health contexts. Students examine community mental health systems, service navigation, psychosocial support, social inclusion, advocacy, safeguarding, coordinated care, support networks and culturally responsive community practice.
Successful completion of 48 CP (including MC04)
Develops research literacy and evidence-informed practice capability in counselling and mental health contexts. Students critically review theory and method, interpret qualitative and quantitative research, analyse ethical and cultural considerations, and demonstrate independent critical inquiry.
Note: Units marked with an asterisk (*) require completion of a work placement. Units marked with a hash (#) require the practical demonstration of skills in a simulated work environment.
Below are the upcoming intake periods for the Master of Mental Health.
Trimester | Commences | Census | Residential School | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trimester 1, 2026 | 2nd Mar 2026 | 18th Mar 2026 | 12th May – 24th May 2026 | 24th May 2026 |
May Intake | 4th May 2026 | 20 May 2026 | - | 26th July 2026 |
Trimester 2, 2026 | 6th Jul 2026 | 22nd Jul 2026 | 14th Sept – 27th Sept 2026 | 27th Sep 2026 |
Trimester 3, 2026 | 2nd Nov 2026 | 20th Nov 2026 | 18th Jan – 31st Jan 2027 | 31st Jan 2027 |
Below are the tuition fees for the Master of Mental Health.
Course | Year | Tuition Fee per subject | Total Course Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Master of Mental Health (11 subjects) | 2026 | $2,990 x 10 subjects + MC09 $4,485 | $34,385 |
On your application form, you can choose one course payment option to pay for your course. You are able to:
Option 1: Pay for your course using FEE-HELP (if you are eligible).
Option 2: Pay for each trimester of your studies upfront.
Option 3: Pay for a portion of your fees upfront and the remaining portion using FEE-HELP.
If your application is successful and you accept your placement, the investment for each subject is payable via the following methods after accepting your placement:
If you are choosing to pay all or part of your subject fees through FEE-HELP, you will need to return your Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form for the trimester by the due date indicated in your trimester enrolment letter. You can find out more about FEE-HELP from the following publication: Fee Help Information – 2026
Payment by credit card, cheque or money order for the trimester by the due date indicated in your trimester enrolment letter (usually within two weeks of the trimester commencing).
If you are paying some of your fees yourself and some through FEE-HELP, then returning your Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form and payment of the remaining amount by credit card, cheque or money order by the due date of the trimester.
If accepted into the course, you nominate your preferred payment method on your Confirmation of Acceptance form to confirm your place in the course. Please note that the subject fees, and any other associated fees, are current only for the subjects in which you are presently enrolled, and can be reviewed and changed at the Institute’s discretion for future trimesters.
Subjects where credit is granted
Students are able to apply for credit of previous studies and experience as described in the RPL and Credit Transfer Policy and are not required to pay the subject fee for each subject in which credit is granted.
Students articulating from the AIPC Bachelor of Counselling are automatically eligible to receive credit for 4 subjects of the Master of Mental Health program detailed in the RPL and Credit Transfer Policy. The Institute will take this automatic awarding of credit into account when processing enrolments for graduates of the Bachelor of Counselling with the student’s Course Enrolment Confirmation Letter detailing the reductions in course fees applicable to students receiving this automatic credit.
Additional and Non-Tuition Costs
The following additional and/or non-tuition costs apply:
Current textbook lists are found on the Higher Education Learning Portal which can be accessed upon enrolment. Students are encouraged to submit their online textbook order through Booktopia prior to commencing their studies for the trimester. Students are able to source textbooks from other suppliers if they choose. Students are able to choose from textbooks or e-books, depending on availability, and further information is provided each trimester as to where these can be sourced from.
Residential Schools teach you to apply your theoretical knowledge to counselling scenarios. Residential Schools provide you with an ideal teaching forum to handle practical counselling issues. You also meet and share ideas and experiences with fellow students and have the opportunity to reflect on the development of your counselling skills.
Residential Schools are held both online (depending on subject) and at our academic rooms in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, Australia and are scheduled at the end of each trimester. Depending on the number of subjects you have undertaken during the trimester, Residential Schools are up to one or two weeks’ duration. If studying full time, you complete between 2.5 and 10 days at a Residential School at the end of each trimester. Not all subjects include a Residential School component, you only need to attend the days of the Residential School allocated to the specific subject(s) in which you are enrolled.
Students are required to meet personal expenses such as travel, accommodation and meals for the face-to-face components. Travel includes travel costs to and from where the Residential School is held and travel to and from the Institute's premises each day.
When attending a residential in a city in which you do not live, you should allow approximately $300 per day for accommodation, meals and incidentals. This daily allocation has been determined by the ATO's recommended allowance rates for Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, available at: http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/. You should also add the cost of return airfares, or cost for another mode of travel, from your place of residence to the Residential School location.
Students have access to comprehensive online library of texts and resources.
