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Master of Arts in Guidance and Counselling

Hongkong

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What will I learn?

Programme Aims

The Master of Arts in Guidance and Counselling aims to train teachers, social workers, guidance and counselling practitioners, human resource management personnel and those who are intended to offer counselling services to address the diverse needs of their clientele in Hong Kong.

The programme uniquely connects micro and macro perspectives in training guidance and counselling practitioners, who will then be able to design and implement a range of preventive, remedial and developmental programmes. Students can expect the opportunity to generate new theoretical and practical insights into improving current practices.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates can expect to have enhanced both their professional and personal growth and acquire advanced levels of counselling and guidance competencies.

Characteristics

We offer a flexible learning path. Students can choose their preferred subjects from a pool that is specially designed for guidance and counselling practitioners. They may complete this programme in 2 years, even on a part-time basis if they take additional subjects per semester. On completion of 21 credits (7 subjects), students can apply to graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma.

Recognition & Prospects

This programme has been fully accredited by the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA) as partial requirement for certification of HKPCA Certified Counsellor. Graduates are also eligible to apply for their membership.

Programme Structure

To be eligible for this award, students must complete 5 Required Core Subjects, 3 Elective Subjects, and pursue either the Practice Option or the Research Option.

Students who have successfully completed 21 credits including 5 Required Core Subjects and 2 Elective Subjects can exit the programme with a Postgraduate Diploma in Guidance and Counselling.

Core Areas of Study

Required Core Subjects (15 credits)

  • Advanced Human Behaviour & Social Environment
  • Counselling Assessment & Measurement
  • Individual & Group Counselling Skills Workshop
  • Social Context & Ethics
  • Theories & Models of Counselling

and then EITHER

Practice Option (6 credits)

  • Counselling Practicum

OR

Research Option (6 credits)

  • Practice Research
  • Integrative Project

Elective Subjects (any 3 subjects - 9 credits)

  • Brief Therapy
  • Career Counselling: Theories & Practice
  • Cognitive Behavioural Intervention
  • Delinquency & Family
  • Evolution in Family Therapy: Structural & Systemic Approaches
  • Expressive Psychotherapy
  • Guidance & Counselling for Students with Special Needs
  • Mindfulness in Counselling
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Psychopathology: Holistic & Humanistics Orientations
  • Practice Research
  • Social Policy Analysis & Social Accountability
  • Workplace Counselling
  • Violence in Intimate Relationships

Which department am I in?

Faculty of Health and Social Sciences

Study options

Full Time (1.5 Years)

Tuition fees
HK$138,000.00 (14,97,461) per year
HK $207,000 per programme (HK $6,900 per credit)

*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please

Start date

September 2025

Venue

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

ST305, 3/F, Ng Wing Hong Building,

Hung Hom,

Kowloon City, Hong Kong, Kowloon

Entry requirements

For international students

A recognised Bachelor's degree or the equivalent.

Preference will be given to applicants who are teachers, social workers, counsellors or human resources management personnel and who are involved in guidance work or related areas.

If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the following minimum English language requirement for admission purpose, unless otherwise specified by individual programmes concerned:

A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 80 for the Internet-based test or 550 for the paper-based test; OR

An overall Band Score of at least 6 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

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About The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

PolyU ranks 65th in the QS World University Rankings and 79th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings internationally.

  • Recognised worldwide for its academic reputation
  • Enjoys impactful research practices in different fields
  • Boasts world-class facilities
  • Welcomes international students from over 30 countries

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