Bachelor of Science Honours (BSc Hons) Degree in Counselling
Preamble
- These regulations should be read in conjunction with the Faculty Regulations and General Academic Regulations for Undergraduate Degree Programmes, which have precedence over Departmental Regulations.
- The student who has started a programme following one set of regulations will not be affected by regulations adopted subsequently unless agreed to in writing by the student.
- The Senate has the authority to exempt a student from any of these regulations.
General Description of the Programme
The programme is an applied field of psychology field which gives students an overview of basic counselling theories and skills. The programme will enable students to help individuals who have failed to find meaning in their lives. Counselling focuses on the ‘worried well’ rather than the psychotic individual. Counselling bridges the gap in trying to understand the complex forces, beliefs and motivations that underlie their maladaptive behavior. The core modules to be covered include foundations to counselling, an overview of counselling skills, family therapy and other applied counselling modules. The programme also incorporates a number of psychology modules such as introduction to psychology, social psychology, psychological assessment, personality theories and developmental psychology.
Rationale
The Bachelor of Science honours degree in Counselling is based on the relevance of applied psychology knowledge systems to local settings in an increasingly complex world. Aspiring professionals in this field must have a thorough understanding of human development within the Zimbabwean context and wish to possess the necessary skills to offer a range of basic interventions aimed at enhancing, utilizing and developing indigenous African knowledge systems. Counselling is that branch of psychology which deals with the application of therapeutic counselling skills on everyday issues affecting the psyche of humankind. The goal of psychological counselling is to find the meaning in the broken aspects of peoples’ lives. As our world becomes complex, individuals easily reach breaking point and fail to think, feel and behave in ways consistent with independent personhood. Undergraduates will be given skills that enable them to become relevant to work within multicultural systems, while at the same time understanding social processes and systems that underlie specific culture bound behavior. The programme provides undergraduates with the strongest possible innovative professional base from which to start or continue making psychological counselling practice a relevant profession in the Zimbabwean context.
Objectives
- To provide psychological counselling training to students in order for them to gain expertise to help individuals, groups couples and families experiencing difficulties connected with relationships education, careers, work, parenting, crises and life transitions.
- To comprehensively address the evidence base for psychological counselling, specific models, specific interventions, and the therapeutic relationship.
- To teach students to respond empathically to clients predicaments and to develop intervention plans in collaboration with them.
- To train students on how to establish and maintain a strong therapeutic alliance and how to manage the ruptures that can occur in that relationship.
- To expose students to areas of applied psychology through field experiences and supervision thus providing them with opportunities to practice prerequisite skills and competencies.
Career Prospects
- Social Welfare Officer
- School Counsellors
- Counseling Research and evaluation
- Community Counsellor
- University Counsellor
Consultations
Midlands State University- Department of Psychology
Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe
University of Venda
Entry Requirements
Normal Entry
• At least five (5) ‘O’ level passes with Grade C or better including English Language.
• A minimum of two (2) ‘A’ Level passes.
Special Entry
A candidate who does not meet normal entry requirements may subject to the approval of the Senate be admitted to a programme on special grounds, such as those with diplomas in counseling or any other relevant areas from recognised institutions.
Mature Entry
Shall be obtained by applicants who have five (5) ‘O’ levels including English Language and have a demonstrable work experience during the last five years before the academic year in which admission is sought, and aged 25 years and above. They may be required to attend an interview to assess their suitability for University education.
Structure of the Programme
Duration
The normal duration of the BSc Honours Degree in Counselling shall be four (4) years.
Degree Structure
- The Degree follows a 1.1.1.1 structure.
- Each student will be required to take a minimum of forty-two (42) modules in accordance with the following breakdown:
- At part one a student shall register for a minimum of fourteen (14) modules.
- At part two a student shall register for a minimum of twelve (12) modules.
- At part three a student shall register for two (2) double modules and is required to spend a minimum of 10 months on work related learning experience.
