Module: Guidance Placement II

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Guidance Placement II
Module Code	EDU1152 (ITS: HD5280)
Faculty	DCU Institute of Education	School	Human Development
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	20

Description

The placement module is designed to provide experiences in guidance counselling that will enhance student understanding of the guidance counsellors’ role in a variety of settings. Students will have the opportunity to observe and participate in a range of guidance counselling activities. The module aims: to allow students engage in a substantial period (130 hours) of guided work-based guidance counselling practice; to identify how best practice is fostered in a guidance counselling setting; to facilitate students in the planning, implementation and evaluation of a broad range of generic guidance counselling skills in a specific setting and under the mentorship of a qualified guidance counsellor; to engage in ongoing critical reflection on the processes of skill development, knowledge enhancement, personal and professional awareness.

Learning Outcomes

1. Practise some of the skills in the work of guidance counselling as agreed in advance with the mentoring guidance counsellor where the student is completing their placement.
2. Critically reflect on the experience of placement so as to develop a code of best practice, which is inclusive of ethical considerations.
3. Integrate some of the theoretical aspects of guidance counselling education and training into the practice of guidance counselling.
4. Articulate a personal vision statement as a guidance counsellor in one’s chosen or intended work setting, which is rooted in professional principles.
5. Appreciate the need for on-going personal and professional development as a guidance counsellor including a commitment to the regular and formal supervised practice of work throughout one’s career.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Workshop	12	Introduction to and ongoing support for completion of Placement Module Requirements
Online activity	100	Completion of online Portfolio including detail record of activities and reflections on practice.
Fieldwork	130	Completion of Placement Requirement Hours
Total Workload: 242

Section Breakdown
CRN	10589	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Paul King	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Professional Portfolio	Submission of a placement portfolio detailing the activities carried out during the placement(s), with a reflective self-evaluation of these activities and an overall reflective exercise on the placement experience.	60%	Sem 2 End
Practical/skills evaluation	Evaluation of a submitted recorded guidance counselling interview with an individual accompanied by a reflective self-evaluation of the interview	20%	Sem 2 End
Professional Practice	Supervision of a guidance counselling activity with a group (of at least 6 participants) and submission of a reflective self-evaluation of the activity.	20%	As required

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE
Students should observe and participate in the provision of guidance counselling activities and services while on placement agreed between the student and the co-operating mentor. There is no requirement to complete a perquisite set of activities. However, in order to maximise learning from the placement students should seek experience across all aspects of guidance counselling provision – personal/educational/career in schools and educational/career in adult settings. Activities may include the following: Observation of group based guidance activities – Individual and small group interaction – Understanding and using psychometric assessments - Facilitating and delivering group guidance counselling. Students are encouraged to spend some time observing their mentor’s work in personal/educational/career guidance.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None