Counselling and Career Guidance in Education degrees

Graduating with a counselling and career guidance in education qualification from UniSQ can lead to a range of career options within education counselling and careers settings, including roles such as a school counsellor, guidance officer or counsellor, special education counsellor, student welfare officer, career development practitioner, career educator or counsellor, and work-integrated learning coordinator. 

You could also find work in roles in work environments from schools, TAFEs and universities to government agencies and industry, as well as the disability, human services and community sectors. Your specific career path will depend on your chosen specialisation and whether you focus on counselling in educational contexts, career development, or special and inclusive education. 

Studying a school counsellor degree or career guidance program at UniSQ allows you to extend your teaching career into the specialised field of counselling or careers. UniSQ offers a comprehensive understanding of the key issues faced by students and the strategies employed by education professionals to tackle them. Our program emphasises both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for real-world challenges. Notably, our Graduate Certificate of Education Studies - Career Development has received official endorsement from the Career Industry Council of Australia, qualifying holders for the status of a professional career development practitioner under their Professional Standards.

Gain a strong start to your career in education and counselling with UniSQ.

• UniSQ’s expert lecturers model the latest teaching approaches ensuring maximum support for face-to-face and online learning.
• UniSQ is rated 5/5 stars for education and training learning resources (Good Universities Guide, 2025)
• We are rated 5/5 stars for postgraduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2025).

With the Graduate Certificate of Education Studies (Career Development), you can achieve the status of professional career development practitioner under the Professional Standards, as endorsed by the Career Industry Council of Australia. 

The Counselling in Educational Contexts specialisation meets the requirement for associate membership to the Queensland Guidance and Counselling Association (QGCA). The Master of Education (Guidance, Counselling and Careers) specialisation is an appropriate qualification for entry-level membership of the QGCA. 

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previous studies or relevant work experience. This could reduce the number of courses you need to study to complete your degree. 

If you've completed a teaching degree or other relevant qualifications, UniSQ can assess whether any of your previous study can be credited towards your counselling and career guidance qualification. This recognition of prior learning process is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To find out if your teaching degree qualifies for credit, you can contact UniSQ to discuss your individual circumstances and how your prior learning might reduce your study load. 

At UniSQ, you can study counselling and career guidance courses online. Regardless of whether you opt for part-time or full-time study, our education careers and counselling degrees are designed to provide the adaptability you need to balance your education with other responsibilities.  

You can adjust your degree enrolment to meet your needs. Take one subject at a time, or study extra subjects when life allows it. With multiple start dates throughout the year (February, June and September), you have flexibility in when you begin your studies and how you structure your learning around your work and personal commitments. 

UniSQ is also rated 5/5 stars for education and training learning resources and 5/5 stars for postgraduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2025). UniSQ's expert lecturers model the latest teaching approaches ensuring maximum support for face-to-face and online learning.  

Our counselling and career guidance degrees equip graduates with credentials endorsed by leading industry bodies. Our Graduate Certificate of Education Studies (Career Development) has received official endorsement from the Career Industry Council of Australia, qualifying holders for the status of a professional career development practitioner under their Professional Standards. 

The Counselling in Educational Contexts specialisation meets the requirement for associate membership to the Queensland Guidance and Counselling Association (QGCA). The Master of Education (Guidance, Counselling and Careers) is an appropriate qualification for entry-level membership of the QGCA.