Structures

School Guidance and Counselling students studying FULL-TIME ONLY (you can also study part-time), please be advised that applications close considerably earlier than all others due to compulsory block units that are held before semester begins. Full-time School Guidance and Counselling students must have their applications for 2013 in by Monday the 12 of November, 2012.

The School Guidance and Counselling study area is recognised by Education Queensland, Catholic Education, and Independent Schools as a Guidance Officer qualification in Queensland schools. There are two options within the School Guidance and Counselling study area. Option A will enable you to be eligible for employment from P-12. Option B is mainly for guidance and counselling in a secondary school as it also meets the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) professional standards. This endorsement has been granted for a five year period until 2014. PLEASE NOTE: This qualification is only recognised by education employing authorities in Queensland.

In the School Guidance and Counselling study area you are required to complete eight (8) School Guidance and Counselling study area core units (96 credit points):

OPTION A: EDN610 Professional Dialogues in Education; SPN610 Advanced Educational Counselling; SPN611 Educational Guidance and Counselling: Professional Practice; SPN612 Psychoeducational Assessment; SPN618 Career Development and Professional Practice; SPN647 Understanding Reading and Writing Difficulties; SPN648 School Guidance and Counselling Practicum; and SPN651 Introductory Educational Counselling.

OPTION B: SPN610 Advanced Educational Counselling; SPN611 Educational Guidance and Counselling: Professional Practice; SPN612 Psychoeducational Assessment; SPN618 Career Development and Professional Practice; SPN620 Career Counselling; SPN648 School Guidance and Counselling Practicum; SPN651 Introductory Educational Counselling; and SPN654 Career Development: Policy and Process Context.

There is a recommended plan for your progression through the course (below) as there are prerequisites and concurrent requisites involved. You will need to take great care when selecting your units. You are permitted to enrol in a minimum of one (1) unit per semester. At the beginning of each year, it is imperative that you enrol in BOTH semester 1 and semester 2.

BLOCK DATES: As part of the School Guidance and Counselling study area, there are a number of units that are held in a one week BLOCK of intensive study at QUT Kelvin Grove Campus. There will also be some further work throughout the remainder of the teaching period. These are usually held BEFORE semester begins. The block dates for School Guidance and Counselling are as follows:

13TP (Similar to semester 1) - SPN651 Introductory Education Counselling: Monday 7 - Friday 11 January, 2013 (It is important to complete this unit in the block BEFORE your first semester of study); SPN612 Psychoeducational Assessment: Monday 14 - Friday 18 January, 2013. These block units are held in the 13TP1 teaching period, and you will be able to enrol earlier than the semester 1 enrolments open (see Key Dates).

SEMESTER 2 - SPN651 Introductory Education Counselling: Monday 24 - Friday 28 June, 2013 (Unless previously completed, it is important to complete this unit in the block BEFORE your first semester of study); SPN610 Advanced Educational Counselling: Monday 24 - Friday 28 June, 2013; and SPN611 Educational Counselling: Professional Practice: Monday 1 - Friday 5 July, 2013. These block units are part of the Semester 2 teaching period.

BLUE CARD: Students in School Guidance and Counselling must have current authorisation to work with children as applicable to the State in which you will be doing practicum and site visits. For Queensland schools, you need either a blue card (if you are not a Queensland registered teacher) or an exemption card (if you are a Queensland registered teacher). This authorisation must be obtained before you can undertake your practicum or field studies units, or you may be withdrawn from the relevant unit and incur both academic and financial penalties. Applications forms can be found at www.student.qut.edu.au/forms under Working with Children (blue card) at the bottom of the page.

PLEASE NOTE: This qualification is only recognised by education employing authorities in Queensland.

ORIENTATION: It is recommended that commencing students attend the Master of Education/Graduate Certificate in Education Orientation held at the Kelvin Grove Campus on the first Saturday after orientation week each semester. Orientation will include sessions explaining the course structure and content; discussions on relevant topics by academics and students; general discussion and question time; meetings with the study area coordinators; and sessions on the Library, QUT Blackboard, and academic writing. Details will be available on the Orientation Planner on your QUT Virtual. After accepting your offer, you will receive information about the event via email. Please make sure that you have linked your QUT email to your personal email so you can immediately receive emails when you become a student. If you have not received any information prior to one week before the event, please contact Temora Brooks: temora.brooks@qut.edu.au.

For information about unit delivery types and course rules, please refer to the Current students tab, find your course, and select the Details tab.

School Guidance and Counselling study area coordinator: ASPRO Marilyn Campbell, ma.campbell@qut.edu.au, (07) 3138 3806, Room A315B.

Administration Officer: Ms Sian Rodgie, educationenq@qut.edu.au, (07) 3138 3947, Room A215.