External students borrowing hard copy library resources will need to pay for postage to return the borrowed item/s to the Institute at Locked Bag 15, Fortitude Valley 4006. Please refer to the Australia Post postage calculator for current indicative pricing: http://auspost.com.au/apps/postage-calculator.html.
For students living overseas, please check postage costs with your chosen postal or courier service. Overdue items are charged at $1 per day until the item is returned.
Students are able to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer to receive credit for one or more subjects** of the Master of Mental Health (up to a maximum of 4 subjects).
This enhances student progression through the course and provides recognition for students entering the course with relevant prior studies and work experience. Students granted RPL or credit are not disadvantaged in achieving the expected learning outcomes of the course, and the integrity of the qualification must be maintained.
RPL recognises that students, due to relevant life and work experiences, may already possess the requisite skills and knowledge for subject/s in the Master course. Students who have been working within a counselling environment for a number of years are able to apply for recognition of this prior learning or experience. Exemption can be applied for one or more course subjects** (up to a maximum of 4 subjects).
Assessing credit from prior experience takes into account the authenticity, currency, quality, relevance, transferability and comparability of the experience to the requirements of the subject for which credit is being applied.
Credit Transfer
Credit Transfer refers to obtaining credit towards another course on the basis of having completed previous study of an equivalent subject or unit. Students who have completed similar units to those included in the Master of Mental Health are welcome to apply for Credit Transfer. Students who have completed or partially completed another counselling course are particularly encouraged to apply for Credit Transfer.
Credit will not normally be granted for formal study completed more than 10 years prior to application unless there is evidence of continued relevance of this study for the course towards which credit is sought. Credit is granted where there is substantial overlap with the content and/or learning outcomes of the subject for which credit is being applied.
When assessing credit based on prior study, consideration is given to the objectives of the course, methods of delivery and assessment, admission requirements, course durations, the breadth and depth of the course material, practical training requirements, and experience requirements.
**Students can only obtain credit for a total maximum of 4 subjects inclusive of whether this credit has been obtained via RPL or credit transfer.
Students progressing into the Master of Mental Health from the Institute’s Bachelor of Counselling will automatically receive credit for the following subjects:
MMH01 Foundations of Mental Health
MC02 Counselling Process and Skills 1
MC03 Counselling Process and Skills 2
MC05 Counselling and Human Development
The student’s record will be automatically updated and a confirmation letter sent to the student. Students are not required to formally apply through the RPL process.
Dependent on the chosen specialty stream within the Graduate Diploma, students progressing into the Bachelor of Counselling from the Institute’s Graduate Diploma of Counselling (Curriculum Code: AIPC 31000QLD) will automatically receive credit for the following subjects:
Graduate Diploma Specialty Stream | Credit offered towards |
Family Therapy | MC12 Counselling for Families |
Addictions | MC14 Counselling for Alcohol and Other Drugs |
Loss and Grief | MC15 Counselling for Loss and Grief |
The student’s record will be automatically updated, and a confirmation letter sent to the student. Students are not required to formally apply through the RPL process.
Students progressing into the Bachelor of Counselling from the Institute’s Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling (Curriculum Code: AIPC CHC81015) will automatically receive credit for the following subjects:
MC02 Counselling Process
MC03 Counselling Skills
MC16 Counselling for Couples
The student’s record will be automatically updated, and a confirmation letter sent to the student. Students are not required to formally apply through the RPL process.
Students progressing into the Master of Mental Health whom have completed an undergraduate degree in Counselling with another Higher Education Provider, or an undergraduate degree that has included the completion of a Counselling Major (ie, 8 subjects in Counselling) can apply for credit of up to four subjects in the Master of Mental Health.
The student is required to apply for Credit Transfer as per the Applying for RPL or Credit Transfer process outlined below and supply a certified copy of their Qualification and Academic Transcript in support of their application.
Below is a list of policies and procedures that apply to students enrolled in the Master of Mental Health.
Admissions Information
Request a Course Guide
Please complete this form and we will respond within 24 working hours.
By submitting this form, you agree to receive marketing emails from AIPC. You can opt out at any time.
30-day money-back guarantee.
If you're not satisfied we'll give you your money back.
Zero Risk
Your enrolment comes with a guarantee that empowers you to enrol risk-free. If, for any reason whatsoever you decide you do not want to proceed with your course within 30-day, we will give you a 100%, no questions asked, money back guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Master of Counselling qualifies you to practise as a counsellor in private practice or employment. You automatically qualify for Australian Counselling Association membership when you graduate, and an ACA-approved master's degree admits you at Level 2 on the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Community health services, employee assistance programs, schools, family support agencies and private clinics all work with counsellors at this level.
The Master of Counselling is designed for graduates who want to move into counselling from another field. Entry is open to anyone who has completed a bachelor's degree in any discipline, so your first degree doesn’t need to relate to psychology or health. Teachers, nurses, ministers of religion and corrective services officers all enrol in this program, adding counselling to a profession where they already work closely with people going through difficult times.
