The Master of Counselling (MCO) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Macao, is a professionally-oriented postgraduate programme designed to train competent, ethical, and compassionate counselling professionals. Rooted in principles of community engagement and whole-person development, the programme prepares students to support individuals, families, and groups facing emotional and psychological challenges across diverse settings.
Unlike clinical psychology programmes, this master’s focuses on social and community-based approaches, integrating evidence-based practices, experiential learning, and reflective self-development. It is important to note that this programme does not lead to professional accreditation as a clinical psychologist or psychotherapist by the Macau Health Bureau. Instead, it emphasises the development of counselling competencies applicable across a wide range of professional contexts. It is also particularly suitable for professionals in helping fields—such as education, nursing, social work, or speech therapy—who wish to embed counselling knowledge and skills into their current practice, enhancing their ability to respond to emotional and mental health needs within their communities.
Delivered in English and built on a student-centred philosophy, the programme is aligned with international standards while remaining responsive to local realities.
The Programme Coordinator is Vitor Santos Teixeira.
During the two years of evening coursework, Master of Counselling students hold full-time student status.
At USJ, students of the Master of Counselling benefit from an inclusive, interactive, and supportive academic environment. Small class sizes foster meaningful discussions, personalised feedback, and hands-on training through role-playing, reflective journaling, and case analysis. The programme promotes not only academic excellence but also personal growth and ethical maturity, encouraging students to explore their identity as future counsellors. The practicum experience is a cornerstone of the programme, offering supervised placements in respected local organisations such as Caritas Macau and ARTM. Regular mentoring from faculty and participation in community events further enrich the learning journey. Students are valued as partners in their education, with continuous guidance and open dialogue at every stage.
Graduates of the Master of Counselling will be prepared to work in a variety of settings, including:
- Community and social service organisations (e.g., NGOs, family service centres)
- School counselling and educational support services
- Employee assistance and human resources departments
- Youth and addiction rehabilitation programmes
- Counselling centres and private practice (where licensure is not required)
This programme is ideal for individuals who:
- Hold a background in psychology, education, social work, nursing, or related helping professions
- Are already working or volunteering in schools, NGOs, counselling centres, or pastoral care
- Wish to develop or enhance counselling skills within their current profession
- Have strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Are motivated to support the mental health and wellbeing of others
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Psychology or another helping profession (e.g., Social Work, Nursing, Education, Counselling). For candidates whose academic background is not in psychology, eligibility requires the completion of specific foundational modules—either as part of their previous studies or by auditing them during the first year of the programme at USJ.
These foundational modules include:
- Compulsory:
- Introduction to Psychology or General Psychology
- Plus two courses from the following list:
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychology of Personality
- Educational Psychology
- Biological Psychology or Neuropsychology
- Psychopathology or Abnormal Psychology
Applicants who have taken similar courses are encouraged to submit the course descriptions or syllabi along with their transcripts for evaluation by the Programme Coordinator.
Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency. Local applicants are assessed through the interview.
Relevant professional or volunteer experience in counselling or related fields is valued. Admission is competitive, with a maximum of 20 students selected each year to ensure a high-quality, personalised learning experience.
Admissions Information >
Study plan & description of modules
For the programme’s government approval [in Chinese and Portuguese] click here.
Please click on any specific module below to see its description.
Modules
Year 1
In this course, students are introduced to aspects of counselling psychology including historical developments, types and forms of counselling, the role(s) of the counsellor, a global perspective of the counselling process and the themes of spirituality and cultural sensitivity. Putting the focus on the person of the counsellor and highlighting the importantce of building rapport, this module will also address the Basic Relational Skills in Counselling Psychology. In a practical way, students will be trained in aspects such as attending behavior and active listenining, paraphrasing and summarizing, congruence and presence.
In this course, students are introduced to theoretical approaches in Counselling Psychology (e.g., person-centred, cognitive-behavioural, positive psychology, solution-focused and narrative approaches, eclectic theories and brief therapy). The course is aimed towards building a personal theoretical approach for application in practice.
In this course, students will investigate human actions that exceed the boundaries of culturally and socially accepted behaviour in adults and children. The course includes a discussion of contexts with a focus on the main disorders across the lifespan and addressed in counselling psychology. Syndromes designated as abnormal will be described with reference to current diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, and perspectives on causality as well as biological and psychological interventions evident in counselling psychology. The focus of the course will be upon current diagnostic classification systems such as, among others, the DSM-5, DC:0-5 and ICD-11.
