Course Outline

COU381 Developmental and Family Counselling

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

2024Semester 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 usc.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 13 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 13 times

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)

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. 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

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 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
45 minutes
Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Practical / Laboratory Skills Individual 40%
20 minutes
Week 8 Online Submission
All 3 Essay Individual 40%
2,500 words
Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Quiz
Goal:
Demonstrate an understanding of the history, models and principles of family therapy.
Product: Quiz/zes
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
All - Assessment Task 2:Recorded Role Play
Goal:
Demonstrate and apply theory and knowledge to a role play based on a written scenario provided by Course Coordinator.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills
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
All - Assessment Task 3: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
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

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

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

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

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

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