Bachelor of Counselling (BCouns)

Want to turn your passion for helping people into a career? The Bachelor of Counselling is a three-year degree that weaves Christian faith together with real, proven counselling skills. You’ll graduate ready to register as a counsellor in New Zealand — and more than that, you’ll grow as a person. Through group process and personal counselling every semester, this degree changes you from the inside out. Whether you’re chasing a counselling career or simply want to work better with people, this is where it starts.

Counselling

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To begin your application process to study at Laidlaw simply create an account in our student portal and begin your application.

The Bachelor of Counselling is a three-year degree designed for students who want to integrate Christian faith with a range of sound, well-established counselling theories and practical skills. This degree prepares you to become a registered counsellor with either the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) or the New Zealand Christian Counsellors Association (NZCCA). It has a common core of biblical, theological, and philosophical studies which provides a foundation for a deep appreciation of the Scriptures, and the outworking of the Gospel in life and professional practice. Much of the learning happens in personal counselling and in group process, in which all students participate each semester. It is in these groups that deep and enduring formation takes place. The BCouns is for those who want to build a career in counselling, or those who want to develop lifelong skills for working with people.

(Average full-time programme for one year = 120 credits)

Note: The BCouns programme is three years and the annual fee may vary. Please refer to Fee Schedule for more details (www.laidlaw.ac.nz/fees)

Programme Requirements

BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY	BIBLICAL STUDIES (100S)	CHRISTIAN THOUGHT & HISTORY (200-300S)	PASTORAL, MISSIONAL & CONTEXTUAL STUDIES (400-600S)
Minimum credits for degree	90	75	90
	A total minimum of 360 credits A total minimum of 180 credits at level 6 or above A total minimum of 75 credits at level 7
Level 5	115.515 Reading the Bible 120.515 Reading the Old Testment 140.515 Reading the New Testment	201.515 Engaging Theory 308.515 Christian History: Our Story	401.515 Formation 505.515 Christian Leadership and Mission 907.515 Bicultural Relationships: Tikanga Kawabata
Level 6 & 7	111.715 Interpreting the Bible At least 1 OT and 1 NT exegesis paper	202.6/715 Christology 219.6/715 Nākau Maia: Christian Confidence	480.6/715 Faithful Living: Intro to Reflective Practice 590.715 Capstone: Integrative Practice

It’s the breadth of study, of knowledge, the way the staff require you to think. They don’t spoon feed you. They want you to think critically, thoughtfully, prayerfully. You’re given options and required to construct a frame for yourself.”

Kyla Scrimgeour | Theology Graduate

Additional Information

General and other Specialisations

Only a select number of courses are available for distance learning.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Biblical Studies Specialisation

On completion of the Bachelor of Theology Laidlaw College graduates will:

Educated in preparation for provisional membership of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and the New Zealand Christian Counsellors Association, in a variety of health, social service and educational settings.
Equipped with an approach to counselling that draws from Person-Centred and Narrative Therapies, and emphasises relationality.
Proficient at articulating a well-integrated theological anthropology, developed from the study of the sacred Christian Scriptures and traditions, history, culture and the social sciences that understands people as persons-in-relationship, people of dignity who are formed through and for loving relationship.
Practiced at relationally engaging with people including their emotions, cognitive processes, meaning-making and social positioning.
Skilled with a range of reflective practices including self, peer and clinical supervision.
Prepared for postgraduate study and research.

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