EDF5532 Ethics for counsellors
Faculty of Education
EDF5532 Ethics for counsellors is a level 5, 12-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Education, offered in 2020 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 1 unit, leading on to 2 units in all.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2020
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Clayton, Hong Kong, Singapore
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
- Workload
- 288 hours
- per semester
This is the 2020 handbook entry. See the 2025 entry.
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Requisites
Before EDF5532
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After EDF5532
1 unit list EDF5532 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Overview
This unit develops advanced understanding of the ethical, legal, and regulatory dimensions of professional counselling practice. You will examine the ethical foundations of the profession and gain an awareness of the critical issues and dilemmas faced by counsellors. You will learn how to resolve ethical dilemmas which are not addressed by professional codes of conduct. Themes addressed include implementing ethical principles and codes of practice, legal responsibilities, personal, social, and professional values, diversity, sensitive issues and practice, duty of care, confidentiality and privacy, referrals, dual relationships and managing boundaries, and professional relationships. You will also consider the ethical issues of working in various contexts such as online counselling, schools, private practice, and community agencies.
Offerings in 2020
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| First semester (Fully flex) | Clayton | Flexible |
| Second semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| Term 2 | Hong Kong | Block off |
| Term 2 | Singapore | Block off |
| Term 4 | Hong Kong | Block off |
| Term 4 | Singapore | Block off |
Assessment
- Essay on ethical issues (4000 words or equivalent)50%
- Ethical practice case vignette (4000 words or equivalent)50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
describe and apply the professional, ethical, social, and legal obligations of counsellors
- 2
describe and apply the ethical requirements of the societies and professional organisations in the locations in which you plan to practice
- 3
describe the functions and processes of professional and legal bodies in dealing with ethical matters
- 4
utilise a formal structure to demonstrate ethical decision making and argue a defensible, well informed ethical position on ethical dilemmas arising in counselling
- 5
reflect upon one's own professional competencies and limits of proficiency in a range of situations
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials20 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Flexible mode offers a stand-alone online offering that allows you to learn and engage in content and assessment in a supported way. It also provides a face-to-face component over the semester to engage you with the online learning content, which you can attend if you are able and interested.
Minimum total expected workload equals 288 hours per semester comprising:
a. Contact hours for flexible students:
- 20 hours on campus classes, 12 hours online classes and 4 hours directed online learning over the semester, or
- 24 hours directed online learning and 12 hours online classes over the semester*
b. Requirements for offshore Kaplan-based students:
- one intensive block (usually from Thursday to Sunday)
- at least 14 hours of online study per term
c. Additional requirements (all students):
- independent study to make up the minimum required hours per semester
*International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this contact hour delivery mode.
Using a dynamic and applied approach to learning, this subject aims to foster ethical awareness which will support your professional practice as a counsellor. Problem-based learning allows you to collaboratively respond to complex ethical dilemmas in a supportive environment, providing considerable opportunity for self-reflection. Each week, you will engage with practical activities including case studies and group discussions which involve recognising, assessing and responding to ethical dilemmas and professional issues. The assessment for this subject provides you with opportunities to self-reflect, build practical resources, consult with academic literature, and utilise ethical-decision making models to work through practical case examples.
Learning resources
Recommended resources
Please visit the unit Moodle site for further information.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Mr Michael Di Mattia
- Angela Gorman-Alesi
- Dr Zoe Morris
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Zoe Morris
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for EDF5532?
EDF5532 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
What can I take after EDF5532?
EDF5532 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including EDF5534. Those lead on to 2 units in all.
When is EDF5532 offered?
In 2020, EDF5532 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton, Hong Kong and Singapore.
How much work is EDF5532?
The handbook expects about 288 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does EDF5532 have an exam?
No. EDF5532 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.