Master of Mental Health
Overview
Develop the practical experience, knowledge, skills and attitude you'll need to thrive as a contemporary mental health professional.
UQ’s mental health programs provide systematic training designed to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to contemporary mental health practice. You'll receive advanced training in a variety of evidence-based interventions and the theoretical principles that underpin them.
Teaching will be provided by highly experienced practitioners and researchers, many of whom have national or international reputations for scholarship and professional practice. You'll have the opportunity to undertake both structured and independent learning assignments and study in a flexible environment that respects concurrent professional commitments.
This program is designed to meet advanced training standards for specialist mental health practice. Throughout the program, you'll spend a minimum of 750 hours in an appropriate practice environment (Art Therapy Stream only), which can include your current workplace. You'll also complete courses that will build and extend your knowledge and skills in mental health practice.
Program highlights
- Choose to specialise in the art therapy or in the psychotherapy field.
- Study with highly experienced practitioners and researchers, many of whom have national or international reputations for scholarship and professional practice.
- Enjoy a flexible study environment that respects your concurrent professional commitments.
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
- Art Therapy
- Psychotherapy
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Work placements
- Online study
- Workshops
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Human Development and Relationships Across the Life Span
- Advanced Therapy Skills: Working with Complex and Non-traditional Clients
- Advanced Therapy Skills: Working with Families and Groups
- Mental Health Research Thesis 1
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Depending on which field you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Art therapist
- Counsellor
- Mental health services manager
- Community mental health practitioner
- Mental health clinician
- Psychosocial community support worker
- Patient assessor
- Health and well-being consultant
Stories
See all stories
UQ people
What’s it like to be a first-year med student?
3-minute read
Uni life
Camila’s experience as a summer research scholar
5-minute read
UQ people
Meet the expert: exploring counselling with Dr Kate Witteveen
4-minute read
Stories
See all storiesUQ people
What’s it like to be a first-year med student?
3-minute read
Uni life
Camila’s experience as a summer research scholar
5-minute read
Uni life
From classroom to practice: insights from my Master of Counselling placement
3-minute read
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry, you'll need:
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in health or social work, plus 1 years full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting, or
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, plus 2 year full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting, or
- a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Mental Health from UQ, plus 5 years full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
For the Art Therapy field of study, you'll also need:
- to meet the Art Practice entrance standard, and
- to meet the Clinical Experience entrance standard, and
- to attend an interview, and
- hold a current Blue Card (working with children check) or equivalent professional registration before commencing the program, and retain for the duration of your enrolment in the program.
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in health or social work, plus 1 years full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting, or
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, plus 2 year full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting, or
- a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Mental Health from UQ, plus 5 years full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a mental health setting.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
For the Art Therapy field of study, you'll also need:
- to meet the Art Practice entrance standard, and
- to meet the Clinical Experience entrance standard, and
- to attend an interview, and
- hold a current Blue Card (working with children check) or equivalent professional registration before commencing the program, and retain for the duration of your enrolment in the program.
Related programs
Depending on your previous qualifications and current goals, you might want to consider
one of these related programs:
English language requirements
IELTS overall 7; reading 7; writing 7; speaking 7; listening 7. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 100, listening 25, reading 25, writing 27, speaking 23.
PTE Academic - Overall 72, sub bands minimum 72.
CES - Overall 185, All sub bands minimum 185.
Other OET - A minimum grade of B for each sub skill (L,S,R,W).
BE is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Master of Mental Health are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Additional application information
Additional application information
Fields of study
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Art therapy is not just a collection of techniques, but a planned intervention which attempts to create a safe environment for the client to express themselves.
Art therapy draws on psychodynamic theory, Jungian analytical psychology and developmental theory, cognitive and humanistic psychotherapies for its theoretical framework. It incorporates concepts about creativity as well as a range of contemporary therapeutic approaches and methods.
To meet ANZACATA and PACFA standards, you'll need to complete at least 750 hours of art therapy placement during the program. The ongoing commitment is approximately 2 days per week each semester. You'll also need to work with at least 2 different client groups throughout the program.
