PP0429 - Professional Contexts in Guidance and Counselling

What will I learn on this module?

In this module, you will explore some of the criteria that might be used to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of services in the field of guidance and counselling. You will learn about: major areas of policy and government strategy that determine the focus or development of services in different fields; codes of practice and quality standards governing the operation of guidance and counselling organisations and agencies; systems for performance management and customer feedback. You will be introduced to enquiry skills including, observation and narrative recording, to enable you to undertake a series of enquiry based visits, and/ or conversations with practitioners and desk-based inquiry. You will also explore issues of safeguarding and ethical practice in relation to delivery of services and to support your planning and delivery of these visits.

How will I learn on this module?

You will attend a series of lectures and seminars to highlight key concepts including effectiveness of service delivery, accountability and policy implementation within professional contexts. Seminars will provide opportunities for sharing insights arising from initial desk-based enquiry, scoping activities, and post-visit processing of experiences. Visiting speakers from guidance and counselling agencies will give presentations about their work. You will engage in an active enquiry process to gather material for your assignment by organising visits to an agency offering guidance and counselling services and/or undertaking desk-based inquiry. Sessions are supported by the Electronic Learning Portal (eLP) where you can review key ideas from lectures and contribute to online discussions. An e-portfolio will be utilised as a tool for formative feedback. The online reading list will provide guidance as to key texts to support your learning.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

Module tutors will use the eLP to provide support materials. Group and individual tutorials to support work towards assignments will be provided. You will be provided with opportunities to submit work and obtain formative feedback on your writing and skills development. Contact details for all tutors for this module are available in the module handbook and via the eLP.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. You will demonstrate understanding of the key factors that might be used to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of services in the field of guidance and counselling.
2. You will relate theory to practice by visiting or conducting inquiry into a guidance and counseling organisation.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

3. You will reflect upon your developing interpersonal and critical evaluation skills.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

4. You will plan and successfully carry out an agency investigation entailing a series of enquiry-based visits or desk-based inquiry to a guidance and counselling organisation.
5. You will demonstrate awareness of ethical practice in guidance and counselling services.

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment
Visit Plan or Inquiry Plan

A clear and coherent proposal for a series of planned and purposive visits to a guidance and counselling organisation, submitted and approved by module tutor.

Summative Assessment

Written Assignment 2,000 words 100%

A critical examination of a guidance and counselling agency informed by a series of visits to the agency and/or desk-based enquiry.
(MLOs 1,2,3,4,5)

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

This module provides a first hand opportunity to experience and evaluate the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services within real life professional contexts. Inherent in this module is recognition that the most effective way to learn is through experience. With the support of tutors and equipped with an understanding of relevant policy, codes of practice, safeguarding, ethical practice and quality standards, you will plan and carry out a series of enquiry based visits. Visiting speakers from guidance and counselling agencies will give presentations about their work. Seminars will provide opportunities for sharing insights from initial desk-based enquiry, scoping activities and post-visit processing of experiences. To support your active enquiry into professional guidance and counselling services you will be introduced to research skills including observation and narrative recording.

Course info

UCAS Code B9L5

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad

Department Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Location Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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