EUQ670 Counselling Skills and Contexts
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUQ670 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | EUQ640, EUN666, LCN636 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $592 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,468 |
| International unit fee | $4,740 |
Unit Outline: Session 1 2026, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | EUQ670 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EUQ640, EUN666, LCN636 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
| Coordinator: | Deborah Munro | d2.munro@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit serves as the cornerstone for your counselling studies, introducing you to the fundamental counselling techniques and communication skills that underpin effective helping strategies used by counsellors across various contexts. The aim of effective counselling is to develop the capacity of clients to problem-solve and to work towards their goals and potential. This unit will assist you develop and utilise skills that help to increase your own self-awareness and awareness of the needs of others. You will also be introduced to the professional standards and ethics of counselling professions. This unit provides essential knowledge and skills that will be built upon in subsequent units.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse case studies to identify key issues and challenges, drawing on theory and research.
- Evaluate personal counselling competencies and formulate an evidence-based plan for professional development.
- Demonstrate counselling skills and communication strategies in counselling contexts.
- Critically reflect on and reflexively analyse counselling practice to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to enhance professional practice.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Establishing an effective counselling alliance.
- Counselling contexts, including government, education, industry, the private sector and community organisations.
- The development and maintenance of a counselling relationship.
- The development of counselling psychology and the personal characteristics associated with effective counsellors.
- Issues relating to self as they impinge upon our relationships with others.
- A range of counselling skills including: building rapport, active listening, observation, attending, body language, reflection of feelings and content, questioning, paraphrasing, summarising and normalising.
- Counselling theories with particular use in the school setting.
- Diverse counselling formats including emerging AI-supported methods
- Professional standards and ethics in counselling practice, including the ethical implications of AI on career practice
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Online modules
- Online discussions
- Readings
- Learning activities
- Reflection on current and future practice and careers
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning and critical reflection on experience.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- opportunity for formative feedback in this unit will include feedback on a learning activity related to assessment task 1
- self-reflection on learning and personal and professional experiences
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas website.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessments in this unit:
1. Case Study Analysis and Reflection - this task integrates self-reflection, case analysis, and professional development planning, drawing on both individual insights and peer interactions through discussion board contributions.
2. Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - this task applies counselling skills to demonstrate a career counselling interview focusing on study indecision, and critically reflect on your practice.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Study Analysis and Reflection
You will choose and respond to a chosen case study. Reflect on the ethical and other challenges this case may present beginning counsellors with and how these understandings may inform your development as a beginning counsellor. Identify the multidisciplinary team members who could support you with this case and reflect on your professional development and lifelong learning needs as highlighted by this case analysis. In your reflection include evidence of your contributions to the unit's discussion board.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Counselling Session and Self-Reflection
You will produce a video-recording of yourself undertaking a counselling session that demonstrates your use of the counselling skills and session plan studied during the unit. You will reflect to write a critique of your use of skills and the framework during the counselling session.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following resources are key reference sources in this unit and can be accessed through the QUT library. Other resources will be available on the unit's Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Geldard, D., Geldard, K., & Foo, R. (2022). Basic personal counselling: A training manual for counsellors (9th ed.). Sydney NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Text is available through the QUT bookshop and on-line via QUT library but the number of students able to access via the library at one time is limited.
Risk Assessment Statement
During this unit, you will discuss sensitive topics with your peers that may have significant impact and meaning to you, your peers and/or your teaching team. The teaching team will aim to create a supportive and safe environment for all students enrolled in the unit. They will also support you to develop the appropriate skills to engage in these conversations in an appropriate and respectful manner to ensure a positive experience for all students. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EQ60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO2 - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Study Analysis and Reflection, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills, and ideas to others.
Relates to: ULO3, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection
EQ74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: ULO2 - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice, integrating theoretical frameworks to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Study Analysis and Reflection, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice, drawing on discipline-specific knowledge and skills to lead and influence positive change.
Relates to: Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences in professional and scholarly contexts.