The Art Therapy field of study includes a compulsory 1-week residential full-time block of workshops. Remote students can attend weekly classes online with an art therapy tutor via Zoom.
We recommend that Art Therapy students have some experience of personal therapy, either prior to or during your Master of Mental Health – Art Therapy training. This enables you to become more aware of your personal motivation for becoming a therapist and to identify any potential areas of difficulty.
To enrol in the Master of Mental Health – Art Therapy, you'll need to satisfy entrance standards in the areas of Academic Capacity, Art Practice and Clinical Experience.
If eligible, you'll be invited to undertake an art-making group experiential as the next step towards acceptance into the program. Potential applicants will be notified 1 week after attending the group art-making experiential session if you've been accepted in the program.
For more information about how to apply, visit the Faculty of Medicine website.
Through its history, psychotherapy has grown to be a diverse field of practice. Scientific evidence shows its effectiveness in treating people affected by different types of mental health disorders and helping people improve their wellbeing.
In this field of study, you'll receive advanced training in the use of psychotherapy techniques, with particular emphasis on psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural traditions. Courses also focus on the application of specific psychotherapy techniques to particular populations and on the treatment of specific forms of psychopathology.
Courses include attending weekly online tutorials and in-person attendance at workshops held at the beginning of each semester.
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Art therapy is not just a collection of techniques, but a planned intervention which attempts to create a safe environment for the client to express themselves.
Art therapy draws on psychodynamic theory, Jungian analytical psychology and developmental theory, cognitive and humanistic psychotherapies for its theoretical framework. It incorporates concepts about creativity as well as a range of contemporary therapeutic approaches and methods.
To meet ANZACATA and PACFA standards, you'll need to complete at least 750 hours of art therapy placement during the program. The ongoing commitment is approximately 2 days per week each semester. You'll also need to work with at least 2 different client groups throughout the program.
The Art Therapy field of study includes a compulsory 1-week residential full-time block of workshops. Remote students can attend weekly classes online with an art therapy tutor via Zoom.
We recommend that Art Therapy students have some experience of personal therapy, either prior to or during your Master of Mental Health – Art Therapy training. This enables you to become more aware of your personal motivation for becoming a therapist and to identify any potential areas of difficulty.
To enrol in the Master of Mental Health – Art Therapy, you'll need to satisfy entrance standards in the areas of Academic Capacity, Art Practice and Clinical Experience.
If eligible, you'll be invited to undertake an art-making group experiential as the next step towards acceptance into the program. Potential applicants will be notified 1 week after attending the group art-making experiential session if you've been accepted in the program.
For more information about how to apply, visit the Faculty of Medicine website.
Through its history, psychotherapy has grown to be a diverse field of practice. Scientific evidence shows its effectiveness in treating people affected by different types of mental health disorders and helping people improve their wellbeing.
In this field of study, you'll receive advanced training in the use of psychotherapy techniques, with particular emphasis on psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural traditions. Courses also focus on the application of specific psychotherapy techniques to particular populations and on the treatment of specific forms of psychopathology.
Courses include attending weekly online tutorials and in-person attendance at workshops held at the beginning of each semester.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$9,315
2025
$9,315
2025
Approximate yearly cost of full-time tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $43,200
2025
AUD $43,200
2025
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Master of Mental Health are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government has approved the Master of Mental Health with the Art Therapy field of study for income support to be made to eligible students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Master of Mental Health is 5151.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Applying online
All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ.
The program code for the Master of Mental Health is 5151.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 1 - October 31 of the previous year (Art Therapy field of study); November 30 of the previous year (Psychotherapy field of study).
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 1 - October 31 of the previous year (Art Therapy field of study); January 31 in the year of commencement (Psychotherapy field of study).
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
Explore other programs
Express yourself. And your interest.
They say choosing a degree is hard, which is why we've made it easy. Register your interest and we'll send you everything you need to know about applying to UQ.