Faculty of Social Sciences

Master of Social Sciences in Counselling

Programme Director: Dr Daniel K W YOUNG

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, analyzing 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.	become self-directed learners, recognizing personal needs, selecting preferred alternatives for themselves;
2.	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.	have a solid conceptual framework in understanding human diversity and needs;
4.	analyse the social dynamics and policies which affect the counselling needs of people;
5.	acquire knowledge of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of selected counselling perspectives, and that of narrative therapy in particular;
6.	apply the selected counselling theories and practice skills in counselling with people in need and in different work settings;
7.	be “research literate” – and be able to criticize, 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 specializations, namely youth counselling and mental health counselling, and students are required to choose one specialization only. Also, students are required to complete 80 counselling hours during practicum.

The structure of the curriculum is as follows:

I)	Core Counselling Courses	12 units
II)	Counselling Specialization Courses	9 units
III)	Practicum	6 units
IV)	Counselling Elective Courses	3 units
		───────
		30 units

Requirements

I.	Core Counselling Courses			12 units
	SOWK	7040	Research & Programme Evaluation	3 units
	SOWK	7410	Human Diversity & Cultural Differences	3 units
	SOWK	7420	Theories in Counselling & Therapy	3 units
	SOWK	7450	Processes & Issues in Counselling	3 units

II.	Counselling Specialization Courses			9 units
	(choose one of two specializations)
	Youth Counselling Specialization (YC Specialization)
	SOWK	7170	Youth at the Margins: Theory & Practice	3 units
	SOWK	7430	Narrative Approach to Counselling	3 units
	SOWK	7440	Narrative Practice with Specific Youth Groups	3 units
	OR
	Mental Health Counselling Specialization (MHC Specialization)
	SOWK	7120	Child & Adolescent Mental Health	3 units
	SOWK	7510	Cognitive-behavioral Therapy	3 units
	SOWK	7790	Mental Health Counselling with Older People	3 units

III.	Practicum			6 units

IV.	Counselling Elective Courses			3 units
	(choose one of these courses)
	SOWK	7430	Narrative Approach to Counselling (for Mental Health Counselling Specialization only)	3 units
	SOWK	7470	Counselling Project	3 units
	SOWK	7500	Family Therapy	3 units
	SOWK	7510	Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (for Youth Counselling Specialization only)	3 units
				──────
				30 units