Master of Arts in Educational Counselling

This programme is suitable for bachelor’s degree holders, particularly those working in the education and social services sectors who wish to embark on specialised training in educational counselling. The programme aims to help participants work towards membership in professional counselling associations, such as the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association, or develop careers in counselling-related research and academic leadership.

Graduates of the “Practicum Stream” of this programme are eligible to apply for both general membership and professional membership of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA), and they can continue to pursue the status of HKPCA Certified Counsellor after graduation.

Graduates of the Research Stream fulfil the requirements for general membership of the HKPCA. Please note that the Research Stream does not lead to eligibility for the HKPCA Certified Counsellor qualification.

The programme comprises 30 credit points (cps).

REMARKS
^#Only the Practicum Stream is accredited by the HKPCA and fulfils the relevant requirements for students seeking to pursue the HKPCA Certified Counsellor qualification.
*Students enrolled in the Research Stream will not be eligible to pursue the HKPCA Certified Counsellor qualification through this stream.

Classes in the same or different semester(s) may be scheduled on weekday daytime / evenings, weekends and/or during long holidays at the Tai Po Campus / Tseung Kwan O Study Centre / North Point Study Centre / West Kowloon Study Centres and/or other locations as decided by the University.

The medium of instruction is mainly English. Chinese is adopted as the language of instruction for practicum training.

Applicants should: 

• Hold a recognised Bachelor’s degree
• Preferably have some background in the fields of education or guidance and counselling, in either the school or community setting

Shortlisted applicants are required to attend an interview or a test.

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution in a non-English speaking system should normally fulfil one of the following minimum English proficiency requirements:

• IELTS (academic version)# Overall score of 6.0; or
• TOEFL (internet-based test)#:
  • Score of 80 (for tests taken before 21 January 2026)
  • Score of 4.0 (for tests taken from 21 January 2026 onwards); or
• Band 6 in the College English Test (CET)# with a total score of 430; or
• Grade C or above in GCSE / GCE OL English; or
• Other equivalent qualifications.

#The test should be taken in test centres, and the result should be valid within two years. If you are applying for the 2027/28 academic year, your IELTS / TOEFL / CET6 test must be obtained on or after 1 January 2025.

TOEFL Home Editions, TOEFL MyBest Score, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online, IELTS One Skill Retake, Duolingo and National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (全國碩士研究生招生考試) are NOT acceptable.

Tuition Fee: HK$199,800

The tuition fee is HK$6,660 per credit. Tuition fees paid are normally not refundable or transferable. Extension fees will be charged to students who have to extend their studies beyond the normative period of study (i.e. 1 year for full-time and 2 years for part-time).

Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies

This programme is on the list of eligible taught postgraduate programmes under the Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies (FTSS) by the University Grants Committee (UGC). Local students who are admitted to the programme in full-time or part-time study mode will be invited to submit applications for the FTSS. For more details, please visit the UGC website.

MA(EC) Postgraduate Entrance Scholarship

Students of Master of Arts in Educational Counselling [MA(EC)] programme admitted in 2026/27 are eligible to the MA(EC) Postgraduate Entrance Scholarship funded by the Department of Special Education and Counselling (SEC). The scholarship scheme aims to honour the academic excellence of MA(EC) students with academic backgrounds in social science, counselling or education related disciplines.  

Successful awardee(s) must be admitted MA(EC) student(s). Nomination of qualified candidate(s) for the Scholarship will be made by Programme Team according to the verified students’ admission application documents. Awardee(s) will be informed of the results individually.

• Students who have fulfilled the programme requirements will be conferred the degree upon the approval of the University's Academic Board. The University bears no responsibility for the evaluation of its degrees outside of Hong Kong. Students are advised to consult with the relevant authority(ies) for the prevailing rules/regulations.
• Individuals who would seek qualification certification in Chinese Mainland after graduation should contact the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) 中國(教育部) 留學服務中心 for updated details.
• The certification in Chinese Mainland is an independent process from the conferral of academic qualification in Hong Kong by the University. For the avoidance of doubt, no warranties are given in respect of individual graduate's qualification certification or recognition in Chinese Mainland or any other professional qualification or license outside Hong Kong.
• CSCSE  takes a very prudent approach in evaluating each application, including the students' residential period in Hong Kong during the entire study period. When evaluating graduates' credentials, the full border entry and exit records of individual applicants will be examined.
• Students who would pursue credential recognition should be aware that short stays in Hong Kong during the study period may not fulfil the CSCSE residential requirements, leading to possible uncertainty and risks to their credential recognition.
• Students are seriously advised to consider the above when making personal plans, such as accommodation and travel plans from Hong Kong, etc. and make necessary arrangements where appropriate. 
• It is the responsibility of the students to be familiar with and comply with the University regulations and guidelines governing the Taught Postgraduate Programmes. Students should refer to the Graduate School website for the General Academic Regulations and the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes for details.
• Students should consult with CSCSE if they have any enquiries.