Relates to: ULO3, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection
Unit Outline: Session 3 2026, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | EUQ670 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EUQ640, EUN666, LCN636 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
| Coordinator: | Deborah Munro | d2.munro@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit serves as the cornerstone for your counselling studies, introducing you to the fundamental counselling techniques and communication skills that underpin effective helping strategies used by counsellors across various contexts. The aim of effective counselling is to develop the capacity of clients to problem-solve and to work towards their goals and potential. This unit will assist you develop and utilise skills that help to increase your own self-awareness and awareness of the needs of others. You will also be introduced to the professional standards and ethics of counselling professions. This unit provides essential knowledge and skills that will be built upon in subsequent units.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse case studies to identify key issues and challenges, drawing on theory and research.
- Evaluate personal counselling competencies and formulate an evidence-based plan for professional development.
- Demonstrate counselling skills and communication strategies in counselling contexts.
- Critically reflect on and reflexively analyse counselling practice to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to enhance professional practice.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Establishing an effective counselling alliance.
- Counselling contexts, including government, education, industry, the private sector and community organisations.
- The development and maintenance of a counselling relationship.
- The development of counselling psychology and the personal characteristics associated with effective counsellors.
- Issues relating to self as they impinge upon our relationships with others.
- A range of counselling skills including: building rapport, active listening, observation, attending, body language, reflection of feelings and content, questioning, paraphrasing, summarising and normalising.
- Counselling theories with particular use in the school setting.
- Diverse counselling formats including emerging AI-supported methods
- Professional standards and ethics in counselling practice, including the ethical implications of AI on career practice
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Online modules
- Online discussions
- Readings
- Learning activities
- Reflection on current and future practice and careers
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning and critical reflection on experience.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- opportunity for formative feedback in this unit will include feedback on a learning activity related to assessment task 1
- self-reflection on learning and personal and professional experiences
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas website.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessments in this unit:
1. Case Study Analysis and Reflection - this task integrates self-reflection, case analysis, and professional development planning, drawing on both individual insights and peer interactions through discussion board contributions.
2. Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - this task applies counselling skills to demonstrate a career counselling interview focusing on study indecision, and critically reflect on your practice.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Study Analysis and Reflection
You will choose and respond to a chosen case study. Reflect on the ethical and other challenges this case may present beginning counsellors with and how these understandings may inform your development as a beginning counsellor. Identify the multidisciplinary team members who could support you with this case and reflect on your professional development and lifelong learning needs as highlighted by this case analysis. In your reflection include evidence of your contributions to the unit's discussion board.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Counselling Session and Self-Reflection
You will produce a video-recording of yourself undertaking a counselling session that demonstrates your use of the counselling skills and session plan studied during the unit. You will reflect to write a critique of your use of skills and the framework during the counselling session.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following resources are key reference sources in this unit and can be accessed through the QUT library. Other resources will be available on the unit's Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Geldard, D., Geldard, K., & Foo, R. (2022). Basic personal counselling: A training manual for counsellors (9th ed.). Sydney NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Text is available through the QUT bookshop and on-line via QUT library but the number of students able to access via the library at one time is limited.
Risk Assessment Statement
During this unit, you will discuss sensitive topics with your peers that may have significant impact and meaning to you, your peers and/or your teaching team. The teaching team will aim to create a supportive and safe environment for all students enrolled in the unit. They will also support you to develop the appropriate skills to engage in these conversations in an appropriate and respectful manner to ensure a positive experience for all students. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EQ60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO2 - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Study Analysis and Reflection, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills, and ideas to others.
Relates to: ULO3, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection
EQ74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: ULO2 - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice, integrating theoretical frameworks to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Study Analysis and Reflection, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice, drawing on discipline-specific knowledge and skills to lead and influence positive change.
Relates to: Case Study Analysis and Reflection - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences in professional and scholarly contexts.
Relates to: ULO3, Counselling Session and Self-Reflection