Overview

Curriculum for this module is divided into Research and Counselling Practice.

Counselling Practice: You will complete a supervised placement of 100hrs face-to-face counselling and 50hrs work-based learning. You must also receive the required number of hours of supervision in accordance with your practice. As part of your 50hrs of work-based learning, you will complete training in coaching and mentoring in order to work for 10hrs as a mentor for a first-year counselling student in the second semester. You must also complete 15hrs of personal counselling and assume the role of client for at least two sessions with trainee. To support your counselling practice, you will attend regular PPD groups throughout the semesters and you will need to show active engagement in all of these sessions over the year. In addition, you will attend regular placement review sessions to guide you through your placement and support you in compiling your placement evidence and producing your placement assessments.

Research: You will complete a research project addressing a therapeutic question. This project may be conducted in your research group, but the final dissertation and presentation must be written independently. Your research will consist of an experimental study, systematic review, or systematic case study. To support your research, you will attend regular research workshops and these will provide guidance through the dissertation writing process.

Please note the following indicative content for the 2022-2023 syllabus (subject to change depending on situational factors and assessed student need):

For all ‘PPD; Research Workshop; Research Lab’ sessions, note the following groups: • Grp1: 9-10 PPD, 10-11 Research Workshop, 11-12 Research Lab • Grp2: 9-10 Research Lab, 10-11 PPD, 11-12 Research Workshop • Grp3: 9-10 Research Workshop, 10-11 Research Lab, 11-12 PPD

Semester 1 Wk1 Reconnecting and Course Overview Wk2 Professional Mentoring in Counselling Training Wk3 PPD; Research Workshop – Testing Review; Research Lab Wk4 PPD; Research Workshop – Testing Update; Research Lab Wk5 PPD; Research Workshop – Dissertation Review; Research Lab Wk6 Reading Week Wk7 PPD; Research Workshop – Introduction Review; Research Lab Wk8 PPD; Research Workshop – Draft Introduction; Research Lab Wk9 PPD; Research Workshop – Method Review; Research Lab Wk10 PPD; Research Workshop – Draft Method; Research Lab Wk11 PPD; Research Workshop – Data Review; Research Lab Wk12 Open Office Drop-In on TEAMS Christmas Vacation

Semester 2 Wk1 Reconnect and Course Overview Wk2 Employability Wk3 PPD; Research Workshop – Data Analysis; Research Lab Wk4 PPD; Research Workshop – Results Review; Research Lab Wk5 PPD; Research Workshop – Draft Results; Research Lab Wk6 Reading Week Wk7 PPD; Research Workshop – Discussion Review; Research Lab Wk8 PPD; Research Workshop – Draft Discussion; Research Lab Wk9 PPD; Research Workshop – Dissertation Overview; Research Lab Easter Vacation Wk10 PPD; Research Workshop – Dissertation Final Review; Research Lab Wk11 PPD; Research Workshop – Presentations; Research Lab Wk12 May Day Wk13 No classes Wk14 Research Conference

In addition to the above classes, please note the following: • Weds 9-12 Optional open office course drop-in with Fay Short, Suzy Clarkson, Kevin Deyna-Jones, and Rachel Curtis • Weds 12-1 Optional open office research dissertation drop-in with Fay Short, Suzy Clarkson, and Robert Rogers

Assessment Strategy

The assessment criteria for this module is as follows:

Excellent (A*, A+, A, A-) • Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face counselling, 30hrs of work-based learning, 10-20hrs mentoring, and 15hrs of personal counselling • Insightful empirical research into counselling practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling • Comprehensive knowledge of counselling • Detailed understanding with no factual errors • Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas • Novel and innovative originality in approach, interpretation, and voice • Extensive and comprehensive independent research • Logically defended arguments with evidence for all claims • Highly focused and well structured • Excellent presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Correct format in appropriate referencing style

Good (B+, B, B-) • Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face counselling, 30hrs of work-based learning, 10-20hrs mentoring, and 15hrs of personal counselling • Considered empirical research into counselling practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling • Strong knowledge of counselling • Clear understanding and mostly free of factual errors • Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas • Novel originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice • Comprehensive independent research from appropriate sources • Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims • Focused and well structured • Good presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style

Threshold (C+, C, C-) • Completed placement of 100hrs of supervised face-to-face counselling, 30hrs of work-based learning, 10-20hrs mentoring, and 15hrs of personal counselling • Basic empirical research into counselling practice • Safe reflective practice of counselling • Some knowledge of counselling • Understanding of the main concepts with no major factual errors • Basic analysis showing obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas • Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice for part of the work • Some evidence of independent research from appropriate sources • Arguments presented with evidence for the most important claims • Readable structure showing focus at times • Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression • Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style with no major errors

If you do not meet the threshold then your work will be graded as a Fail. Fail grades vary from Poor (D+, D, D-, E+, E, E-) to Very Poor (F).

Learning Outcomes

• Adopt the role of an effective counsellor, including supervised practice and associated work in a counselling context.

• Critically self-reflect drawing on current research in counselling to develop own therapeutic skills in client work.

• Critically understand and apply a therapeutic philosophy in counselling practice.

• Disseminate the findings of a substantial empirical research project, systematic review, or systematic case study to provide a general audience with applied knowledge.

• Successfully conduct and report a substantial empirical research project, systematic review, or systematic case study using appropriate methodology and informed by current understandings in the discipline.