Psychosocial Counselling (MA)


Degree (and type) of the programme: 
Master of Arts study programme (MA)
Duration: 2 years (4 semesters), 120 ECTS
Classification: SOK: 8, EOK: 7, EOVK: second level
Mode of study: part-time study
Place of studies: Nova Gorica and Ljubljana (study is implemented if there is a sufficient number of enrolled candidates at the particular location)
Professional title: Master of Arts in Psychosocial Counselling, abbreviated: MA in Psychosocial Counselling
Selected approach: Within the study, cognitive behavioral approach is conducted.

Do you want to help people with a professional conversation? Do you wish to encourage personal growth and strengthen self-confidence? Do you wish to become a psychosocial counselor with a sense for society and fellow human beings?

Master of Arts in Psychosocial Counselling is qualified to  address emotional and behavioural problems, according to selected approach of counselling. He/she is qualified to apply  techniques of counselling conversation to help the client in the process of deepening insight into their own emotional state and achieving change, and transfer what has been learned from the counselling situations into everyday life. This allows client a better functioning in the society. Further, there is an objective to empower clients to solve their emotional and social problems independently in the future.

The overall objective of the postgraduate programme Psychosocial Counselling is following: to develop professional competence of candidates in the interdisciplinary field of assistance to people in various life crises, which includes the capacity to implement and explore psychosocial assistance and counselling, to facilitate their transition from second-cycle of studies to the following work areas: psychosocial assistance in social protection, psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, and penology, or wherever they offer various forms of psychosocial assistance and counselling, including the commercial sector, public, private, or non-governmental organizations. 

CONTENT

ENROLMENT CONDITIONS

The following individuals may enrol into the 1st year of the study programme Psychosocial Counselling (MA):

  • Anyone who has completed a first-cycle study programme in the relevant professional field and obtained a minimum of 180 credits – ECTS in accordance with the first indent of Article 38a of the Higher Education Act (Bologna System). Field 0313 according to the KLASIUS-P-16 * classification is considered as an appropriate professional field, whereby the undergraduate diploma can be obtained at home or abroad.
  • Anyone who has completed a study programme for obtaining a higher professional education in the relevant professional field, adopted before 11.06. 2004 (prior to the Bologna system). Field 0313 according to the KLASIUS-P-16 * classification is considered as an appropriate professional field, whereby the undergraduate  diploma can be obtained at home or abroad.
  • Anyone who has completed an undergraduate study program in accordance with the KLASIUS-P-16 classification in the fields of 092 SOCIAL SECURITY, 003-PERSONAL SKILLS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, 1014 SPORT, and 0114 TEACHER EDUCATION WITH SUBJECT SPECIALIZATION – study programmes in the field of sports or physical education, must pass the following exams: Basics of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling and Psychopathology.
  • Anyone who has completed an undergraduate study program in accordance with the KLASIUS-P-16 classification in the fields of 031 SOCIAL SCIENCES AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (except 0313 – Psychology, 0311 – Economics), must pass the following exams: Basics of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, Psychopathology and Developmental Psychology.
  • Anyone who has completed an undergraduate study program in accordance with the KLASIUS-P-16 classification in the fields of 01 EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES AND TEACHER EDUCATION (except 0114-teacher education with subject specialization – study programs in the field of sports or physical education), must pass the following exams: Basics of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, Psychopathology, Sociology of Social Policy.
  • Anyone who has completed an undergraduate study program in accordance with the KLASIUS-P-16 classification in the fields of 090 Healthcare and Social Security not further defined, 091 Healthcare, 098 Interdisciplinary Educational Activities/Outcomes, predominantly healthcare and social security, 099 Healthcare and Social Security, other, must pass the following exams: Basics of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, General Psychology 2, Sociology of Social Policy, and Developmental Psychology.
  • Anyone who has completed any other undergraduate study programs not defined above must pass the following exams: Basics of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, General Psychology 1, Sociology of Social Policy, Psychopathology, and Developmental Psychology.
  • Anyone who has completed the equivalent study programmes mentioned in the previous indents from other professional fields, if he/she completes additional study obligations in accordance with indent 2 of Article 38a of the Higher Education Act according to the following rules:

Completed undergraduate study programme or wider area as per KLASIUS –P-16 classification

Additional study obligations

Number of credit points of additional study obligations

092 – SOCIAL SECURITY, 003-PERSONAL SKILLS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, 1014 SPORT, 0114 EDUCATION OF TEACHERS WITH SUBJECT SPECIALIZATION (study programs in the field of sports or sports education)

  • Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Counselling
  • Psychopathology

6+9=15

031 – SOCIAL SCIENCES AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES (except 0313 – psychology, 0311-economy)

  • Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Counselling
  • Psychopathology
  • Developmental Psychology

6+9+6=21

01 – EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES AND TEACHER EDUCATION (excluding 0114 – teacher education with subject specialization – study programs in the field of sports or physical education)

  • Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Counselling
  • Psychopathology
  • Sociology of Social Policy

6+9+6=21

090 – Health care and social security, undefined

091 – Health care

098 – Interdisciplinary educational activities/outcomes, mostly health care and social security

099 – Health care and social security, other

  • Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural CounsellingGeneral Psychology 2
  • Sociology of Social Policy
  • Developmental Psychology

6+7+6+5=24

Other

  • Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Counselling
  • General Psychology 1
  • Sociology of Social Policy
  • Psychopathology
  • Developmental Psychology

6+6+6+9+6=33

 

  • Candidate for enrollment in the first year of the master’s program in Psychosocial Counseling, who has completed part of the study program in Psychosocial Support (BA), called “Psychotherapeutic Propaedeutics,” or an equivalent study program or part of a study program, may enroll in the first year without fulfilling additional study obligations.

