Master of Social Sciences in Counselling

Programme Director: Dr PAN, Jiayan

The Master of Social Sciences in Counselling, delivered in one-year full-time mode or two-year part-time mode, is a taught postgraduate programme deliberately designed for those working in education, social services, health services, religious services, personnel management, and others who are interested in counselling and working with people. The programme aims to develop students’ knowledge in understanding, analysing and researching the changing needs of people and the social cultural contexts within which these individuals develop; and to equip students with selected counselling theories and practice skills, with narrative therapy in particular. Upon completion of the programme, students are expected to be able to:

  1. To become self-directed learners, recognising personal needs, selecting preferred alternatives for themselves;
  2. To become reflexive professionals in counselling, who are able to assess changing social needs, challenge the dominant discourse that is oppressing and disempowering people, particularly the powerless people;
  3. To have a solid conceptual framework in understanding human diversity and needs;
  4. To analyse the social dynamics and policies which affect the counselling needs of people;
  5. To acquire knowledge of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of selected counselling perspectives, and that of narrative therapy in particular;
  6. To apply the selected counselling theories and practice skills in counselling with people in need and in different work settings; and
  7. To be “research literate”—and be able to criticise, use and promote research relevant to advancing students’ counselling capacity and professional sensitivity.

The 30-unit programme is designed to be completed in one year by full-time study or two years by part-time study. Only under exceptional circumstances may students seek extension of the period of study. This programme consists of two specialisations, namely youth counselling and mental health counselling, and students are required to choose one specialisation only. Also, students are required to complete 80 counselling hours during practicum.

The structure of the curriculum is as follows:

I) Required Counselling Courses 12 units
II) Counselling Specialisation Courses 9 units
III) Practicum 6 units
IV) Counselling Elective Courses 3 units
    30 units

Requirements

I. Required Counselling Courses 12 units
  SOWK7040 Research and Programme Evaluation 3 units
  SOWK7410 Human Diversity and Cultural Differences 3 units
  SOWK7420 Theories in Counselling and Therapy 3 units
  SOWK7450 Processes and Issues in Counselling 3 units
     
II. Counselling Specialisation Courses 9 units
  Choose one of two specialisations: 
  Youth Counselling Specialisation (YC Specialisation)  
  SOWK7170 Youth at the Margins: Theory and Practice 3 units
  SOWK7430 Narrative Approach to Counselling 3 units
  SOWK7440 Narrative Practice with Specific Youth Groups 3 units
     
  Mental Health Counselling Specialisation (MHC Specialisation)  
  SOWK7120 Child and Adolescent Mental Health 3 units
  SOWK7510 Cognitive-behavioral Therapy 3 units
  SOWK7790 Mental Health Counselling with Older People 3 units
     
III. Practicum 6 units
     
IV. Counselling Elective Courses 3 units
  Choose one of these courses: 
  SOWK7110 Mental Health, Mental Disorder and Social Work 3 units
  SOWK7120 Child and Adolescent Mental Health (for Youth Counselling Specialisation only) 3 units
  SOWK7430 Narrative Approach to Counselling (for Mental Health Counselling Specialisation only) 3 units
  SOWK7470 Counselling Project 3 units
  SOWK7500 Family Therapy 3 units
  SOWK7510 Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (for Youth Counselling Specialisation only) 3 units
  SOWK7840 Data Methodology in Social Sciences Research 3 units
  SOWK7890 Career Facilitation and Counselling 3 units
  SOWK7900 Creativity, Wellbeing and Art Therapy 3 units
  SOWK7910 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Skills Workshop 3 units 
    30 units
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