Practising Licence Programme: Mental Wellness & Educational Counsellor (ONLINE)
Educational counselling is officially recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO), Educational Therapy has been classified under the procedure code GZ60ZZZ in the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modifications (ICD-10-CM).
This rigorous programme aims to qualify any traineete who has passed all the programme’s requirements of the International Association of Counselors & Therapists (IACT) and be admitted as a licenced Wellness & Educational Counsellor. The programme is appropriate for interested person who wish to practise as a counsellor by developing counseling skills and knowledge for application in their work areas such as in health, social services, educational, customer service, human resource and supervisory work settings. The candidate will learn about the strategies to maintain or sustain one’s mental health wellness (MHW) in good balance. In addition, MHW depends on factors, like self- acceptance, autonomy, quality of relationships, capacity for personal growth, and overall life satisfaction. Among other problems, stress, depression and anxiety (SAD) can also affect one’s immune system. The candidate will learn how to administer the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and how to interpret the scores. The trainee will journey through the process of counselling which begins with exploring the challenges a client faces before assisting them in resolving developmental and situational difficulties. When successful, treatment can change how a client thinks, feels, and behaves regarding an upsetting experience or situation.
The IACT is a prestigious professional body based in the USA that admits any person who has fulfilled the rigorous requirements of the practising licence programmes to obtain practising membership as a counsellor or a therapist. The membership with the IACT is a mark of high standard and excellence. Practising members are not only knowledgeable and bound by high ethical standards, but are also highly respected as well. They are eligible to work in many countries such as North American, Asian and European countries etc.
The three tiers of the IACT’s practising licence are Credentialed, Registered and Board-Certified. Board-Certified members hold the highest status of the membership of the IACT.
As a requirement of the IACT, all courseworks, assignments and essays of a trainee must be supervised and verified by an approved instructor of IACT. All works of the candidate are required to be submitted by the instructor to the IACT’s Assessment Board based in the USA for final assessment.
Merlion Academy is authorised to supervise and verify trainee’s work seeking to gain admission as an IACT member. Trainee will also be supported by both the IACT Singapore and Malaysia chapters.
Admissions for the programme are conducted on a rolling basis and can begin at any time.
The 5 modules at the credentialed tier are:
- Module 1: Human Lifespan Development
- Module 2: Mental Health & Wellness
- Module 3: Stress, Anxiety & Depression
- Module 4: Theories of Counseling & Its Process
- Module 5: Counseling Case Studies
* Module exemptions will be granted based on individual’s merits and to the graduate of relevant diploma accredited by International Association of Therapists.
Assessment:
1. Assessments are assignments based, mainly submission of publishable journal articles and papers.
2. Guided learning hours to fulfill: 150 hours in total.
3. Non-guided learning hours (reading time and journal papers writing for publishing): 150 hours (expected)
Duration:
8 months per tier of the practising licence
Entry Requirements:
Age
21 years and above
Minimum qualification
Minimum a bachelor’s degree in
i. special education, education, psychoeducational therapy, biology, medicine, counselling or psychology; or
ii. any discipline with postgraduate diploma in teaching, education, educational therapy, psychology etc.
English requirement
1. Pearson Test of English (PTE) 53; or
2. IELTS 6.0 (reading and writing must be at 6.0); or
3. A pass in English Language paper at GCE Ordinary Level
4. TOEFL 65
5. Equivalent (such as Pearson Versant English Test).
Course Fees:
(Non-refundable one-time application fee of SGD 95.00 is payable upon application)
Program fee
SGD 1,500.00 per module
Marking fee
SGD 50.00 per module
Payment mode
Stripe / Credit card / Alipay
Refund Terms
90% – more than 28 days before course commencement
50% – less than 28 days before course commencement
10% – less than 3 days before course commencement
0% – more than 3 days after the course commencement
