In partnership with

Foundation Degree Counselling (FdSc)

COURSE HANDBOOK

2011/2012

Herefordshire College of Technologyand the University of Worcester are committed to ensuring that disabled people, including those with specific learning difficulties and/or mental health difficulties, are treated fairly. Reasonable adjustments to provision will be made to ensure that disabled students and other disabled people are not disadvantaged. This handbook can be provided in a variety of formats upon request.

This handbook is for advice and guidance only and is not a substitute for the formal Academic Regulations and Procedures of the University of Worcester and Herefordshire College of Technology. In case of any conflict these formal statements and requirements take precedence over the handbook.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the handbook at the time of publication. The University and Herefordshire College of Technology reserve the right to change the information given at any time.

© 2009 University of Worcester

And

HerefordshireCollege of Technology

I am delighted to welcome you to Herefordshire College of Technology and the University of Worcester and wish you every success as you start this new course.
The Foundation Degree in Counselling Programme is validated by the University of Worcester. This means that, if you successfully complete all parts of the Programme, you will receive a University of Worcester qualification and may, if you wish, attend the graduation ceremony. You will enrol at the Faculty of Community Studies, Herefordshire College of Technology.
You should ensure that you read this handbook in conjunction with the UW Student Handbook, a copy of which you will find via the “My Course Details” tab within your SOLE page.
Ian Peake
Principal, HerefordshireCollege of Technology
Fiona Price
Carol Morgan
Course Tutors Foundation Degree Counselling

July2010.
ContentsPage

Semester dates5

Course philosophy6

Educational aims7

Intended learning outcomes9

Program structure13

Award map14

Management of course18

Course administration & student services19

Work based learning and practice learning20

Personal development22

Resources26

Assessment28

Word limits & submission guidelines30

Requirements for passing modules32

Mitigating circumstance claims33

Cheating34

Semester Dates 2011/2012

Semester One

8th September 2011 – 26th January 2012

Christmas Break: no classes 22nd and 29th December 2011

Learning Week:Wednesday 27th October 2011

Semester Two

Learning Week:Thursday 16th February 2012

Easter Break: no classes 5th & 12th April 2012

This course will take place at the Faculty of Community Studies, Herefordshire College of Technology, on one day per week from 09.00 am to 4.30 pm. over two academic years i.e. 72 weeks. Each academic year is divided into two semesters.

Who’s who in the Faculty of Community Studies teaching team

HCT staff

Name
Fiona Price
Course Leader
/ RoomC115 / Ext380
Carol Morgan
Course Leader
/ RoomC115 / Ext380
Stewart Cooper
Teaching Staff
/ RoomC115 / Ext380

University of Worcester Staff

Matthew Jellis01905 855096

Link Tutor


Programme Information

The table below provides an outline of the arrangements for your course.

Awarding institution/body / University of Worcester
Teaching institution / HerefordshireCollege of Technology
Programme accredited by / N/A
Final award / FdSc
Programme title / Counselling
Pathways available
Mode and/or site of delivery / Taught programme at Herefordshire College of Technology
Mode of attendance / Full-time or part-time
UCAS Code / B941
Subject Benchmark Statement / QAA Foundation Degree Benchmark Statement, 2004, BACP Course Accreditation criteria, Gold Book 2009
Date of Preparation/Revision / July 2009

Course Philosophy and Rationale

Counselling involves the creation of a particular kind of relationship between client and counsellor, within which the client is enabled to discover his or her own resources for resolving problems and moving towards a more insightful, fulfilling way of being.

Counselling can help people:

  • to clarify what is important to them;
  • to reach a resolution of problems;
  • to explore individual feelings, thoughts and meanings and get in touch with inner resources;
  • by offering support, both at times of crisis and during developmental or transitional periods

.

The counselling relationship, by its qualities of respect, understanding and openness, makes possible for the client a new appraisal of self and an opportunity for change and development. Central to counselling is the counsellor’s capacity and willingness to identify and relinquish prejudice and responses which impede the growth of others through the abuse, however subtle, of personal power

Counselling is a fast-growing, dynamic and multi-dimensional area of study and practice which is now moving towards professional regulation. The Foundation Degree in Counselling has been designed to take full account of current discourse and to equip students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to enter the profession. Students who attain the Foundation Degree will be qualified counsellors and able to call themselves professional counsellors.

The Foundation Degree in Counselling is based on a Person-Centred philosophy and approach, which has developed from the work of Carl Rogers and his associates over the past fifty years. The approach is characterised by certain beliefs and attitudes, which distinguish it from both the analytical and behavioural traditions.

The Person-Centred approach forms the core course model. Academic, skills and personal development work reflect this emphasis, encouraging students to develop as reflective practitioners, who seek to offer a therapeutic relationship, which fosters client change and development.

In accordance with Person-Centred philosophy, course teaching staffseek to promote attitudes to learning which are student-centred and based on the fostering of relationships between students and tutors which are mutually respectful.

