Doctoral study in Counselling

Why study with us?

  • Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland demonstrates our commitment to academic excellence and research impact in our impressive global results.
  • We rank 65th the QS World University Rankings, making us New Zealand’s highest ranked university.1
  • Postgraduate Research Student Support (PReSS) funding for research expenses.

1QS World University Rankings 2026

Research opportunities

  • Theory of counselling
  • Counselling philosophy
  • Professional counselling
  • The counselling process
  • Pacific and Indigenous approaches to counselling
  • Family counselling
  • Group counselling
  • Pastoral care and counselling in schools
  • Professional issues in counselling
  • Cultural issues in counselling
  • Specialist counselling skills
  • Counselling laboratory
  • Counselling outcomes and evaluation
  • Research and counselling

Our people

Pursue your topic with us and benefit from exceptional standards of support and supervision from nationally and internationally recognised researchers:

Sarah McRobie, Matt Rankine, Brian RodgersBarbara Staniforth

Past research topics

'Jasrangi Jugalbandi and the Mesosystem: An examination of the multi-dimensional complexities of school counsellor-teacher collaboration' | Supervised by Dr Brian Rodgers and Dr Esther Fitzpatrick

'An appreciative inquiry: The living pedagogies of a team of counsellor educators' | Supervised by Dr Brian Rodgers and Associate Professor Liz Smythe

'Aotearoa New Zealand strengths-based counselling practice framework for social work' | Supervised by Professor Christa Fouché and Dr Barbara Staniforth

Scholarships and awards

There are several scholarships you may be eligible for when you decide to pursue your doctoral studies in Counselling.

Apply for doctoral study