MA (Psychology) Counseling Psychology

Home » Faculties of Humanities » Departments » Psychology » Courses and Programs » Postgraduate » MA (Psychology) Counseling Psychology

The Department of Psychology offers a two-year Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology. The programme, which leads to registration as a counselling psychologist with the Professional Board of Psychology (PBP) of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), is a full-time degree offered on the Kingsway campus (APK) in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. The language of instruction is English, and this is a contact-tuition programme. Because of coursework and lecture-attendance requirements, you will not be able to hold part-time or full-time employment.

You will be registered as a student psychologist with the HPCSA. The first year consists of coursework, a minor dissertation, and practical placements. The second year requires you to serve as an intern psychologist at an HPCSA accredited programme or institution. All students must apply for and obtain this accredited internship position themselves. The Department will provide further information about this after you have been successfully selected and enrolled into the programme.

To gain entrance to the MA (Counselling Psychology) programme, you have to apply online to the University of Johannesburg AND with the Department of Psychology. This means there are two processes in the applications and it is crucial that you do both. Your application will not be processed without these two processes.

 

Please note you can only apply for either COUNSELLING or CLINICAL – NOT BOTH.

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

APPLICATIONS OPEN:1 April 2022
CLOSING DATE:  6 July @ 12:00pm (midday) – strictly
SELECTION WEEK:15 – 19 August 2022

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

  1. Complete the online UJ application.
  2. Download the Application Guide and the Referee Report (links below).
  3. The Departmental application form will be completed online this year. Once you completed your UJ online application and your UJ online status is “subject to selection process” a link to the online Departmental application will be sent to you via email within 48 hours. Please note the link will not be sent until all online application requirements have been met.
  4. Please note you can only apply for either Counselling or Clinical – NOT BOTH. Please do not make your 1st choice Counselling and 2nd choice Clinical. Your 2nd choice has to be either Research Psychology or with another Department/Faculty.
  5. The closing date is 6 July 2022 at 12:00 (midday).
  6. The following documents must be included with the Online Departmental application:
  7. Completed and signed Departmental Application (done online);
  8. Please upload the following documents with the online application:
  • Certified copy of your academic record and/or progress report indicating marks to date;
  • Proof of Payment.
  1. Please do not password-protect any uploaded documents.
  2. As we receive hundreds of applications, for ease of reference, please label every document as follows: surname, initial, UJ student number, document name e.g.

Smith J – 2022111111 – Academic record

Smith J – 2022111111 – Proof of payment

  1. Applicants who are still enrolled in an Honours course must provide their provisional results for the first semester (compulsory). Obtained and stamped as an original by the Psychology Department of their university.

Documents to download:

  1. TWO referee reports from individuals who are able to comment on your academic and/or professional performance.

Please note: Referee reports must reach the Department of Psychology before 12:00pm (midday) on 6 July 2022. These should be sent by the referees themselves and not the applicant to the address on the referee form.

  1. Compulsory administration fee of R300 (EFT or Direct Bank Deposits only) – non-refundable.

This applies to both internal and external students and returning students.

 

Further enquiries:

  1. For the online UJ application process, please contact the Student Enrollment Centre on 011-559-4555;
  2. Student Enrollment Centre Online Chat: https://www.uj.ac.za/Pages/uj-chat.aspx
  3. For departmental application queries (only), please contact counsellingpsych@uj.ac.za
  4. Departmental webpage – https://www.uj.ac.za/faculties/humanities/ma-psychology-counseling-psychology/
  5. Referee reports must be emailed directly by the Referee to counsellingpsych@uj.ac.za

 

South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)

All international students need to have their qualifications evaluated by SAQA, before applying to the University of Johannesburg for any of the programs on postgraduate level.  Please go to www.saqa.org.za  for more information.

 

Note: Admission into the MA (Counselling Psychology) programme is subject to a selection process. See Application Guide for selection process and selection criteria.

 

We receive an overwhelming amount of applications each year. As such, some candidates that meet the minimum entry requirements will be declined due to the competitiveness of the course. We also have a limited number of seats to offer in the program. No individual feedback will be given to unsuccessful candidates.

 

Disclaimer:         Should you not follow the UJ application process correctly, we will not be held responsible for incomplete or unprocessed applications.

 

Overview of the course

The MA (Counselling Psychology) degree provides trains student psychologists in line with the Department’s vision. In this manner, the training aims to prepare counselling psychologists to be scientist-practitioners who are ethically astute and active critical thinkers. These psychologists must be keen to apply and be aware of community values, and must hold multidisciplinary awareness when working. A key consideration is to locate theoretical and practical understandings in an intersectional paradigm. The training has a participatory ethos where students engage dynamically and practically with facilitators and teachers who aim to incorporate innovative strategies and blended learning opportunities.

 

Modules 

The course currently provides the following modules:

  • Therapeutic Psychology: Individual Approaches
  • Therapeutic Psychology: Group Approaches
  • Child and Adolescent Psychopathology and Psychotherapy
  • Psychopathology, Psychodiagnostics and Psychological Assessment
  • Integrated Professional Development

In addition to the above students are required to complete a minor research dissertation.

 

Practical engagement

The counselling psychology students are involved in providing services to PsyCAD and Helen Joseph Hospital, as well as the implementation of community projects.