In this course, students are expected to develop advanced skills in research that is particular to the counselling profession, including how to critique research to inform counselling practice. Students will gain competence identifying evidence-based practices in counselling psychology, as well as how to design, implement and execute qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research. The focus is on statistical methods used in conducting research and for programme evaluation.
In this course, students will explore the ethics, contexts and setting of practice in counselling psychology including the principles and codes of ethics and the ways to establish a professional relationship with clients. Professionalism and professional accreditation within the local and international contexts are also addressed.
In this course, students will learn and practice how to conduct the different moments of the counselling session. In a course of reflective practice, students will practice skills such as questioning, empathetic comments, redirecting focus, supportive confrontation, immediacy, assertive communication, and process commenting.
This course explores the core principles and methods of psychological assessment, with a focus on their application in counselling settings. Students will gain an understanding of how measures are created, validated, and adapted for use in various cultural contexts, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity in psychological testing. The course also offers an overview of the different types of assessment tools and measures commonly used by counsellors, including interviews, self-report instruments, and other straightforward techniques. Through this course, students will learn how to select appropriate assessment tools, adapt them to diverse client populations, and apply them in practice to evaluate and monitor counselling interventions. Case studies and practical exercises will be utilized to illustrate the application of these concepts in real-world counselling scenarios. By the end of the course, students will have a foundational understanding of psychological assessment, equipping them to effectively evaluate clients and track the progress of counselling interventions.
This module aims to help students learn how research has been conducted in the field of counselling and psychological interventions and relevant research findings as a result of several decades of research in counselling psychology. On the one hand, outcome research i.e. research findings related to outcome of counselling e.g., what factors and variables are relevant to the effectiveness of counselling effective would be covered. On the other hand, research on counselling process, i.e. how and why is counselling effective in particular research findings related to clients and counsellor variables would be explored and discussed in the module.
In this course, students will investigate the theoretical foundations of group counselling and group work, including the dynamics associated with group processes and development, and the therapeutic factors involved in effective group work. Topics for discussion will include the characteristics and functions of effective group leaders, approaches to group formation, including recruiting, screening and selecting members, and types of groups. further considerations that affect conducting groups in varied settings will also be discussed.
Year 2
In this course, the emphasis is on typical developmental processes, as well as various issues related to the processes and challenges of developmental transitions during childhood and adolescence in the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains of functioning. Topics for exploration and discussion include, among others, classification, epidemiology and prevalence of child and youth developmental disorders, risk and protective factors, as well as case management, psychological assessments, evidence-based interventions and referral strategies.
In this seminar-based course, students will investigate interpersonal relationships as these are expressed amongst various individuals (e.g., parents, parents and children, siblings, friends, romantic partners, social networks, and acquaintances). The purpose of this course is to assist graduate students with understanding the processes that regulate human social relationships, through the lens of family and marriage counselling The course will include an overview of the social-psychological theories of relationship research and an exploration of current research with a focus on our need for relationships, interpersonal attraction, intimacy, love, attachment, communication, relationship maintenance, sexuality, relationship trajectories, relationship dissolution, jealousy, and extra-dyadic relationships.
In this seminar-based course, students will conduct a comprehensive study of addictive behaviour and relevant psychological concepts. Throughout this course, students will explore significant antecedents, correlates, and consequences of various forms of addictive behaviour and examine the aetiology of and remission from an addiction from diverse perspectives based on both theoretical and empirical evidence. They will learn to evaluate the design programs for effective assessment, diagnosis, relapse prevention, and treatment in the field.
In this course, students will be equipped to apply relevant theoretical knowledge and practical skills to develop and implement interventions that will enhance the psychological wellbeing of diverse communities. The aim is to introduce and discuss social phenomena and cultural diversity, as well as the underlying mechanisms for various community and social behaviour while highlighting the important role of understanding social interaction such as how people think about themselves and others in a social setting. Topics for discussion may include, among others, best practices, practice-based evidence, management, causal attribution, social judgment, heuristics, priming, social categorization, stereotyping and prejudice, the role of SES in treatment health disparities in the prevalence of mental health concerns, as well as effectiveness of treatment in different and diverse settings.
This course focus on how people in organizations communicate with others, and how conflict and teamwork is generated within organizations, topics such as their functions, channels, process, and direction. Also, the method of negotiation within or between organizations will be addressed.
Counselling Psychology internship comprises a supervised field placement in an approved training site for 300 hours. Performances and professional development will be monitored and evaluated for case consultation and professional development during regular individual and group supervision sessions (not less than 1.5 montly hours of each). Students should submit a report including the description of a case of Evidence Based Practices.
* - Internship
** - Elective