In line with Person-Centred philosophy, the course seeks to understand the diverse needs of current and prospective students and this is reflected in its policies for accreditation of prior experience and learning.

The course also promotes collaborative relationships with counselling practice providers and counselling/mental health professionals as part of its commitment to promoting high ethical and professional standards.

The course has been informed by the current counsellor professional training course accreditation requirements published by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy in May 2009 and also by the QAA Foundation DegreeQualification Benchmark Statement, 2004. As a new course, the programme is not, as yet, accredited by a counselling professional body, but attainment of the award enables students to proceed to individual accreditation by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. In designing the course as a collaborative arrangement between the University of Worcester and Herefordshire College of Technology, full account has been taken of University of Worcester Quality Standards and Herefordshire College of Technology’s Mission Statement.

Educational aims of the programme

This programme aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to enter the counselling profession and to provide pathways for lifelong learning by offering progression to other qualifications. The Foundation Degree in Counselling is aimed at students who wish to combine study with work and make useful connections between the two. The programme is distinctive in its involvement with employers and counselling professionals. In the near future, it is likely that counsellors will need to be professionally registered and of graduate status. This course will place University of Worcester graduates in a strong position to meet this challenge.

The educational aims of the programme are to:

  1. Facilitate the acquisition and development of specific knowledge, skills and ethical and moral values relevant to the context of counselling in a manner that encourages their critical evaluation.
  2. Provide opportunities for students to develop key skills to prepare for further study and/or employment and lifelong learning.
  3. Promote critical reflection and reflective practice and ongoing personal and professional development.
  4. Enable students to make sound judgements in the delivery of counselling in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework.
  5. Facilitate student development of an analytical and critical approach to problem solving.
  6. Critically engage students in appreciation of the social, cultural, legal, political and moral context of counselling.
  7. Raise awareness of the importance of maintaining knowledge and appreciation of mental health issues, including policies, practice guidelines and requirements for continuing professional development.
  8. Raise awareness of the value and importance of research for counselling practice and facilitate the development of basic research competencies in undertaking a small counselling research project.
  9. Further develop skills and strategies necessary for partnership working with a range of counselling clients, counselling agencies, related services and other professionals.
  10. Provide appropriate learning experiences to ensure the development of a range of transferable skills.
  11. Implement the University of Worcester Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy and Herefordshire College of Technology Mission Statement by providing an academically and vocationally rewarding, personally fulfilling student experience in order to meet the diverse needs of students, employers and society.

Intended learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods

The Foundation Degree in Counselling can be studied full-time over two years or part-time over three or four years. Full-time students study 8 modules or equivalent (120 credits) in each academic year, while part-time students normally study four modules or equivalent a year, but can vary the pace of study to complete more quickly. A module of 15 credits comprises 150 hours of study. The course encompasses the BACP requirements of 504 guided learning hours over the two years of the course, including a minimum of 450 hours of timetabled guided learning time, with 400 of these hours being direct teaching or instruction time. In addition to this, students are required to undertake work-based learning – normally on the basis of two days per week in a relevant work-based environment/placement through the two years of the course. This encompasses the minimum of 50 hours of work-based learning or other duties relating to service provision and a further 150 hours of supervised counselling practice required by BACP.

It is important to remember that in addition to time spent in class or on counselling practice and in work-based learning, this course involves a high degree of self-directed learning. A minimum of an additional four hours per week for each module studied is advised for completion of reflective learning journals, for additional reading and for the marshalling of evidence for portfolios for each module. On top of this, students are actively encouraged to undergo personal therapy or to engage in specific personal development work.

Whilst on counselling practice, there is a further requirement for students to engage fully with the work of the counselling agency with which they are involved. To meet BACP requirements, they need to receive a minimum of 1.5 hours of clinical supervision per month once they are counselling and to attend any business meetings and Continuing Professional Development training offered by the agency. All of this time is to be logged in learning portfolios.

So, in terms of your student experience, the following represents an estimate of the minimum investment of time you need to devote to study each week in order to complete the course:-

7 hours (1 day) per week in college

2 days per week in placement/work-based learning

16 hours per week self-directed study

In addition, students are required to complete 150 hours of counselling practice, 15 hours of supervision and 40 hours of personal therapy or personal development work.

The programme uses a set of learning outcomes shaped by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy’s current Course Accreditation Requirements ( May 2009) and the QAA Foundation Degree Qualification Benchmark Statement (2004). The programme is also cognizant of the learning outcomes of the University of Worcester’s BSc Counselling Psychology and related Psychology programmes of study.

