Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Field Placement 2

• Unit Code

  COU6425

• Year

  2025

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  4

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  

• Unit Coordinator

  Dr Sonam PELDEN

Description

Students will spend a minimum of one to -two days (as required by an agency-nonnegotiable) per week in an agency setting and will carry a client load allocated by the agency. This unit aims to develop the full identity and competence of the counselling and psychotherapy students and will include conducting counselling sessions, participating in a team, receiving supervision for work and participation in following agency policy and procedures. This unit has a compulsory attendance requirement. In keeping with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) stipulations, students need to have practised necessary skills/competencies in the classroom to a satisfactory level before going out into the field. A minimum of 80% class attendance and participation is therefore required. Additionally, students will need to have passed all prerequisites and be deemed placement ready by the university panel led by the placement coordinator. Students must comply with the clinical and professional field Placement requirements which include providing clearances and/or risk management protocols required. Risk management protocols include, but are not restricted to: Certificate of National Police Clearance Department of Health (WA) Criminal Screening Working with Children Check (more information at www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au)

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

Attendance at approved Placement Agency Compulsory University on-campus/face to face seminar Generally, host agencies require students to attend placement for two days a week (minimum) across the year. There is limited scope for ECU to negotiate any deviations from these requirements. Students must attend the two on-campus placement seminars.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass all the Year 1 first semester units COU6113, COU6121, COU5303, COU6305, COU6114, COU5210, COU6324, COU6403 and Year 2 semester one units COU6428, COU6429, COU6430 and COU6424 to progress to COU6425.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Reflect critically and holistically to apply complex body of specialist counselling & psychotherapy theories and skills taught and learned within the placement context.
2. Professionally self-manage and apply creative knowledge and skills to initiate, plan and contribute to the placement host agency.
3. Identify one’s own style as a counsellor including one’s strength and limitations and progressively work through supervision.
4. Apply specialist counselling knowledge, model professional communication, negotiation, and collaboration skills to contribute to University student peers, Lecturers/supervisors and the placement host.

Unit Content

1. In this unit students will identify specific areas which need further attention on the basis of learning in COU6424.
2. Learning through the placement is achieved in relation to a new learning plan established between the student and the supervisor early in the semester. This plan will be set out in accordance with guidelines set out in the placement handbook.
3. Students will carry their own case load of agency clients, under the supervision of an agency staff member.
4. The learning plan will set out the goals and processes to be used to achieve the placement objectives, and will describe placement tasks and expectations, skills to be practiced, individual learning goals, theory integration processes and supervision arrangements.
5. The unit is conducted as a field placement in a counselling service setting.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

For more information see the Semester Timetable

WIL - Internship, Clinical or Professional placement (off-campus)

Work done in an actual workplace in which the student applies discipline-specific knowledge and skills, supervised by an industry professional separate from an ECU campus or location.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This is a Placement experience and the learning occurs in the context of a specific learning contract developed to meet the students' needs and the goals of the unit. Students are expected to take a significant degree of responsibility for their own learning and are expected to be active in this process. Students will comply with the requirements detailed in the Field Placement manual.

Assessment

GS2 GRADING SCHEMA 2 Used for Undifferentiated Pass/Fail units inc. practical units or work-integrated learning

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

^ Mandatory to Pass