International Medical University

Overview of Master of Counselling in International Medical University Malaysia

Master of Counselling

The IMU Master of Counselling focuses on developing counsellors with professional attitude, knowledge, skills and competencies in the areas of counselling practice and research. This programme provides practical skills training on par with local and international standards for graduates of the programme to take up leadership positions in the fields of counselling, teaching, research and management.

The programme is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and fulfils the required standards established by the Malaysian professional counselling body; the Malaysian Board of Counsellors (Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia).

Hence, the graduates of the programme will be eligible to apply for registration with the Malaysian Board of Counsellors.

WHY STUDY COUNSELLING AT IMU?

An Established Private Healthcare University

IMU is Malaysia’s first and most established private medical and healthcare university with over 28 years of dedicated focus in healthcare education. IMU achieved the SETARA-2017 Tier 6 status (Outstanding) under the Mature University category.

Speciality Training

To cater to the diverse population with specific needs, students will be offered areas of specialised training to focus on, which includes Marriage and Family Counselling, Crisis, Trauma and Grief Counselling, or Expressive Art Therapy.

Serving the Community

To enhance the learning experience, students will be participating in IMU Cares Community projects related to mental health activities such as counselling, psychoeducation, assessments and other activities to promote mental wellness.

Multidisciplinary Learning

To increase the ability to support clients, students will work closely with different healthcare professionals to co-construct an intervention plan with clients’ best interests.

Platform to Practice

To enhance the practical learning experience, students will have the opportunity to practise in the IMU Healthcare Clinic and established centres with close supervision of qualified counsellors and psychologists. This will provide students with an up-close experience to help clients in an integrated healthcare setting.

Entry Requirement of Master of Counselling in International Medical University Malaysia

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

To strengthen students’ learning, the programme incorporates role-play, group discussion, case-based scenario and reflective practice as part of the curriculum. The following is the list of modules offered

1. Human Development across the Lifespan

2. Theories of Psychotherapy

3. Theories of Career Counselling

4. Ethical and Professional Issues in the Helping Professions

5. Multi-cultural Counselling

6. Information, Personnel and Career Development

7. Psychological Testing and Assessment

8. Abnormal Psychology and Clinical Assessment

9. Counselling Skills

10. Research Methods

11. Group Counselling

12. Counselling Practicum

13. Research Project

14. Counselling Internship

15. Elective option 1 – Focused on Marriage and Family Counselling

16. Elective option 2 – Focused on Crisis, Trauma and Grief Counselling

17. Elective option 3 – Focused on Expressive Art Therapy

ASSESSMENT

The IMU Master of Counselling programme uses both continuous and final assessments in assessing students. Most of the modules employ continuous assessment with a variety of assessment methods including practical skills evaluation, reflective writing, self-evaluation, critique report etc. As for the final assessment, students will go through tests which focus on evaluating students’ critical thinking as well as competency in theory application.

Entry Requirement of Master of Counselling in International Medical University Malaysia

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

FAQ of Master of Counselling in International Medical University Malaysia

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When is the intake for the Master of Counselling Programme in IMU?

The first intake will be in September 2020.

I don’t have any prior experience or knowledge in psychology or counselling, can I take this programme?

Yes, as per our entry requirement

1. Applicants who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in any field, with a minimum cGPA of 2.50, as accepted by the University’s Senate.

2. Applicants who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, but not meeting the minimum cGPA of 2.50, can be accepted with a minimum of 5 years working experience in a relevant field.

In addition, qualified applicants will then be invited for an interview session.

How long does it take to complete the course?

Full time is 2 years;
Part-time is 4 years.

Note: Students may not be able to graduate on time if they choose to defer or are required to retake modules or other conditions that might delay their course of study.

How much does it cost?

The sum for completing the course is RM 55,000 for Malaysian applicants; and RM 60,500 for international students.

As the IMU Master of Counselling Programme is a new porgramme, the first cohort of students will receive a RM 10,000 bursary. Therefore, the total fee will be RM 45,000 for Malaysian applicants; and RM 50,500 for international applicants.

Is the IMU Master of Counselling programme recognised by the Malaysian Government?

The IMU Master of Counselling programme is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). This programme also fulfils the standards of the requirement established by the professional counselling body of Malaysia. Therefore, the graduates of the IMU Master of Counselling programme will be eligible to apply for registration with the Malaysian Board of Counsellors (Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia) upon graduation.

What is the difference between a Master of Counselling and a Master of Clinical Psychology?

Master of Counselling, is a professional training programme producing counsellors to serve clients who are having relationship issues (couple, family, children and work), difficulty in adapting to life changes, career guidance, and other related issues.

Master of Clinical Psychology is a professional training programme that focuses on producing psychologists who manage a patient’s mental health related issues such as diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders as well as learning disabilities.

There may be an overlap of roles between a Counsellor and a Clinical Psychologist. However, the distinctive feature between a Counsellor and a Clinical Psychologist is that a Counsellor provides support for life transitions; self-development and relationship issues, whereas a Clinical Psychologist diagnoses and treats disorders.

If I have a full-time job from 8 am to 5 pm, can I fulfil the course requirement?

Whether you opt to pursue the programme full time or part-time, our Master of Counselling programme is designed for working adults. Thus, we offer face-to-face classes as well as online classes to accommodate working adult schedules.

In terms of collecting the practicum and internship hours, students are advised to make appropriate arrangements for sufficient contact hours (practical hours) to graduate from the programme.

Is there an English language requirement?

There is no English requirement for Malaysian applicants.

For international applicants, the following are the minimum requirements

1. IELTS: Band score 5.0; or

2. TOEFL (PBT): Overall score of 410-413; or

3. TOEFL (iBT): Overall score of 34; or

4. Cambridge English : Advanced (CAE): Overall score of 160; or v

5. Cambridge English : Proficiency (CPE): Overall score of 180; or

6. Pearson Test of English (PTE): Overall score of 36;

However, the following categories of students are exempted from the above requirements

1. International students from countries in which English is the first language.

2. International students who graduated from any Malaysian or other institutions where the curriculum is delivered in English.

Can international students from the IMU Master of Counselling Programme apply for a license to practise in Malaysia?

Yes, international students are eligible to apply for registration and a license to practise in Malaysia upon graduating from the programme. However, the licensing renewal requirement will be different from Malaysian. They are required to renew their licensing annually.

What is unique about the IMU Master of Counselling Programme?

1. Our lecturers – They have years of working experience in education, counselling, and they are actively involved in conducting research and providing counselling supervision.

2. Speciality Training – To cater to the diverse population with specific needs, students will be offered areas of speciality training to focus on, which includes Marriage and Family Counselling, Crisis, Trauma and Grief Counselling, or Expressive Art Therapy.

3. Community Exposure – To enhance the learning experience, students will be participating in IMU Cares community projects related to mental health activities such as counselling, psychoeducation, assessments and other activities to promote mental wellness.

4. Ready Platform to Practice – To enhance their practical learning experience, students will have the opportunity to practise in the IMU Healthcare Clinic and established centres with close supervision of qualified counsellors and psychologists. This will provide students with an immersive experience to help clients in an integrated healthcare setting.