Intended Learning Outcomes – FD in Counselling

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate:-

  1. Knowledge and critical understanding of Person-Centred approaches to counselling as a core theoretical model;
  2. Knowledge and critical understanding of the historical development and key principles of counselling and the way in which counselling has developed as a discipline;
  3. Successful application in the workplace of the range of knowledge and skills learnt throughout the programme;
  4. Ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, and the application of those principles in a work context;
  5. Ability to make informed comparisons between the core theoretical model studied on the course and other theoretical approaches to counselling and ability to critically evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches when working with diverse client issues and populations;
  6. Understanding of the limits of their knowledge and how this influences analyses and interpretations based on that knowledge in the workplace;
  7. Ability to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information and propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis in the field of counselling and when working as a counsellor;
  8. Effective and fluent written, oral and visual communication to convey ideas and research findings to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
  9. Ability to initiate, design, conduct with appropriate supervision, and report on an ethical, empirical research project based on work experience in the field of counselling, recognise its methodological and ethical limits and reflect on how the project’s findings may inform their practice;
  10. Ability to utilise opportunities for independent lifelong learning through self- reflection, the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses, self-directed study and self and task management to meet set objectives and assume responsibility within organisations;
  11. Team working skills through awareness and sensitivity to the contextual and interpersonal features of group work;
  12. Knowledge and understanding of the Law relating to counselling, the principles and values of the BACP Ethical Framework and current Government initiatives relating to mental health, such as the IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies).
  13. Knowledge and understanding of dominant models used in mental health settings and ability to apply these in counselling practice.

This Foundation Degree will utilise a mixed assessment strategy, with the aim of building student confidence and supporting skills of autonomous learning. Presentation, discussion and feedback, audio-visual work, portfolio –building and reflective journal work will complement written academic work, which will include essays, reports and written evaluations

Learning outcomes have been designed to include generic and transferable/key skills as well as skills, knowledge and understanding related specifically to counselling as illustrated below.

Learning outcomes / Module(s) in which these are assessed
Knowledge & critical understanding of Person-Centred approaches to counselling as a core theoretical model (1)
Knowledge & critical understanding of the historical development and key principles of counselling and the way in which counselling has developed as a discipline.(2)
Successful application in the workplace of the range of knowledge & skills learnt throughout the programme (3)
Ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, and the application of those principles in a work context(4)
Ability to make informed comparisons between the core theoretical model studied on the course & other theoretical approaches to counselling & ability to critically evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches when working with diverse client issues & populations (5); Understanding of the limits of their knowledge & how this influences analyses & interpretations based on that knowledge in the workplace (6);
Ability to initiate & undertake critical analysis of information & propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis in the field of counselling & when working as a counsellor (7).
Effective & fluent written, oral & visual communication to convey ideas & research findings to specialist & non-specialist audiences (8).
Ability to initiate, design, conduct with appropriate supervision, and report on an ethical, empirical research project based on work experience in the field of counselling, recognise its methodological & ethical limits & reflect on how the project’s finding may inform their practice (9).
Ability to utilise opportunities for independent lifelong learning through self-reflection, the evaluation of strengths & weaknesses, self-directed study & self and task management to meet set objectives & assume responsibility within organisations (10).
Team working skills through awareness & sensitivity to the contextual & interpersonal features of group work (11).
Knowledge & understanding of the law relating to counselling, the principles & values of the BACP Ethical Framework & current Government initiatives relating to mental health (12).
Knowledge & understanding of dominant models used in mental health settings and ability to apply these to counselling practice (13) /
  • Person-Centred Approaches in Counselling;
  • Comparative Theoretical Approaches;
  • Developing the skills of Person-Centred Counselling & Psychotherapy
  • Social, Political & Cultural Context of Counselling;
  • Introduction to Counselling Ethics & the Law relating to Counselling;
  • Person-Centred Approaches in Counselling;
  • Comparative Theoretical Approaches;
  • Introduction to Counselling Research.
  • Independent Work-Based Learning Modules 1 & 2
  • Introduction to Counselling Research
  • Independent Work-Based Modules 1 & 2
  • Introduction to Counselling Research
  • Counselling Children & Young People
  • Counselling for Loss & Grief
  • Comparative Theoretical Approaches
  • Person-Centred Approaches in Counselling;
  • Social, Political & Cultural context of Counselling;
  • Introduction to Counselling Ethics & the Law relating to Counselling;
  • Human Growth & Development;
  • Counselling Children & Young People;
  • Counselling for Loss & Grief;
  • Independent Work-Based Modules 1 & 2;
  • Introduction to Counselling Research
  • Introduction to Counselling Research;
  • Independent Work-Based Modules 1 & 2;
  • Introduction to Counselling Ethics & the Law relating to Counselling;
  • Social, Political & Cultural context of counselling .
  • Introduction to Counselling Research
All Modules
  • Counselling Ethics and the Law relating to counselling;
  • Social, Political & Cultural context of counselling
  • Counselling Ethics and the Law relating to counselling;
  • Social, Political & Cultural context of counselling;
  • Independent Work-Based Modules 1 & 2
  • Introduction to Counselling Research;
  • Person-Centred Approaches to Counselling;
  • Skills of Person-Centred Counselling

The alignment of learning, teaching and assessment methods to the development and achievement of the learning outcomes is also illustrated in the grid below.