Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling

• Gain knowledge, insight and skills into the nature of abnormal behaviour.
• Develop interviewing techniques and client observation skills, as well as basic counselling skills.
• Form an understanding of psychopathology for the purposes of screening and identification of psychological challenges and accurate referral skills.
• Demonstrate competence in referral and management strategies based on best practice guidelines, report writing and providing clients with feedback.
• Learn to ethically conduct psychological screening and selected psychometric assessments that fall within the Registered Counsellor scope of practice, while recognising when referral to other mental health professionals is required.

• Gain trauma counselling and debriefing skills.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team to provide developmental and preventive counselling services.
• Build sensitivity regarding cultural beliefs and diversity.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge, insight, and skills of the discipline of Psychology at a preventative and promotional level.
• Conduct supportive counselling interventions in a primary healthcare setting within diverse and multicultural settings to improve mental health and general well-being, as well as the prevention and promotion of psychosocial health and community-based care.
• Community understanding and intervention skills.

• Provide community-based psychological support to groups, families and individuals within the community.
• Develop psychoeducation and mental health promotion skills.
• Learn conceptualisation skills, biopsychosocial and systems theory as appropriate for community interventions

• Gain a thorough grounding in the Ethical Code of Conduct and other relevant legislation.

• Build psychometric competencies (aligned to the Registered Counsellor minimum standards).
• Design, conduct, monitor, and manage appropriate counselling and psychoeducational interventions within a primary setting.
• Conduct valid and reliable research in community settings.

Structured supervision requirements: The previous equivalent pathways required students to complete heavily supervised 720-hour practical. The transition to a formal PGDip integrates this supervised clinical or psychometric training more cohesively into the curriculum.

The previous equivalent pathways required students to complete heavily supervised 720-hour practical. The transition to a formal PGDip integrates this supervised clinical or psychometric training more cohesively into the curriculum. 

• Research focused.
• Academic progression focus.
• Does not provide the same professional registration pathway.

• Professional qualification.
• Practice focused.
• Includes practicum.
• Supports Registered Counsellor registration pathway.

Professional Practice Settings

This section explores the environments and sectors in which Registered Counsellors may work following successful completion of the programme, practicum and HPCSA registration.

Direct practice

• Step into counselling roles in
• schools
• student wellness centres
• primary health care facilities
• district hospitals
• hospices
• correctional facilities
• Work within South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) wellness units.
• Deliver Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) in corporate environments, anywhere that communities need a first line of psychological support.

Public sector and government

• Contribute to national mental health priorities through roles in:
• The Departments of Health, Social Development and Justice.
• Community-based public mental health programmes aligned to South Africa’s National Mental Health Policy Framework.

Private sector and employee wellness

A growing number of organisations value practitioners who have both counselling competence and professional registration. This need creates opportunities well beyond traditional clinical settings, such as:

• Private companies
• EAP providers
• HR consultancies
• Medical aid case management teams

Social justice and community impact

Community based organisations actively seek registered practitioners to guide:

• Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention initiatives
• Trauma support services
• Restorative justice programmes
• Community safety projects

Many of these roles attract government and NGO funding, offering meaningful work at the intersection of psychology and social change.

A foundation for further study

This qualification may support progression into relevant postgraduate qualifications. Admission into relevant professional master’s programmes is subject to the admission requirements and selection processes of the higher education institutions.

Research and academia

With additional postgraduate study, graduates can pursue roles in community psychology research, policy development, or higher education, allowing for contribution to the evidence base that shapes mental health service delivery in South Africa and beyond.

Term 1 

Research Methodology (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Theory of Developmental Psychology and Abnormal Behaviour (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Research Project (Part 1 – Conceptualisation & Proposal) (NQF 8, 10 credits)

Term 2 

Applied Counselling Modalities A (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Applied Community Counselling Interventions (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Research Project (Part 2 – Data Collection, Results & Discussion Draft) (NQF 8, 10 credits)

Term 3 

Applied Psychometric Methods and Assessment (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Applied Counselling Modalities B (NQF 8, 16 credits)

Research Project (Part 3 – Report) (NQF 8, 10 credits)

Term 1-2 

Practicum Placement, 6-months full-time 

SACAP is fully accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) as an Independent Higher Education Institution

The BAC accreditation is a globally recognised hallmark of quality assurance, and achieving this accreditation demonstrates that we have met the high standards set by the BAC. This accreditation is validation of our commitment to excellence and our mission to provide our students with a world-class education that prepares them for success in their future careers.

Our students can be assured that their education provider has met a gold standard. To maintain BAC accreditation SACAP needs to continue to meet BAC’s standards. BAC ensure that colleges, universities and training providers provide high-quality education and a great learning experience for students.

A minimum of an appropriate bachelor’s degree (NQF level 7) or appropriate Advanced Diploma with a Psychology major, having achieved a grade point average (GPA) of 65% and above in all Psychology subjects undertaken in the exit level/final year of study

OR

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements should provide a portfolio of evidence demonstrating information, and non-formal knowledge and/or work experience in a cognate field of study equivalent to an NQF level 7 qualification to support admission to the programme on the basis of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Applicants who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements for the PGDip programme may apply for admission through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

These applicants must submit a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates their formal, informal, and non-formal knowledge, training, work experience, and/or learning that is equivalent to the programme’s minimum entrance requirements.

The portfolio of evidence will support the applicant’s request for admission based on RPL.

The application of SACAP’s RPL processes is detailed in SACAP’s Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy.

Study Options: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria

Duration: 18 months full-time (including a 720-hour practicum, 6 months fulltime)

Accreditation: NQF 8, CHE Accredited, Registered with DHET

SAQA ID: 123611

There is a formal selection process required for admission into the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling

• Screening is based on meeting the minimum academic requirements or eligibility via RPL
• All applicants must meet SACAP’s English language proficiency expectations
• International applicants must meet SAQA and permit requirements as per SACAP policy
• The top screened candidates will be invited to a formal selection process

Yes and no. The PGDip and Hons sit at the same level (NQF Level 8), which means they both allow progression into a master’s programme, subject to the admission and selection processes of the higher education institutions. However, the PGDip is a professional qualification which focuses on strengthening and deepening a student’s knowledge in a specific discipline or profession, whereas an honours programme is more focused on preparing students for research-based postgraduate study and is more theoretically grounded.

A diploma indicates that there is vocational orientation to the qualification, which includes professional, vocational or industry-specific knowledge. The purpose of a diploma is to develop graduates who can demonstrate focused knowledge and skills in specific field and typically include a work-integrated learning (WIL) component.

Yes. Graduates who successfully complete the PGDip (Psychological Counselling), complete the required practicum, pass the HPCSA Board Examination and meet all HPCSA registration requirements may apply to register with the HPCSA as Registered Counsellors.

Yes. The qualification is accredited by the HPCSA and aligns with the HPCSA regulatory requirements for the education and training of Registered Counsellors.

Yes, as an NQF Level 8 qualification, the PGDip (Psychological Counselling) may provide access to master’s level study, subject to the admission requirements and selection criteria of higher education institutions.

Yes, the PGDip (Psychological Counselling) and the former BPsych Equivalent qualification both prepare students for the Registered Counsellor profession and operate at NQF Level 8.

Yes. Qualifications already awarded through accredited BPsych Equivalent pathways remain valid qualifications.