Course Outline

COU381 Developmental and Family Counselling

Course Coordinator:Shannon Hodges (jhodges1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

You will learn the complexities of working with family groups, exploring family processes and structures, and examine potential issues arising in families. You will discover the applicability of a variety of family counselling models through the various stages of the counselling process. Special populations such as children and adolescents and working with couples will be addressed.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – One hour-long engagement including formative quizzes, podcasts/webinars, screen casts, interviews, simulations, videos and recorded discussions. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial- 2 hours to encourage the application of skills and knowledge introduced in the online learning materials for the week, via class activities. 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Seminar – Online Learning activity facilitated by the tutor 1hr Refer to Format Once Only

Course Topics

Introduction to Family Therapy Frameworks and Family Systems Thinking (Adult themes)

Systemic and Strategic Family Therapy – History and Theories (Adult themes)

Diversity in Family Therapy (Adult themes)

Intergenerational Family Therapy and Indigenous Models (Adult themes)

Experiential Family Therapies (Adult themes)

Solution-Based Therapies (Adult themes)

Cognitive Behavioural Family Therapy (Adult themes)

Collaborative and Narrative Family Therapies (Adult themes)

Putting it altogether in an integrative approach (Adult themes)

Counselling children from a family systems perspective (Adult themes)

Counselling adolescents from a family systems perspective (Adult themes)

Psychoeducation with couples (Adult themes)

Professional and ethical issues in family therapy (Adult themes)

Mature Content

Adult themes

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Demonstrate an understanding of the history, models and principles of family therapy. Knowledgeable
2 Develop an ability to reflect on your own family of origin, its structure and relational dynamic and apply this knowledge in your work with clients. Empowered
Ethical
3 Articulate a critical application of your knowledge and understanding of family dynamics within simulated case scenarios, including specific models such as Bowen, strategic and structural. Knowledgeable
Empowered
4 Demonstrate an awareness of your own values and your belief systems concerning families and relationships and the implications of these beliefs for ethical practice Empowered
Ethical
5 Critically examine your understanding of the diversity within families and subgroups including multiculturalism, gender, age and a variety of family forms in their social context with the aim of increasing health and wellbeing of populations served by counsellors. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
6 Demonstrate a developing scholarly capacity in written submissions, incorporating clarity of written expression, integration of academic literature, and adherence to APA style. Knowledgeable
Engaged

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

(COU180 or SCS180 or SCS280), (COU265 or SCS265) and COU200

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

SCS281 and COU281

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress


            

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Activity Participation Individual 10%
Course duration
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
45 minutes
Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 3 Artefact - Professional Individual 30%
20 minutes
Week 8 Online Submission
All 4 Essay Individual 40%
2,500 words
Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Participation
Goal:
Students will actively participate for a minimum of 80% of their on-campus tutorials. Failure to meet the minimum participation requirements will result in a failed grade for this task.
Product: Activity Participation
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Tutor to assess and record partipation in the LMS each week
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrate professional dispositions through tutorial participation
4
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Quiz
Goal:
Demonstrate an understanding of the history, models and principles of family therapy.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format:
10 multi-choice questions.
5 Short answer questions.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstration of accurate understanding of theory
1
2
Articulate concisely short responses demonstrating understanding of diversity issues.
5
Generic Skills:
Communication
All - Assessment Task 3:Recorded Role Play
Goal:
Demonstrate and apply theory and knowledge to a role play based on a written scenario provided by Course Coordinator.
Product: Artefact - Professional
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Read scenario and plan session and interventions. Practice with student participants in preparation before recording a full length session and choosing a 20 minute segment to submit. The submission should demonstrate the skills required in the assignment instructions.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrate ability to generalise therapeutic microskills, such as attending, reflection of feeling and content, paraphrasing and summarising, to all participants in the session.
1
2
Apply knowledge and understanding of family systems theory to design and execute appropriate interventions.
3
3
Demonstrate awareness of, and appropriate responses to relevant diversity issues.
5
4
Create and maintain a strong and ethical therapeutic alliance with multiple family members in a session.
4 5
5
Demonstrate application of at least one advanced family therapy skill, such as, awareness raising (for example triangulation), facilitating understanding of one member's perspective by another, psycho-education.
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 4:Critical reflective essay
Goal:
Demonstrate understanding of relevant theory and models underpinning your role play interventions. Reflect and evaluate effectiveness of skills and interventions used and suggest improvements. 
Demonstrate and apply understanding of relevant diversity issues.
Product: Essay
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Comprehensive written essay addressing theory, practice, effectiveness, improvements and diversity. Includes relevant literature and correct APA formatting.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Critical reflection demonstrating knowledge and application of theory and practice to role play scenario.
1
2
Critique skills used (both microskills and advanced skills) and evaluate effectiveness. Reflect on the influence of your own family of origin on your ability to emotionally 'hold' and manage the participants and the session.
2 3
3
Demonstrate awareness of, and appropriate responses to relevant diversity issues and social context. Critique your practice and acknowledge any mistakes or missed opportunities to explore diversity. Describe any intended plans for improvement.
5
4
Scholarly writing, application of relevant literature, and correct APA referencing.
6
5
Demonstrate an awareness of your own values and your belief systems concerning families and relationships and the implications of these beliefs for ethical practice.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Irene Goldenberg,Mark Stanton,Herbert Goldenberg 2016 Family Therapy: An Overview 9th Cengage Learning

Specific requirements

Nil

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au