Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Understanding counselling research methods is an integral skill for a professional counsellor. Building on broad aspects of counselling research that have been introduced in PYN000 and PYN001, this unit will provide you with the skills to critically evaluate research articles and to understand key approaches to the design of counselling research and the evaluation of outcomes.

Aims

The aim is to prepare you for your counselling practicum and associated research project in the QUT Psychology and Counselling Clinic in the final year of the Master of Counselling.

Objectives

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the research process and the ethical application of different methodologies to counselling research


2. Demonstrate the skills required to critically evaluate appropriate methods of data collection and analysis for specific counselling issues, situations and contexts.


3. Integrate the above to produce a critical evaluation of a counselling research article


4. Synthesize your understanding of research methods and the application of different methodologies by producing a literature review and proposal for the enhancement of counselling practice.

Content

• Approaches to counselling research


• Ethics in counselling research


• Types of data in counselling research


• Evidence based practice and practice based evidence


• Evaluating counselling research


• Outcome research

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The subject material will be presented through a mixture of didactic and small group discussion approaches involving structured learning tasks.

Assessment

~You will receive continual formative feedback via class discussion in small group activities and structured exercises. Summative feedback will occur through the two formal assessment items.

Assessment name: Essay - Critique
Description: You will be given 5 papers to choose from and you will write a critical evaluation of the counselling research presented on any 2 of the five papers (1000 words each).
Relates to objectives: 1, 3 & 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid-semester

Assessment name: Essay - Literature Review
Description: You will write a literature review for a research proposal focusing on the enhancement of a specific area of counselling practice.
Relates to objectives: 2 & 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Heppner, P. P., Wampold, B. E., & Kivlighan, D. M., Jr. (2008). Research Design in Counseling (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole.

Texts and references are subject to change. There is no set text for this subject. Recommended texts and reading will be confirmed at the start of semester.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 17-May-2012