Intro to Counselling Theory & Principles (5549.9)

Please note these are the 2023 details for this unit
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Intro to Counselling Theory & Principles
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Health
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Counselling Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 2 2021 (Prof Pathway Social Work- After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
This unit explores different theoretical approaches, models and definitions of counselling and provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their understandings of counselling interventions and processes for facilitating change in clients. This unit allows students to develop an informed theoretical framework about counselling and to explore their own world view and values.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will demonstrate:
1. An understanding of major theoretical frameworks and models of counselling and the social contexts in which these models were developed;
2. An understanding of counselling change processes and interventions within each major theory;
3. An understanding of counsellor and client roles from the perspective of each major theory;
4. A critical understanding of the ethical issues involved in selecting interventions and facilitating change in counselling; and
5. An understanding of anti-oppressive counselling practice including sensitivity to issues of diversity.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Skills development

Personal Attributes

As a student of the University you will develop the qualities of critical thinking, curiosity and reflective practice.  You will use foresight, initiative and leadership, and be open to alternative perspectives. As graduates, you will continue to learn and thrive in environments of complexity, ambiguity and change.



Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

Basic attending skills (i.e. showing respect, interest and encouraging clients to talk).
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Dr Stephani Stephens
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Mr Tom Eckart
Not available

Required texts

Prescribed Text:

 

Corey, G. (2023). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (11th ed.). Cengage.       

                       

 

Recommended Reading:

McLeod, J. (2019). An introduction to counselling and psychotherapy (6th ed.). McGraw Hill.

 

Supplementary Reading:

Students are encouraged to read the supplementary readings before each class, these can be found in the reading list on Canvas.

Additional Resources

See Canvas for list of Library resources. Students are encouraged to access additional resources for each week in the Canvas modules for the unit.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Assessment items will be submitted online via UCLearn.

Written parts of assignments must be submitted in the required APA 7 format.

Special assessment requirements

All Assignments in this unit are graded. In order to pass this unit, all assignments must be submitted and an overall mark of 50% or more must be reached. 

Moderation

Assessments will be moderated per the faculty moderation procedures.

Responsibility for Understanding

If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the unit convener or tutor.  Further, it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are correctly enrolled in the unit and that the tutor and Student Administration have their correct contact details.

Resubmissions

Resubmission of assessment items will not be available in this unit

An Assignment Extension quiz is available on Canvas. 

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessments are not available in this unit

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

It is intended that learning in this unit will be interactive and practical.  It is presumed therefore that students have made adequate arrangements for attending all teaching-learning sessions. Attendance and participation at weekly tutorials are essential for successful completion of the unit.

If participation requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g. timetable clash), it is recommended that you postpone this unit for a future semester.

Required IT skills

You must be able to word process assessments so that they are well presented, search the library data bases for relevant journal articles and access the UCLearn Web site for this unit. You must be able to use video software for the role-play video recorded assignment. It is the individual student's responsibility to access appropriate help from the university IT services or the library if he or she does not have adequate skills. 

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

APA 7 referencing format is required in this unit. You will find some important information about referencing on the following website:

            http://canberra.libguides.com/content.php?pid=238252&sid=1966106