Program Objectives
This course provides a comprehensive range of training in core and functional areas of counselling, with emphasis on both knowledge acquisition and practice, and its applicability in the Singapore context. At the postgraduate diploma level, students further extends their counselling training in the field of school counselling. On completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to provide counselling for a broad area of social services and in schools.
Entry Requirements
Motivated mature individuals who intend to enter a broad spectrum of social services, or current employees in organizations who want to develop human relationship skills. Candidates who have a diploma in counselling or social work can progress to the advanced level and those with a degree in counselling or social work can proceed to the postgraduate diploma in school counselling. Students who have a non-related degree interested in the Post Graduate course can decide to start at the Dip level and proceed to the Adv Dip and then the Post Grad Dip. Alternatively, they can join our Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Communication and then the Post Grad Dip in School Counselling
Education pathways
Students progress from diploma to postgraduate diploma upon completion of each level. Students who complete the advanced diploma can proceed to the Postgraduate Diploma in School Counselling or apply for our other programs-BSc Counselling Psychology or BA Social Sciences (Counselling) or BA Counselling & Management.
Assessments
By assignments, individual and group projects, and fieldwork.
Postgraduate Diploma in School Counselling
Month 1 & 2 Working with Children and Adolescent
Month 3 Understanding Youth Culture
Month 4 Group Counselling
Month 5 Gender and Sexuality
Month 6 Life Span Development
Month 7 & 8 Neuro Linguistics Programming
Months 9 & 10 Counselling in Schools
Months 11 & 12 Counsellor as a Consultant in Schools
Month 13 Psychological Tests and Assessments in Counselling
Month 14 Research in School Counselling
Month 15 & 16 National Standards for School Counselling Programs
Fieldwork 2 (120 hours)
Postgraduate Diploma in School Counselling (16 months)
Working with Children
The student develops a framework for understanding the concepts, theories and issues involved in working with children. The student is encouraged to understand the world of the child from a variety of theoretical and developmental perspectives and to develop strategies and techniques that will enhance communication and counselling skills in dealing with children.
Working with Adolescents
Students study the concepts, theories and issues that are an essential part of understanding adolescent development. A major feature of this module is to help develop in the student a familiarity with the major theories on adolescent development, to understand adolescent issues and needs from a psychological and sociological perspective, and to learn strategies that enhance communication and counselling skills in dealing with adolescents.
Understanding Youth Culture
There is the need to understand the youths of today in Singapore in terms of their likes and dislikes, their lifestyle, and their own particular culture. The awareness and understanding of the uniqueness of youths allows counsellors to appropriately counsel them.
Group Counselling
Students investigate group dynamics processes related to counselling theory and participate in group counselling demonstrations. Group counselling will be clearly differentiated from group guidance. Potential uses of group counselling in schools and methods of organizing group counselling sessions are addressed. Students will arrange a visit to a school to observe and participate in an actual group counselling session at the level for which they are seeking certification.
Gender and Sexuality
Increase awareness of gender and sexuality within the counselling interaction and their impact on the counsellor / client relationship. This module explores current issues in gender and sexuality and provides opportunities to critique theory and practice in contemporary thinking emerging from these fields.
Life Span Development
This is a study of the psychological development of the individual from conception through adulthood, examining the processes of change and the influences affecting the developing person including motor, language, social and intellectual skills across the lifespan.
Neuro-Linguistics Programming
This module consists of 8 sessions where students learn to identify the components of the Meta Model - developing an understanding of and proficiency with the relationship between language and behaviour using linguistic principles. Also, students develop the ability to appreciate other people's maps of reality and to gain the behavioural flexibility to respond appropriately to different people in ways that honours the individual.
Counselling in Schools
This module provides individuals who are training or working in schools or setting-up school counselling units be familiar with the wide range of issues such as developmental group guidance, career guidance and career counselling, group dynamics and group counselling, individual counselling, and intervention strategies in working with children, youth and parents. There are also opportunities to learn about the development and management of guidance and counselling services in schools and how to conduct school-based research in guidance and counselling to enhance practice.
Counsellor as a Consultant in Schools
This module provides knowledge and skills in making consultations effective in the school environment. Consultation gives school counsellors numerous advantages over individual or small group counselling. Chief among them is the far greater amount of children and adolescents one counsellor can reach; by creating a more responsive school environment-consisting of teachers, parents, and others who can make decisions that children cannot-the counsellor can positively affect all students who pass through that environment.
Psychological Tests and Assessments in Counselling
This module is designed to prepare future counsellors to analyze and understand the scope and purposes of testing programs and the process of test administration. Students will explore commonly used assessment instruments that assess learner aptitude, achievement, interest, intelligence, content areas, and traits like self-esteem, values, and modalities to help in the decision making process.
Research in School Counselling
Students will learn how to gather information through research such as use of a questionnaire, survey, and/or follow-up studies. The student will describe the methods for analyzing the data and reporting the results.
The ASCA Standards for School Counselling Programs
Students learn the ASCA's (America School Counsellor Association) Model which reflects a comprehensive approach to program foundation, delivery, management and accountability for school counselling programs in the USA. The model provides the mechanism with which school counsellors and school counselling teams will design, coordinate, implement, manage and evaluate their programs for students' success. It provides a framework for the program components, the school counsellor's role in implementation and the underlying philosophies of leadership, advocacy and systemic change. When implementing a National Model-based program, school counsellors switch their emphasis from service-centered for some of the students to program-centered for every student. It not only answers the question, "What do school counsellors do?" but requires school counsellors to respond to the question, "How are students different as a result of what we do?
All enquiries to:
Allianz Associates (S) Pte Ltd
Local e-mail: training@allianzassoc.com
Allianz website: www.allianzassoc.com
