2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

HECS5332M Working as a Professional Counsellor

15 creditsClass Size: 24

If you are applying for a stand-alone Masters level module please note you must meet either the general University entry criteria or the specific module pre-requisite for this level of study.

Module manager: Rachel Casper-White
Email: r.casper@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

Pre-requisite qualifications

Bachelor's degree usually at 2.1 with hons and level 3 certificate in counselling skills or equivalent.
Students for whom English is not their first language must meet the University's entry criteria for English language ibtTOEFL of 92 (21 for listening, 21 for reading, 22 for writing and 23 for speaking)
It is desirable for students to have had experience of working in a helping role prior to application
Students will undergo full DBS check and occupational health review prior to commencing the programme

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module introduces you to the legislative and organisational context of working in mental health services in the UK. This includes data protection and management, confidentiality, safeguarding and practice management. This will include understanding diagnostic systems and critiques. The ethical frameworks of relevant professional bodies will be introduced and assessment and clinical report writing skills will be presented.

Objectives

The objective of this module is to equip students with the skills and knowledge to work as a counsellor in a professional setting in the UK and to have an awareness of local jurisdiction when working internationally.

Learning outcomes
1. Ability to assess clients and write a systematic report that is understandable to a variety of professionals.
2. To critically understand the organisational and legislative context of working within mental health in the UK and when to refer on to specialist services
3. To demonstrate in depth understanding of the conceptual ethical frameworks of relevant professional bodies

Skills outcomes
You will develop the skills required to communicate with other healthcare professionals, clients and their families and develop your ability to work as an independent practitioner in a multidisciplinary healthcare setting

Syllabus

Students will be introduced to topics to prepare them for professional practice in working as a psychotherapeutic counsellor.
1. Preparing for placement and supervision
2. Recording your practice
3. Ethical Frameworks
4. Assessment, contracting and person-centred safety planning.
5. Diagnostic frameworks, outcomes and evaluation in practice
6. Psychopharmacology
7. Working in an organisation: inter-professional/multi-agency considerations
8. Unconscious bias
9. Client experiences of depression, anxiety, loss and endings
10. Practice management for remote and in-person working.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	15	3.00	45.00
Private study hours			105.00
Total Contact hours			45.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Independent study will involve research and reading for structured and experiential teaching activities, assignment preparation and literature searching

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will receive feedback though group discussions and interactions.
Students can submit a plan of their summative assessment for tutor feedback.
All students are offered individual academic supervision.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	1500-word clinical psychotherapeutic counselling report of either a fictional character or client	80.00
Report	FORMATIVE: Essay plan of summative assignment for formative feedback	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		80.00

Compensation between parts will be given, clinical report must pass for students to pass this module

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Unseen exam	1 hr 00 mins	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		20.00

1 hour Unseen exam where students will apply ethical frameworks to vignettes of practice situations Compensation between parts will be given, clinical report must pass for students to pass this module

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 20/06/2023

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