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Master of Social Sciences in Counselling
Programme
Master of Social Sciences in Counselling
社會科學碩士(輔導學)
Award Title
Master of Social Sciences in Counselling
社會科學碩士(輔導學)
Offering Academic Unit
Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Mode of Study
Combined mode

Normal Period of Study
- 1 year (full-time)
- 2 years (part-time/combined mode)

Maximum Period of Study
- 2.5 years (full-time)
- 5 years (part-time/combined mode)

Credit Units Required for Graduation
30

Programme Aims
This programme aims to develop the competence of professional practitioners working in a broad range of human services by offering professional and advanced education in counselling.

Programme Intended Learning Outcomes (PILOs)

Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:

1. apply knowledge and skills in counselling and become increasingly autonomous and independent in practice;

2. reflect on their counselling practice and discover, construct, articulate and evaluate personal philosophy and implicit theories of counselling;

3. pursue evidence-based practice through researching on practice to discover new practice-based knowledge and connect such knowledge to practice; and

4. practice in a creative manner to respond to cultural variations and diversity.


Programme Requirements


Students may obtain the MSocSc degree either by completing

• Path A – full-time mode in one year with taking Project; or
• Path B – part-time mode in two years with taking either Project or Counselling Practicum


1. Core Courses (24 credit units)

Course CodeCourse TitleCredit UnitsRemarks
SS5800Counselling Theories and Practice3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5801Counselling in Society and Across Culture3
SS5802Group Counselling and Therapy3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5803Psychopathology3
SS5822Family-based Service and Family Practice3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5841Counselling Skills Laboratory and Pre-practicum3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS6805Project6Remarks: 3, 4 & 6
SS6806Counselling Practicum6
  • The on-campus medium of instruction for teaching is English, or other language as specified by the workplace (Remark 2)
  • Remarks: 3, 5 & 6

2.  Electives (6 credit units)


General Electives

Course CodeCourse TitleCredit UnitsRemarks
SS5208Cognitive-Behavioural Interventions3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5430Case Management and Practice3
SS5752Life Span Development3
SS5757Personality Theories and Assessment3
SS5805Narrative-based Therapeutic Conversations: Theory and Practice3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)

Research Methods
Course CodeCourse TitleCredit UnitsRemarks
SS5302Research Methods in Social Sciences3

Specialized Electives
Course CodeCourse TitleCredit UnitsRemarks
SS5110Assessment and Interventions in Mental Health Counselling3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5316Aggressive Behaviour and Homicide3
SS5814Vocational Counselling and Assessment3
SS5821Counselling Children and Youth3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)
SS5832Counselling Older Adults3English, supplemented by Cantonese / Putonghua (Remark 1)

Remark

  1. English, supplemented by Cantonese/ Putonghua in live demonstration, skills rehearsal, and role-play exercises as situation requires.
  2. The on-campus medium of instruction for teaching is English, while Cantonese or Putonghua will be used in the workplace assigned, depending the requirement of the agency/practicum.
  3. Full-time mode students have to take SS6805 in Semester B and Summer Term at their first year of study while part-time mode students may opt for SS6805 or SS6806 in Semester A and Semester B of their second year of study.
  4. Part Time Students opting for SS6805 Project should have taken at least 12 credits prior to taking the course and currently enrolling in SS5302 as a co-requisite for Semester A and Semester B mode. Full Time Students opting for SS6805B Project should have taken at least 12 credits prior to taking the course including SS5302 as a Pre-requisite for the Semester B and Summer Term mode. 
  5. Students should have taken at least 18 credits including SS5800, SS5802 and SS5841, prior to undertaking SS6806.
  6. One Semester Mode Project or Counselling Practicum is only offered to students under special consideration with prior application from students and approval from the Course Leader and the Programme Leader.

Professional Recognition

The MSSC programme has been accredited by the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA) since 2011, all graduates after 2004 could be eligible to apply for a full membership at HKPCA.

In addition, our graduates who have completed the Counselling Practicum are eligible to run for Certified Counsellor. The HKPCA recognizes all the 120 face-to-face direct client contact hours and 26 individual supervision hours as well as 36 group supervision hours. Therefore, these abovementioned MSSC graduates could pursue the status of “Certified Counsellor” after fulfilling the required post-master face-to-face direct client contact hours and supervision hours by HKPCA Approved Supervisor.

The graduates not only could register as a full member at Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA) but for those complete the counselling practicum also could register at British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) in the United Kingdom and Australian Counselling Association (ACA) in Australia.

This programme has been recognized by the Hospital Authority (HA), the Occupational Therapist (II) and the Radiotherapist (II) ranks could be eligible to apply for the promotion to (I) rank.

For Counselling Practicum, the Department will help students arrange their practicum sites as closely to their preference as possible. Students can also select their practicum sites on their own for practice training upon approval by the Practicum Coordinator.


Additional Information

 

Intermediate Awards

Required Courses

Total Credits

Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling (PGCC)

深造證書(輔導學)

SS5800, SS5802, SS5822 and SS5841

12

Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling (PGDC)

深造文憑(輔導學)

SS5800, SS5801, SS5802, SS5803, SS5822, SS5841 and 2 Elective Courses

24