Social work and counselling placements

Semester 1

Semester 2

Master of Counselling 

• The placement component of the Master of Counselling program is undertaken through the year-long placement course, COUN7021, in the second year (or equivalent) of the program.
• To be eligible for placement, students must successfully complete the eight first-year courses and demonstrate competency in basic counselling skills, assessed via competency interviews in COUN7001 (Interpersonal Skills) and COUN7006 (Advanced Interpersonal Skills).
• Placement preparation begins in semester 2 of the year prior to undertaking placement. Eligible students are required to attend a pre-placement workshop in August of that year and complete their pre-placement compliance items by the due dates outlined on the HABS Placement Ready website. Placements are organised by the NMSW Practice Education Team.
• In the placement year, students typically attend placement two days per week from February to October, completing a minimum of 182 placement hours each semester for a minimum total of 364 placement hours, which must include minimums of 60 direct client contact hours and 15 hours of supervision.

Guides and Manuals

• Social Work Practice Education Guide (PDF, 662KB)
• Master of Counselling Practice Education Manual

Fact sheets

• Social Work fact sheet (PDF, 131KB)
• Master of Counselling Student Placement Fact Sheet (PDF, 185.3 KB)

There are a number of pre-placement requirements that must be completed prior to placement. Go to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences (HABS) Placement Ready website for further details. Please note there are generic requirements for all students in the HABS Faculty. Further information regarding specific pre-placement requirements for social work and/or councelling student placements will be made available closer to placement semester.

If you wish to defer, or have deferred placement, please ensure that you contact the Practice Education Team at the start of the semester before you intend to go on placement.

Please see the placement categories available for social work students.

There are opportunities for students to complete their final placement in a rural/remote area, in another state of Australia, or even in another country. An application needs to be lodged with the Practice Education Team around the time that students are being interviewed for placements in the following semester. Emails will be sent out to all relevant students at this time, setting out the steps to take. Lodging an application does not guarantee that you will be accepted for a rural, remote, interstate or international placement. Certain travel requirements must be completed well in advance of the placement commencing:

• Policy on Rural, Remote, Interstate and International Placements (PDF, 114KB)

• International Student Placement - Acknowledgement Form - International placements also require a Travel Checklist (Student Placement International Travel Acknowledgement form), which can be downloaded and lodged with the Field Education Unit once completed by the student.

• Travel insurance - The UQ travel insure website includes information on eligibility for insurance and how to make a travel insurance claim.

Recognition of Prior Learning

• Procedure and Application Form (PDF, 181KB) 
• Assessment of Competencies and Criteria Form (PDF, 728.2 KB)

Placement in Workplace

• Placement in Workplace (PDF, 89KB)
• Agreement Form (PDF, 85KB)