You can study the Master of Counselling with AIPC from any part of Australia, since most of the degree is fully online. Four subjects require residential school attendance, but they only add up to 15 days over the whole program. Ten of those days are online and five take place on campus in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. Full-time study takes 24 months, with part-time enrolment available.
Students will also have the opportunity to undertake their placement at AIPC’s own online clinic, the Australian Counselling Service.
Fourteen subjects take you from counselling fundamentals through to supervised practice. You’ll learn to:
Work through every stage of counselling, from the first session to termination and evaluation
Assess a client and conceptualise their case before you plan any treatment
Distinguish issues suited to counselling from those needing mental health or other intervention
Resolve ethical dilemmas around confidentiality, client rights, dual relationships and conflicting values
Analyse how your own beliefs and biases affect the work you do
Supervise other counsellors
Read counselling research critically and apply it to your practice
Cognitive behavioural therapy and the collaborative, competency-based approaches each get a dedicated subject. Cognitive Behavioural Approaches covers the theory and techniques behind CBT and asks you to weigh the strengths and limits of each variation. Collaborative and Contemporary Approaches does the same for narrative and solution-focused therapy. Therapeutic Planning and Process goes broader still, teaching you to conceptualise cases from behavioural, cognitive, feminist, emotion-focused, dynamic, family and constructivist perspectives.
Yes, with one exception. Your coursework is delivered entirely online through AIPC’s Higher Education Learning Portal, where you’ll find study guides, assessment details and discussion forums, plus a weekly webinar in every subject. Four subjects require residential school attendance, including five days total on campus. You’ll also complete your placement in a counselling service in person near where you live.
Students will also have the opportunity to undertake their placement at AIPC’s own online clinic, the Australian Counselling Service.
A master's is what the senior ACA registration levels require. Level 3 asks for an approved degree plus two years of supervised practice, 750 client contact hours and 75 hours of professional supervision, so graduating here starts that clock. Ethics and Reflective Practice also teaches you to supervise other counsellors, which gives you more work opportunities beyond your caseload.
Consider this degree if counselling is where you want to end up and you’d rather get there through postgraduate study than start an undergraduate degree from scratch. Applicants may hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, so a background in law, teaching, business or the arts is no obstacle. You’ll need to examine yourself as closely as the material, since several subjects require you to analyse how your own beliefs and biases affect your work with your clients.
Related Courses
Master of Counselling
Australia’s most popular Master of Counselling program. The ideal path to registration for those with an undergraduate degree (in any field).
Graduate Certificate in Counselling Practice
Build the counselling skills to support genuine change in others' lives, wherever your career takes you. AIPC's Graduate Certificate in Counselling Practice develops your ability to create a safe, therapeutic environment, along with the communication, sensitivity and ethical conduct central to counselling, with skills that transfer across human services, psychology, nursing, teaching, welfare and allied health. Approved for FEE-HELP and delivered online.
Graduate Certificate in Family Counselling
Support families through life's toughest moments, with the skills to create real, lasting change. AIPC's Graduate Certificate in Family Counselling builds your ability to create a safe, therapeutic environment for clients, along with the communication, sensitivity and ethical conduct central to family-focused counselling practice. Approved for FEE-HELP and delivered online.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Master of Mental Health can help prepare you for a range of roles across the mental health and community services sectors. Graduates may seek opportunities in community-based and psychosocial services, wellbeing programs, human services and interdisciplinary mental health settings, including government, non-government and private sector organisations.
The course is designed for people looking to transition into the mental health field, as well as professionals who want to build advanced mental health knowledge and capabilities to complement their existing career.
No. You can apply for AIPC's Master of Mental Health if you have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (Bachelor degree or higher) in any field of study.
This makes the course a potential pathway for graduates from a broad range of backgrounds who want to develop specialised knowledge and capabilities in mental health.
Yes. AIPC's Master of Mental Health is delivered mostly online, giving you the flexibility to fit your studies around work and other commitments. The course also includes some residential schools held at AIPC's national campuses.
You can choose to study full-time or part-time, with the full-time course designed to be completed in approximately 18 months.
The Master of Mental Health combines mental health knowledge with practical, person-centred approaches to supporting people experiencing mental ill-health.
Across the course, you'll explore areas including mental health assessment and case formulation, counselling processes and skills, human development, ethics and reflective practice, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), trauma-informed and recovery-oriented practice, crisis and suicide response, community mental health practice, and research.
You'll also develop an understanding of culturally responsive practice, service pathways, psychosocial support, risk and protective factors, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing perspectives.
Yes. FEE-HELP is available to eligible students studying AIPC's Master of Mental Health. FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that can help eligible students pay all or part of their tuition fees.
The total course tuition is $34,385, based on the current fees provided for the program. Eligibility requirements apply to FEE-HELP, so prospective students should check their eligibility before enrolling.