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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.

Location
Herston
Duration
1.5 Years (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025)
Program Code
5151
AQF
Level 9
Location
Herston
Fees
A$43200
Duration
1.5 Years
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025)
Program Code
5151
CRICOS Code
031212J
AQF
Level 9

Program highlights

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.

34 in the world for psychology

QS World University Rankings 2025

3 in Australia for psychology

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2024

Watch How is Psychotherapy taught at UQ on YouTube.

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

Placements and work experience

For the Art Therapy field of study you'll need to complete at least 750 hours of placement during the program to meet the standards set by the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association and Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia. This can include your current workplace. 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. Ensure that you're able to meet all placement requirements before applying for the Master of Mental Health. You¿ll need to have a current blue card (working with children check) or equivalent professional registration before starting your placement. Learn more about placement requirements

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

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.When you apply for the program, you'll need to provide:
If you're apply for the Art Therapy field of study, you'll also need to:
  • meet the Art Practice entrance standard, and
  • attend an art making group experiential.
  • 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.When you apply for the program, you'll need to provide:
If you're apply for the Art Therapy field of study, you'll also need to:
  • meet the Art Practice entrance standard, and
  • attend an art making group experiential.

Relevant disciplines for previous qualifications

nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, medicine and social work.

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.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

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.

Learn more about student visas

Additional application information

To apply for Art Therapy, there are additional entry requirements as well as those listed above. See the Art Therapy field of study page for more information on how to meet this entrance standard. If eligible, you'll be invited to undertake an art-making group experiential as the next step towards acceptance into the program. You will be notified 1 week after attending the experiential session if you've been accepted into the program. Before you apply for this program, you must make sure you will be able to meet any placement requirements.

Additional application information

To apply for Art Therapy, there are additional entry requirements as well as those listed above. See the Art Therapy field of study page for more information on how to meet this entrance standard. <10><10>If eligible, you'll be invited to undertake an art-making group experiential as the next step towards acceptance into the program. You will be notified 1 week after attending the experiential session if you've been accepted into the program.<10><10>Before you apply for this program, you must make sure you will be able to meet any https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/placements/hmbs<34>>placement requirements.

Fields of study

Fields of study

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

Fields of study

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

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

Learn more about postgraduate fees

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

Learn more about postgraduate fees

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.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Master of Mental Health are Commonwealth supported, as long as you meet all Commonwealth supported place eligibility requirements.

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.

If you have a Commonwealth supported place, you may also be eligible for HECS-HELP. This is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

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).

Visa processing times vary. Apply and accept your offer as early as you can.

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 (ATSIS) Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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