Course Title: Counselling and Assessment

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Counselling and Assessment

Credit Points: 24

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
HWSS2126	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Distance / Correspondence	Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008

Course Coordinator: Mr Michael Hastings

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7847

Course Coordinator Email:michael.hastings@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 220.4.01

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This course provides an understanding of the counselling process and the ethical considerations in counselling and assessment. Using a Narrative approach to counselling in careers, the course enables participants to develop generic counselling skills and the ability to effectively integrate vocational tests and inventories in counselling.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

The capabilities they can expect to develop, include:

 Recognising ethical considerations in counselling and assessment and operating accordingly
 Applying tests and inventories appropriately and ethically
 Understanding the application of vocational tests and inventories in recruitment, selection and development
 Integrating online and computer generated guidance in counselling
 Defining a counselling relationship and understanding constructs such as empathy, referral etc
 Developing generic counselling skills
 Understanding counselling theories
 Understanding and applying a Narrative approach to counselling in careers

As above

Overview of Learning Activities

The course study guide contains a number of different tasks that students complete as part of their learning in the course. For example, activities and self-tests are short exercises that are designed to check students understanding of the material that has been presented. Some activities also form the basis of written assignments.

As part of this course all students are required to attend a three-day Counselling Skills Workshop that is normally held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday in April or May. The Counselling Skills Workshop involves practical counselling skills training. Participants are not required to stay-in. People from inter-state or overseas usually stay with friends or relatives if they have them in Melbourne (NB., we also provide accommodation suggestions near the campus in a range of prices), while local people travel to and from home each day. An alternative to attendance at the Counselling Skills Workshop may be negotiated under special circumstances.

Overview of Learning Resources

Student study packs in CD format include (a) an introductory guide, which provides an overview of the course and contains information on assessment and general course administration, (b) a study guide, which contains the course content, and (c) a resource book, which contains a range of support material for the study guide. Students are also encouraged to communicate with each other via online discussion board. Print-based study packs will be provided in exceptional circumstances.

Overview of Assessment

There are four assignments associated with this course, which in total are equivalent to a 7,000-9,000 word essay. Two of the assignments in this course involve the production of audio or videotape of a counselling session undertaken by the student with an appropriate client. Assignment due dates are negotiated by students (i.e., within guidelines) based on their course commencement date.