PROFCOUN 706 : Cultural Issues in Counselling
Education and Social Work
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
B. Counsellors: the influence of cultural background on counsellor personal and professional identities and the influence on counselling relationships. Included are differences in counsellor/client cultural backgrounds, world views and values; appropriate skills development; examination of notions such as ‘assessment’, ‘empowerment’, and other concepts; validating culturally preferred practices; working with colleagues and within institutions; examining institutional practices.
C. Clients and their issues, such as: specific topics and client cultures relevant to the needs of counsellors in their counselling practices.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the cultural influences that have contributed to the development of their own personal identities and world views, and analyse the implications for their work as practitioners. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 7.1, 7.2 and 8.3)
- Discuss the implications of the Treaty of Waitangi and the structural relationships of cultural groups within society in Aotearoa/New Zealand for counselling practitioners. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1 and 8.3)
- Demonstrate critical awareness of the broad cultural issues relevant to counselling theory and practice in Aotearoa/ New Zealand. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 8.2)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of cultural identities and the interaction of various cultural influences in the lives of individuals and their relationships. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 and 7.2)
- Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for effective counselling practice with culturally diverse clients. (Capability 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 and 8.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1: Autobiographical Essay | 50% | Individual Coursework |
| Assignment 2: Analysis of Cultural Topic in counselling | 50% | Individual Coursework |
| 2 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Assignment 1: Autobiographical Essay | ||||||||||
| Assignment 2: Analysis of Cultural Topic in counselling | ||||||||||
To pass this course you need to submit all assessments and achieve at least 50% for the course overall’ to the satisfaction of the examiner.
Exam Mode
- Exam mode A - Remote online non-invigilated exam on Inspera
- Exam mode B - Remote online invigilation through Inspera Integrity Browser (IIB)
- Exam mode C - In-person invigilated exam on paper
- Exam mode D - In-person invigilated exam on computer through Inspera Integrity Browser (IIB)
- There is no final exam for this course
Further information about exams can be found at https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/about-exams.html
Workload Expectations
For this course, you can expect to commit 27 hours to direct contact via on-campus lectures/workshops/tutorials.
You can also reasonably expect to commit approximately 100-120 hours to independent learning. This may include reading (and more reading), note-taking, face-to-face and/or online discussion, writing, engaging in collaborative group work, problem solving, undertaking practical tasks, reflecting on learning, accessing learning and study resources, and assignment preparation and completion.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled lectures to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be made available as supplementary material, but should not be considered the primary delivery mode.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.