Master of Family and Systemic Therapy
Course information for - 2024 entry
Offered at 1 locations
- Duration
- 3 years part-time
- Fees (first year)*
$26400 Fee-paying
- Start dates
-
Semester 1 intake: Beginning February 2024Applications open August 2023Midyear (Semester 2) intake: Not available
Overview
The Master of Family and Systemic Therapy will enable practitioners in the fields of Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Community Work, and Youth Work, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, and General Practice to develop the knowledge and skills to better support families in their work and in their practice with particular application to managing childhood chronic illness, geriatrics and aged care, complex pain management, health/mental health, and conditions with comorbidities.
Systemic and family therapy aims to assist families and complex human systems to mobilise their own strengths and relationships to reduce the impact of disturbing symptoms for suffering individuals.
The key difference between systemic and family therapy and all the many variations of individual psychological interventions, is that while individual therapy gives one person the space to discuss and reflect during 'time out' of their human system, systemic therapy brings parts or all of the system into the therapy.
Family therapy is shown to be one of the key psychological interventions which consistently works.
Work placement
Whilst work placement is not a formal requirement of the degree, second and third year students have the opportunity to gain experience in the Williamsroad Family Therapy Centre (WRFTC). This opportunity is offered to students at the discretion of the WRFTC Director, if there are suitable client systems and where the skills of the trainee and the needs and complexity of the family systems are congruent. At all times the needs of the family systems and respect for the wishes of each member of the family are paramount.
Accreditation
The Master of Family and Systemic Therapy is accredited by the AAFT – The Australian Association of Family Therapy.
Careers
Opportunities and career pathways are increasing as a consequence of recent government policy and funding arrangements in adult, adolescent and child mental health, and health and community services sectors. A master level qualification in family and systemic therapy greatly advantages applicants seeking senior clinical positions or team leadership and management roles.
Course details
Course structure
To qualify for the Master of Family and Systemic Therapy, a student must complete 120 credit points from the Schedule of Unit Offerings comprising of:
(1) 80 credit points from Specified Core Units; and
(2) 40 credit points from Supervision Units.
Course map
Graduate statement
AQF framework
Exit Points
A student who has completed the following requirements from the specialisations in the Schedule of Unit Offerings may exit with the relevant award:
a. Graduate Certificate in Family and Systemic Therapy: 40 cp from Specified Core Units;
b. Graduate Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy: 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings.
Additional course information
Year 1 Semester 1
Concepts and Models of Family and Systemic Therapy 1 (Core unit - 10 cp)
• Models of Family and Systemic Therapy: focus of intervention and change mechanisms
• Family lifecycle, structure, and communication in the system
• Trauma and disruption in relational systems
Practices and Processes of Family and Systemic Therapy 1 (Core unit - 10 cp)
• Family of origin, and exploring the impact of birth order, family structure, and family rules
• Exploring multigenerational themes of family history
• Seeing and experiencing the relational spaces in family systems
• Secrets, alliances, and coalitions
• Family and systemic treatment planning
Year 1 Semester 2
Concepts and Models of Family and Systemic Therapy 2 (Core unit - 10 cp)
• Couple formation and consequent
• Family adaptation and functioning
• Problems presenting through children and adolescents
• Trans-generational transmission of trauma: Recent developments in research, theory and practice
Practices and Processes of Family and Systemic Therapy 2 (Core unit - 10 cp)
• Exploring the family's ethics, moral and cultural values, and spirituality, as core family resources
• Exploring intimacy, emotional connection, emotional expression and emotional literacy
• Session assessment skills
Year 2 Semester 1
Research Informed Frameworks of Family and Systemic Therapy 1 (Core unit - 10 cp)
Evidence-based models of FST for the treatment of:
- Complex problems of adolescence, including adolescent depression and suicide, school participation and performance, and juvenile justice
- Mental illness in children, adolescents and adults
- Drug, alcohol and other addictions
Live Supervision and Reflecting Team Practice 1 (Supervision unit – 10 cp)
Team reflection and self-reflection on live couples practice:
- Providing generative feedback to clients and colleagues
- Applying feedback and outcome measures
- Monitoring micro and macro changes
- Recognition of the differences between straightforward and complex client systems
Year 2 Semester 2
Research Informed Frameworks of Family and Systemic Therapy 2 (Core unit - 10 cp)
Models of FST for the treatment of:
- Physical, emotional and sexual abuse
- Straightforward and complex couple’s issues
- Traumatized and traumatizing relational systems, including emotional dysregulation and PTSD
Live Supervision and Reflecting Team Practice 2 (Supervision unit – 10 cp)
Advanced principles and practice of team reflection and self-reflection and open dialogue:
- Focused generative feedback to clients and colleagues
- Applying feedback and outcome measures, monitoring micro and macro changes
- Being effective in clinical work with complex client systems
Year 3 Semester 1
Systemic Attachment Processes and Neuroscience (Core unit - 10 cp)
Attachment as a Relational and Systemic Process:
- Theory, systemic conceptualisation, mentalisation processes
- Neuroscience and relational systems: attachments and emotional bonds in families
- Fear and danger in families, and the defence cascade
Advanced Live Supervision and Clinical Teamwork 1 (Supervision unit – 10 cp)
- Supervision of complex family systems in real-time or with participants' own recorded session, and a reflecting team
- Clinical application of case-based research practices: teamwork and the balanced alliance, refining the quality of your practice
Year 3 Semester 2
Transgenerational Loss, Trauma and Mental Health in Relational Systems (Core unit - 10 cp)
Families surviving and adapting to complex losses:
- Cascading loss and complex trauma in the family system
- Divorce, grief death of a child, high conflict families
- Systemic treatment of trauma and grief in children
Advanced Live Supervision and Clinical Teamwork 2 (Supervision unit – 10 cp)
- Supervision of complex work in real-time or with participants' own recorded session, and a reflecting team.
- Clinical application of case-based research practices: learning how to refine the quality of personal practice, identifying patterns of micro-change and macro-changes
- First and second order changes in relational systems.
Overseas study available
Not applicable. Only domestic students can undertake the course.
Entry requirements
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:
1. hold one of the following qualifications:
a. Bachelor degree in health or related helping discipline*
b. Graduate Certificate in Family and Systemic Therapy
c. Graduate Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy
AND
2.Demonstrate a minimum of 2 years’ experience in counselling, therapy or clinical work with individuals or families;
AND
3. Successfully complete the interview process associated with the course.
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2024 Admission.
Applicants with higher education study
Students whose first language is other than English need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .
If your previous study has equipped you with knowledge, skills or experiences that align with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be able to apply for recognition of prior learning and you may be able to complete your course sooner.
Learn more about recognition of prior learning
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .
Masters
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have:Masters
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:
1. hold one of the following qualifications:
a. Bachelor degree in health or related helping discipline*
b. Graduate Certificate in Family and Systemic Therapy
c. Graduate Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy
Applicants with work and life experience
Special entry is available for practitioners with extensive counselling experience but who do not have a Bachelor level qualification.
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Pathways into course for applicants with previous study and/or life experience
Applicant should have completed a basic qualification in the health or social sciences at least at Bachelors level and equivalent in terms of level and depth of training as defined by Australian Qualification Framework, of the Graduate Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy
Applicants need to demonstrate fundamental relational capacity and readiness for advanced training as family therapist by attending an interview and/or being observed interacting and participating in an experiential workshop, and/or on the recommendation of referees.
Fees
Course costs
$26400 Fee-paying
Additional costs
A Student Services Fee of $45 per semester is also payable per participant, and textbooks may need to be purchased for each unit.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.
How to apply
Staff Profile
Associate Professor Tom Whelan
Deputy Head, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Victoria
Associate Professor Tom Whelan (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at ACU, and the Deputy Head of the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences in Victoria. He has taught for over 20 years at university and currently teaches at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Developmental and Abnormal Psychology. Associate Professor Whelan has published widely in academic journals, text books and the popular press. In addition, he is a clinical psychologist working in youth mental health. His current field of research involves the relationship between emotions, parenting and mental health. He has specific interests in parent wellbeing during early childhood.