Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology

Purpose

The Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology will train learners to apply psychological principles to the analysis of social problems and the implementation of intervention strategies for addressing these problems, working with functional individuals and populations to optimise psychological well-being in relation to life challenges, development problems and processes and psychological adjustment. Learners will also be able to plan and implement formulation driven group and community based psychological interventions, including cognitive, neurological, social and behavioural rehabilitation, catering for a broad range of client groups.

The qualification is designed to develop the learners cognitive, economic, social, cultural, aesthetic and personal dimensions.

Rationale

The National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013-2020 highlights that mental health is more than the absence of disease and advocates mental health prevention, promotion and rehabilitation initiatives as key target focus areas to break the cycle of socio-economic deprivation and mental ill health.

The provision of community mental health services and the emphasis upon mental health prevention, promotion and rehabilitation initiatives embedded in this policy framework, reflect the competencies, core functions and key performance areas of a counselling psychologist. Such initiatives are integrated into not only the health sector, but also social development and psycho-education, which is placing increasing demands on the university to produce counselling psychologists.

Counselling psychologists assess, diagnose and intervene with people in dealing with life challenges and developmental problems to optimise their psychological well-being. This qualification is aimed at producing competent, ethical and professional practitioners who will meet the needs of South Africa to provide psychological services thereby enhancing and promoting psychological well-being of the public.

This qualification is critical in providing good quality psychological services to people at various developmental stages and in a variety of settings in order to enhance optimum psychological functioning and wellbeing. By offering this qualification a continuously growing need exists on a local as well as a national level on matters such as psychological distress, restoring a balanced lifestyle and social disorders such as substance abuse and behavioural problems of community members, families and groups.

The Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology is to educate, train and prepare learners to fulfil the requirements of the Professional Board for Psychology for purposes of registration as Counselling psychologists. The qualifying practitioner will be registered with the Health Professional Council of South Africa as a Clinical Psychologist to render psychological services in a variety of settings, assessing and intervening with people with psychological, developmental and life challenges, as well as promoting optimum mental health and positive psychological functioning, as defined according to the Health Professions Act no 56 of 1974 and subsequent amendments.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners who do not meet the admission requirements need to demonstrate that they have suitable experiential- or work-based learning. Consideration of such learners for admission through RPL after assessing their a portfolio of evidence.

Assessment of the Learner's application will involve the following steps

• The learner must submit a portfolio containing evidence.
• The internal assessor will assess the learner's portfolio and will submit the outcome of the RPL process, including written reports to the HOD.

RPL for credits

Learners will gain credits if they have a cognate qualification. The modules will be assessed to modules within this Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology, NQF Level 8.

Or

• Bachelor of Psychology, NQF Level 8.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 270 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 180 Credits

• Professional Ethics and Practice Management, 20 Credits.
• Psychological Assessment and Psychometrics, 20 Credits.
• Psychopathology and Psychofortology across the Life-span, 20 Credits.
• Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psycho-therapy, 20 Credits.
• Neuropsychology: A Life-span Approach, 20 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 20 Credits.
• Treatise, 60 Credits.
• Internship for Counselling Psychology, 90 Credits.

