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:
- To become self-directed learners, recognising personal needs, selecting preferred alternatives for themselves;
- 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;
- To have a solid conceptual framework in understanding human diversity and needs;
- To analyse the social dynamics and policies which affect the counselling needs of people;
- To acquire knowledge of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of selected counselling perspectives, and that of narrative therapy in particular;
- To apply the selected counselling theories and practice skills in counselling with people in need and in different work settings; and
- 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 three specialisations, namely youth counselling, mental health counselling and generic 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 and Elective Courses | 12 units |
III) | Practicum | 6 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 and Elective Courses | 12 units |
Choose one of three specialisations: | ||
Youth Counselling Specialisation (YC Specialisation) | ||
Required Specialisation Courses | ||
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 | |
and | ||
one Counselling Elective Course | 3 units | |
Mental Health Counselling Specialisation (MHC Specialisation) | ||
Required Specialisation Courses | ||
SOWK7120 Child and Adolescent Mental Health | 3 units | |
SOWK7510 Cognitive-behavioral Therapy | 3 units | |
SOWK7790 Mental Health Counselling with Older People | 3 units | |
and | ||
one Counselling Elective Course | 3 units | |
Generic Counselling Specialisation (GC Specialisation) | ||
Any four Counselling Elective Courses | 12 units | |
Counselling Elective Courses | ||
SOWK7110 Mental Health, Mental Disorder and Social Work | 3 units | |
SOWK7120 Child and Adolescent Mental Health (for Youth Counselling Specialisation only) | 3 units | |
SOWK7170 Youth at the Margins: Theory and Practice | 3 units | |
SOWK7430 Narrative Approach to Counselling (for Mental Health Counselling Specialisation only) | 3 units | |
SOWK7440 Narrative Practice with Specific Youth Groups | 3 units | |
SOWK7470 Counselling Project | 3 units | |
SOWK7500 Family Therapy | 3 units | |
SOWK7510 Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (for Youth Counselling Specialisation only) | 3 units | |
SOWK7790 Mental Health Counselling with Older People | 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 | |
III. | Practicum | 6 units |
30 units |