Suzanne Lazaroo
31 August 2021: The University of Canberra launched two brand-new online postgraduate courses today, with the Master of Counselling Online and Juris Doctor Online now open for registration.
The University’s first online postgraduate programs, they will commence their first intakes in Study Period One, January 2022.
The Master of Counselling course from the Faculty of Health contains a nested Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma, as does the Faculty of Business, Government and Law’s Juris Doctor program.
Students can begin their study during any of the six teaching periods available in a year – and can choose to focus on just one unit at a time. All students will also have their own dedicated Success Advisor, who will journey with them from O-Week to graduation.
The online, part-time delivery for the industry-aligned, research-driven programs gives them eminent flexibility – a crucial consideration for working professionals looking to upskill or even shift careers.
“With a flexible six-entry-points-per-year intensive model, the UC Online Juris Doctor makes a versatile degree accessible to graduate students juggling the pressures of work, family, distance and time,” said Associate Professor Dr Trevor Ryan, convenor of the Juris Doctor program.
Dr Ryan says that his lawyer and academic colleagues at the Canberra Law School are excited to be partnering with Keypath to deliver a premium online experience to graduate students from across the country, who are keen to upskill and progress their careers.
Practising law occupations are expected to grow by 13 per cent in the 2019–2023 period (Job Outlook, 2021), with a third of those employed in the legal profession having postgraduate qualifications.
“For a long time, Law has been a versatile degree for both future legal practitioners and those who prefer to work in business, government, and non-government sectors, which all benefit from a deep understanding of the systems and rules that regulate society,” Dr Ryan said.
As new technologies, and ways of being and doing, shift the world, advocates and practitioners alike must keep abreast to ensure the rule of law governs fairly and justly for all.
The Juris Doctor program will cover legal fundamentals, advanced theoretical and technical knowledge, and practical dispute resolution skills. It is a four-year part-time course, three years if fast-tracked.
Graduates can expect to work across sectors such as corporate, property or human rights law, with wide-ranging career options including becoming a solicitor, family lawyer, legal counsel or legal case manager, or workplace relations consultant.
The Juris Doctor program is recognised by the Legal Practitioners Admission Board of the Australian Capital Territory, and provides the academic requirements for admission. Through mutual recognition, the University of Canberra Juris Doctor may serve as a basis for admission in all Australian jurisdictions.
A significant contemporary increase in the demand for mental health services has led to a huge boom in the psychotherapy industry – and this means that the Master of Counselling program has never been more relevant, says course convenor Ms Milli Blenkin.
“The Master in Counselling will especially appeal to people who want to help their communities – and because of its versatility, it will enable graduates to work in a wide range of settings,” Ms Blenkin said.
“Career opportunities range from becoming private practitioners, to working with government, policymakers and community organisations, in areas ranging from suicide prevention to relationship and family counselling, and trauma – to name just a few.”
Ms Blenkin said that the online course would equip graduates with the skills to work with clients both face-to-face and remotely, making them uniquely skilled to help communities in rural and remote areas, which generally have less mental health support available.
“The Master of Counselling is a nested degree, designed as three courses in one,” she said.
The program is also an accelerated course, with students attaining their Master degree in two years.
This qualification will also enable graduates to be eligible for membership with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
“Our students will learn the tools, theories, strategies and skills, then put them into practice in their placements with real clients – and the course will also include a five-day intensive, when students will practise their counselling skills on campus,” Ms Blenkin said.
Students will also be supported by expert clinical supervisors while undertaking placement units.
FEE-HELP is available for both programs.
Find more detailed information and how to apply at Master of Counselling Online and Juris Doctor Online.