1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the general principles and theories that form the basis of the scientific study of human and systemic functioning within a multi-cultural context.
2. Apply in-depth knowledge of the principles and theoretical groundings of psychological assessment, counselling, intervention and development, psychosocial well-being, and research.
3. Identify and diagnose functional and dysfunctional behaviour in individuals, groups, communities and systems.
4. Demonstrate ability to integrate theory and practice in community mental health settings and private practice, through compiling and presenting case studies to communicate mental health prevention, promotion and rehabilitation.
5. Demonstrate appropriate reflection and consulting skills within group, individual, community and systemic contexts.
6. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information to successfully generate and execute appropriate psychological services.
7. Demonstrate appropriate problem solving during the assessment and planning phases of client care.
8. Apply critical and creative thinking skills in developing treatment options.
9. Demonstrate appropriate written and oral communication and presentation skills through the successful engagement of clients, the psychological team, other health professionals and the broader public and other relevant stakeholders in all spheres of the practice appropriate counselling.
10. Apply advanced psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice within the multi-cultural South African context.
11. Select, administer, score, interpret, and report on a broad range of psychological assessment measures (including specialised measures) in an ethical and professional manner.
12. Assess, plan and implement interventions, manage care, and evaluate outcomes of clients with social adjustment and behavioural problems, and psychological distress.
13. Design, implement, and evaluate advanced psycho-education development and intervention qualifications to facilitate and promote psychosocial well-being.
14. Conduct long-term counselling and psychotherapeutic interventions in a professional and ethically acceptable manner.
15. Demonstrate successful case management skills as well as organising and managing self in complex environments.
16. Demonstrate ability to utilise community resources to promote psychosocial well-being and for referrals.
17. Demonstrate appropriate skills related to when and how to refer a client to another professional within the health care system.
18. Demonstrate advanced research skills related to choosing a research problem, planning a study, conducting a study of significant scope, analysing the resultant information and reporting on the study.
19. Demonstrate competence during therapeutic intervention procedures in student counselling and community-based environments, during internship year.
20. Demonstrate cultural and aesthetic sensitivity through acceptance and satisfaction of professional care across social contexts.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be applied in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Explain the theoretical groundings of psychological and forensic assessment, as applied to individuals, groups, and communities.
• Discuss the psychotherapeutic processes, principles, and theories grounding family, marital and community psychological intervention.
• Assess the dynamics of normal and abnormal functioning and psychodiagnosis of individuals, groups and families.
• Conceptualise, design and implement interventions relating to social adjustment problems.
• Formulate a therapeutic intervention that is acceptable in a multi-cultural context.
• Debate the possible intended and unintended consequences of psychological interventions.
• Apply professional ethics in psychology practice and professional interactions.
• Explain the management principles of private practice.
• Critique, utilise and apply scientific research methods and findings that are applied to the treatment of clients with social adjustment problems and psychological distress, and the modification of human behaviour.
• Demonstrate ethically acceptable behaviour in psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research situations.
• Apply theory to function as a competent professional in community-based and private health care settings.
• Demonstrate ethical and appropriate use of specialised psychological assessment measures in assessing for example: development, intelligence, school-readiness, career, emotional status and temperament, personality, scholastic, and neurological assessments.
• Appropriate selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, and integration of a variety of psychological assessment measures in specialised assessment, forensic, and psychodiagnostic contexts.
• Demonstrate ethical and appropriate use of assessment measures.
• Compile and present case studies to communicate present discourse and treatment regimes.
• Utilise scientific research methods and findings in investigating social adjustment problems, psychological distress and human behaviour.
• Utilise the appropriate psychotherapeutic interventions with families, groups and communities in a variety of contexts.
• Justify and make independent decisions regarding psychological interventions and case management plan.
• Demonstrate practical and advanced skills in the assessment, management, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of social adjustment problems.
• Demonstrate competence in conveying professional findings (including expert opinions) via written and verbal communication to clients, referral sources, and other professionals.
• Refer clients to the appropriate stakeholders within the health-care system.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage a case.
• Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team in assessment, psychodiagnostic and therapeutic contexts.
• Demonstrate a caring, compassionate and respectful attitude towards other professionals, clients and families.
• Develop a scientific research proposal.
• Produce a completed research treatise.
• Critically evaluate specialised psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice within the multi-cultural South African context.
• Explain how the profession of psychology and counselling psychologists in particular, synergistically interact with related professions.
• Discuss how their cultural background and values impact on the process of specialised psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessment at the level of the qualification provides an opportunity for the learners to show that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas and actions across the qualification to achieve competence that is grounded and coherent with the purpose of the qualification. Integrated assessment will show how already demonstrated competence in individual areas can be linked and applied for the achievement of a holistic outcome as described in the Exit Level Outcomes.

The qualification will include a number of formative and summative assessment opportunities, case formulation and case presentations, written case reports, written tests, peer reviews, Research project, and other assessment opportunities. A final summative evaluation for each module will be conducted at the end of the semester.