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Course Outline

COU704 Internship 2

Course Coordinator:Kelly Thomson (kthomson1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 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

This course provides you the second opportunity to apply a holistic integrated approach to counselling within an organisational counselling context. You will continue your integration and development of advanced counselling skills, theories and knowledge, applying them under supervision in an ethical and professional manner. You will engage in experiential learning, that is, first-hand experience about what it means to practice in the field of Counselling.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Placement – Mandatory placement orientation workshop prior to week 1 of semester; Industry Internship: minimum 2 days per week. You must complete 200 hours of internship in a human services organisation, with a minimum of 40 hours of direct client contact. Plus, attendance at individual and small group clinical supervision sessions face to face on campus. 200hrs Week 1 Once Only

Course Topics

Industry placement: Students will complete 200 hours of placement within a host organisation. This is generally completed on a 2 days per week basis for a minimum of 12 weeks throughout the semester.

Students engage in clinical supervision sessions throughout the course of internship.

 

Mature Content

Drug Use, Violence, Coarse Language, Adult themes

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

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 Develop, articulate, assess and evaluate learning goals in a professional practice setting using counselling theory, skills, knowledge and values. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2 Continue to demonstrate critical and creative self-reflection on your own practice, values and beliefs and evaluation of clinical counselling practice and your understanding of ethical responsibilities Knowledgeable
Ethical
3 Understand the relevance and importance of ongoing supervision and professional development within counselling practice. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Ethical
4 Demonstrate relevant skills of assessment and intervention with a particular client group and apply creativity and initiative in in the application of this knowledge to other client groups. Be familiar with the organization, daily functioning, ethical concerns and demands and cultural diversity of a counselling practice. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Engaged
5 Articulate advanced understanding and integration of counselling theory and skills in an agency setting, positive, respectful working relationships with clients, colleagues and community members, valuing of others with an understanding of and sensitivity towards cultural diversity, gender and disability, in a group supervision setting. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Ethical
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

COU702 and COU703

Co-requisites

COU705

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Limited Grading (PNP)

Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are required to be passed for successful completion of the course.

Details of early feedback on progress

Students will receive feedback on their Learning Agreements in weeks 6-8 of internship via the liaison officer visit. Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Assessment feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1a Placement performance Individual 
See SONIA for your discipline specific Code of Conduct. See CANVAS for ACA and PACFA
Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics.
 Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) SONIA
All 1b Written Piece Individual 
Submit your MID (week 6-8) Learning Agreement via SONIA. Submit your FINAL (week 12-16)
Learning Agreement via SONIA.
 Refer to Format Online Submission
All 2 Oral and Written Piece Individual 
15 minutes.
 Refer to Format Online Submission
All 3 Written Piece Individual 
Internship Hours documented on SONIA plus 1 x 500 word essay and 1 x 1000 word reflective
essay.
 Refer to Format Online Submission
All 4 Report Individual 
As per Manual template
 Week 13 Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1a:Code of Conduct
Goal: 
This task enables you to become familiar with the Counselling WIL Code of Conduct and the counselling discipline Governing bodies ACA and PACFA Codes of Practice and Ethics.
Product: Placement performance
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
During your WIL internship you are required to complete 200 hours of work experience. To be eligible to pass, you are required to complete the internship satisfactorily according to the Code of Ethics set out by ACA and PACFA and WIL Code of Conduct. These codes must be upheld throughout the duration of internship.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Behaviour that is in accordance with the Counselling WIL Code of Conduct;
 2 5
2 
Behaviour that is in accord with the ACA and PACFA codes of ethics;
 2 5
3 
Adherence to the Counselling WIL Code of Conduct and the Student Internship/ Placement Agreement;
 2 5
4 
Completion of the required 200 hours
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 1b:Learning Agreement
Goal: 
You will develop, articulate, assess and evaluate learning goals in a professional practice setting using counselling theory, skills, knowledge and values.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Mid Placement Learning Agreement (submission week 6-8): Identify all options for learning in consultation with your agency supervisor and clinical supervisor. The learning agreement will clearly outline your learning goals and tasks.
Final Placement Learning Agreement (submission week 12-16): Review and articulate examples of how learning goals and outcomes have been achieved in the proposed outcomes sections in the Learning Agreement.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrated linkage between appropriate counselling theory and knowledge with your tasks while on internship.
 1
2 
Articulation of specific learning objectives including counselling theory, theory for practice, skills development and organisational / agency analysis.
 1
3 
Demonstration of a collaborative approach with your Agency Supervisor and Clinical Supervisor regarding the development of the learning agreement.
 5
4 
Articulation of evidence required to demonstrate achievements.
 2 3 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Oral Case Presentation & Written Case Summary
Goal: 
Demonstration of competency in the use of advanced counselling skills and theory integration, through oral presentation of a case.
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
You will present a 15 minute case presentation and a 500-word case summary. This will occur within your scheduled clinical supervision sessions, as agreed with your supervisor.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Clarity and ability to summarise the case.
 2 4
2 
Ability to summarise interventions used.
 4
3 
Ability to discuss the development of your own learning through the case.
 2 3 4
4 
Ability to identify strengths and challenges in your approach to working with this client.
 2 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Internship Placement hour logs plus 2 x essay
Goal: 
You will complete and document a minimum of 200 hours of internship, including a minimum of 40 hours of direct client contact, and clinical supervision hours.
Submission of 2 x written essays.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Activity logs detailing completed agency, direct client and supervision hours will be entered via SONIA for approval by agency contact and allocated clinical supervisor.
You will also complete:
1 x 500 word essay (Submission week 8) -How you further developed your personal and professional counselling framework during placement and how implementation fit within the client and agency context.
1 x 1000 word reflective essay (Submission week 12)-Your personal experience of internship, highlighting an ethical dilemma you experienced and how you responded using an Ethical Decision Making Model and other legislation, policies and considerations you drew on.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Completion of 200 hours of internship professional clinical practice, including a minimum of 40 hours of direct client contact
 4 5
2 
Completion of all internship documentation and supervision logs
 1 3
3 
Reflection of counselling theory and frameworks within context of internship agency.
 2 5
4 
Demonstrate self reflection of your counselling skills and knowledge development throughout internship, articulating strengths and learning edges.
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 4:Internship Assessment Report
Goal: 
To successfully complete the Internship by demonstrating a professional understanding and application of counselling theories, skills, knowledge, and values.
Product: Report
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
The Internship Assessment Report is to be completed by the Agency Supervisor in collaboration with the student for each respective internship site and respective semester period. The student and Agency Supervisor will complete a C = Competent; NYC=Not Yet Competent scale.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrated capacity to draw from counselling theory;
 4 5
2 
Demonstrated understanding of, and capacity to work within, the organisational context;
 5
3 
Working collaboratively with Agency/Clinical Supervisor, organisational team members and the counselling Field Education Officer.
 3 5
4 
Demonstrated counselling clinical practice skills
 2 4 5
5 
Professional practice, work management and administration skills
 1 5
6 
Evidence Counselling Values in client engagement;
 2 4 5
7 
Actively participate in reflective practice
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation

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
Recommended H. Frederick Sweitzer,Mary A. King 2013 The Successful Internship 4th Edition Cengage Learning

Specific requirements

Mandatory checks include possession of a Blue card. Some agencies require students to have a current police check, NDIS worker screening and Covid vaccination status. 
Please liaise directly with your Course coordinator at the preplacement interview.

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

This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Academic Policy.

In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.

Assessment: Submission penalties

You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.

Refer to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Procedures.

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
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