- At Part four a student shall register for a minimum of twelve (12) modules
- A module shall be taught in at least thirty-six (36) contact hours a semester.
- Not all optional modules may be on offer at any one given time.
- New modules may be added from time to time.
Part I Semester I
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP106 Foundations to Psychological Counselling
HCP 107 Theoretical Counselling Approaches I
HCESDM101 Communication Skills
BHS110 Introduction to Zimbabwean Cultures & Heritage
HPSY101 Introduction to Psychology I
HPSY102 Social Psychology I
HCP105 Basic Counselling Skills
Part I Semester II
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP108 Theoretical Counselling Approaches II
HCP109 Ethics, Law and Counselling
BAC101 African Philosophy & Thought
HPSY103 Social Psychology II
HPSY105 Introduction to Psychology II
HCP110 Coaching and Counselling
HCP112 Assessment Methods in Psychological Counselling
Part II Semester I
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP210 Human Development Psychology I
HCP209 Workplace Counselling
HRMSP204 Research Methods and Statistics
HHRM208 Introduction to Information and Communication Technologies
Optional Modules
A student may choose any two (2) modules from the following:
Code Module Description
HCP213 Counselling People with Disabilities
HCP214 Gender, Domestic violence and Counselling
HCP219 Crisis and Trauma Counselling
Part II Semester II
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HPSY202 Personality Theories
HCP218 Professional Practice Practical
HCP222 Human Development Psychology II
HCP216 Community Counselling
Optional Modules
A student may choose any two (2) modules from the following:
Code Module Description
HCP220 Peace and conflict resolution
HCP215 Counselling and Diversity
HCP217 Counseling and Indigenous Healing Practices
Part III
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP317 Work Related Learning Report
HCP318 Continuous Work Related Learning Assessment
Part IV Semester I
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP410 Psychopathology
HCP412 Grief and Bereavement Counselling
HCP414 HIV&AIDS Counselling
HCP404 School Counselling
HCP416 Career Counselling
Optional Modules
A student may choose any one (1) module from the following:
Code Module Description
HCP418 Group Counselling
HCP420 Counselling Management
Part IV Semester II
Core Modules
Code Module Description
HCP419 Substance abuse and Addiction Counselling
HCP407 Couples and Family Therapy
HCP417 Integrated Counselling Process
HCP415 Research Project
Optional Modules
A student may choose any one (1) module from the following:
Code Module Description
HCP409 Religion and Counseling
HCP411 Counselling of Special Populations
Assessment
- To be admitted to an examination a candidate must have been registered for that module with the University and completed the coursework in accordance with the General Academic Regulations.
- Each module in the programme is assessed on the basis of a three (3) hour written examination at the end of the semester in which it is undertaken and by course work undertaken during the period of study.
- The research project must be completed and submitted for examination by end of the Semester (s) in which the module is taken. Usually the research project submission date will be announced by the Department before the start of the final examination.
Weighting
Each taught course shall be given a percentage mark. The weighting shall be:
Coursework 30%
Examination 70%
Determination of Results
- To successfully complete a part a candidate must pass all the modules examined in the two semesters of that Part.
- A candidate who fails one (1) or two (2) modules in Part I or Part II may be allowed to proceed to the next Part carrying the failed module(s).
- A carried module may be repeated when next on offer.
- A candidate who fails three (3) or more modules in Part I or Part II shall be deemed to have failed that Part and may be allowed to repeat the failed modules in that Part.
- A candidate who fails one or two modules within the supplementable range in Part IV will be allowed to sit for a supplementary examination. A candidate who fails a supplementary examination within the supplementable range may be allowed to repeat the module when next on offer.
- A candidate who fails a supplementary examination below the supplementable range may be asked to withdraw.
- No candidate will be allowed to carry a Part I module to Part IV.
- The results for each examination shall be published in accordance with the provisions of the General Academic Regulations.
Degree Classification
The final classification for the degree shall be calculated by averaging Part II, Part III and Part IV module marks.
