• Program summary
• Program overview
• Career opportunities
• Special features
• Advanced standing, recognition of prior learning, credit and articulation
• Program structure
• Program requirements and notes 
• Enquiries
• Recommended enrolment patterns

Program summary

QTAC code: 011161
OP/Rank for 2008 entry: OP-18 / Rank-62
Award abbreviation: BSocSc(Couns)
Degree type: undergraduate
Mode of study: on campus
Duration: 3 years full-time or equivalent part-time
Fee type: Commonwealth supported places, domestic fee-paying places, international fee-paying places
Total units: 288
Recommended prior study: English
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
CRICOS code: 057240B

New students: selecting courses for 2008

Program overview

The Bachelor of Social Science (Counselling) equips you with the knowledge and skills required of professionals working within the counselling field. While providing foundational knowledge and skills in counselling, the program is suitable for school leavers, as well as mature-aged students with previous education or experience in the human services field, who wish to focus their learning on obtaining these skills.

Presenting a contemporary orientation to counselling based on foundational knowledge of ethical and professional conduct, this program introduces you to a range of counselling theories and approaches, including specialist areas such as trauma, crisis and bereavement counselling. Understandings of individual, family and community behaviour are provided through specialist fields of gender and Indigenous issues, health, disability and cultural diversity. The program includes two counselling placements in the final year of study.

The Bachelor of Social Science (Counselling) program meets the training requirements of both the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Queensland Counsellors Association (QCA), of which both students and graduates are able to apply for membership. The program is also accredited with the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers.

Career opportunities

The skills and knowledge acquired in the Bachelor of Social Science (Counselling) will enable graduates to pursue careers in areas employing counsellors, such as:

• aged services
• counselling (families, individuals and groups)
• disability services
• welfare work
• youth work

Students wishing to work in support roles other than intensive counselling, should consider the Bachelor of Human Services, which prepares students for working with individuals and groups, or the Bachelor of Social Science (Community Work), which prepares students for working more broadly in the community field.

Special features

• well-suited to professionals who wish to upgrade their knowledge and skills in the counselling arena
• meets the training requirements of both the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Queensland Counsellors Association (QCA)
• accredited with the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers
• one of only a few undergraduate programs in the counselling area in Australia

Program structure

Core courses

Select 2 courses from:
COR109 Communication and Thought
COR110 Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship
COR111 Environment, Technology and Sustainability

Introductory courses

Advanced courses

9 required courses:
SCS263 Counselling Placement 1 (24 units)
SCS264 Counselling Placement 2 (24 units)
SCS265 Counselling Theory and Practice
SCS266 Trauma, Bereavement and Crisis Counselling
SCS276 Groupwork
SCS278 Ethics and Professional Practice
SCS281 Developmental and Family Counselling
SCS285 Health, Society and Culture
Plus select 1 course from:
SCS210 Indigenous Australia and the State
SCS290 Understanding Cultural Diversity

Electives

Select 6 elective courses from any faculty (Arts and Social Sciences, Business or Science, Health and Education). Please note: it is strongly recommended that students choose at least 2 of the following as electives:

SCS210 Indigenous Australia and the State
SCS286 Disability: Culture, Community and Change
SCS290 Understanding Cultural Diversity
SCS295 Gender and Culture

Course substitution: the GO (Global Opportunities) Program

As part of your USC program, you may apply to participate in the GO Program to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider

Program requirements and notes

1. No more than 10 introductory level courses are to be completed, including core courses.
2. Required introductory courses may count towards a major or minor.
3. No course may be counted towards more than one major or minor.
4. If you wish to take the Child Protective Practices Minor * you must take the following electives: SCS172 Social Work and Human Service Practice, SCS277 Working with Families, SWK303 Complexity and Social Work: Policy and practice.
5. Electives may be used to complete an additional major or minor to supplement the required major.
6. An introductory level course has a number less than 200 in its course code. An advanced level course has a number greater than 200 and less than 400 in its course code.
7. Refer to the Academic Rules.
8. Refer to explanation of terms.
9. Refer to recommended enrolment patterns.

Requirements for field education

In order to complete this program, you need to successfully complete field education (ie SCS263 Counselling Placement 1 and SCS264 Counselling Placement 2) for which you are required to obtain a Blue Card (issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian).

Your enrolment in field education will be conditional upon the following:

• your eligibility for a Blue Card at the time of the first enrolment in the program
• maintenance of that eligibility throughout the entire of the program
• acquisition of a Blue Card prior to commencement of field education.

In the event that you become ineligible for a Blue Card, at any time between the date of first enrolment and the date of completion of the program, you will not be able to complete the degree.

Please note, while all endeavours will be made to place students in a given semester, this is not guaranteed and students may need to enrol at a later time should a position in an agency be unavailable in the preferred semester.

Field education includes professional or clinical placements. You may be required to undertake these placements away from the campus at your own expense.

Enquiries 

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259

* Subject to final approval

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