Enrollment in to the 2nd year:

According to the Criteria for Transitions between Study Programs (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 14/19; hereinafter: Criteria of NAKVIS) and based on the Criteria for Transitions between Study Programs adopted by the Senate of FUDŠ on 30 September 2019 (hereinafter: Criteria of FUDŠ), transitions are possible between study programs:

  1. that ensure the acquisition of comparable competences or learning outcomes upon completion of the studies;
  2. between which at least half of the obligations according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) from the first study program, referring to the mandatory subjects of the second study program, can be recognized based on the criteria for the recognition of knowledge and skills acquired before enrolling in the program.

Directly into the 2nd year of the postgraduate Master’s degree program in Psychosocial Counseling is possible for:

  • Candidates who have obtained a university degree before the Bologna system from the relevant professional fields are generally awarded 60 ECTS credits in accordance with Article 49 of the Act Amending the Higher Education Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 63/04).
  • Candidates who have completed a second-cycle study program (under the Bologna system) in the relevant professional fields are also eligible to apply.
  • Candidates from other master’s degree programs in the relevant professional fields who are enrolling on the basis of recognized exams previously taken in other (Bologna) study programs of the same level are also eligible. The field of 0313 Psychology according to the KLASIUS-P-16 classification is considered a relevant professional field. For the study program of Psychosocial Counseling in Sports, the relevant professional fields are also 1014 Sports and 0114 Education of Teachers with Subject Specialization – study programs in the field of sports or physical education.

The admission requirements are also fulfilled by those who have completed equivalent education abroad.

Candidates who enroll directly in the second year of the Psychosocial Counseling study program must complete the following study obligations from the first year: Basics of Psychosocial Counseling (9 ECTS), Psychosocial Counseling Training (8 ECTS), Structure and Processes of Counseling (6 ECTS), and Theoretical Foundations of Cognitive Behavioral Approach (6 ECTS) for a total of 29 ECTS.

Candidates who enroll directly in the second year of the Psychosocial Counseling in Sports study program must complete the following study obligations from the first year: Basics of Psychosocial Counseling (9 ECTS), Psychosocial Counseling Training (8 ECTS), Basics of Sports Psychology (6 ECTS), and Theoretical Foundations of Cognitive Behavioral Approach (6 ECTS) for a total of 29 ECTS.

The faculty may limit enrollment if the number of applicants exceeds the number of available places. In the case of enrollment limitation, candidates will be selected based on their average grade from their undergraduate studies.

For all foreign students enrolled in this study program, a B2 level of knowledge of the Slovenian or English language is strongly recommended for inclusion in the study process. It is expected that the knowledge of Slovenian/English language is further improved during the course of study.

Differential exams are additionally payable (check the price list), and they should be paid before registering for the exam. DIFFERENTIAL EXAMS MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE ENROLLMENT!

ENROLMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Enrollment information and application deadlines for the academic year 2024/25 are published on the link.

For more information contact Students office:
Phone: +38659073461
E-mail: vpisi@fuds.si

You can also visit our staff in person at the address Gregorčičeva ulica 19 in Nova Gorica, every Monday and Wednesday from 9.00 am to 11.00 am and every Tuesday and Thursday from 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

TUITION FEE

Price: EUR 3.839,00 per year.

Terms of payment: Tuition fee can be paid as a single payment or in instalments (from 1 to 5 instalments) with the following due dates: at the time of enrolment; at the latest on 30.11.; at the latest on 31.1.; at the latest on 31.3.; at the latest on 31.5. of the current academic year. In the case of payment of tuition fees in installments, an increased tuition fee is charged for each installment in the amount of the administrative cost of processing the installment payment, which amounts to EUR 30.00.

**Payment in installments is possible for citizens from Slovenia and other EU Member States and EEA members. Foreigners from non-EU and non-EEA countries must pay the whole tuition fee by the time of the enrollment. In case of payment of tuition fee in installments, the administrative costs of processing the installment payment in the amount of EUR 30.00 will be charged for each installment.

MODE OF STUDY

Master of Arts programme in Psychosocial Counselling is implemented as part-time study. 

In part-time study, the organization and timing of lectures, seminars and exercises are adjusted accordingly. For the implementation of contact hours, the faculty also applies a variety of modern forms of information and communication technology (online classroom, etc.).

A study year is generally implemented in one academic year, and it is divided into two semesters. During the semesters, students attend lectures, seminars and other forms of organized activities. Exams are generally implemented during (three) examination periods – the winter, summer and autumn examination period – with the possibility of additional pre-dates for exam.

The schedule: In Ljubljana, the lectures and seminars are generally organized in the afternoon hours during weekdays. In Nova Gorica lectures and seminars are generally held on Friday afternoons and on Saturdays throughout the whole day.

* In exceptional cases (medical emergencies, illness, etc.) we reserve the right to make minor changes.
**In case there are not enough first-time enrolled students at the part-time study location, as specified in the enrollment notice, the faculty may decide to conduct the study in the form of consultations or not to conduct the study.

Implementation of the study process for foreign students: consultations in English are organised for subjects in which at least 1 foreign student is enrolled. When enrolling, foreign students must mark on the enrollment form whether they want consultations in English, and in this case their participation in the consultations is also expected. For foreign students who purchase the above-standard Study+ service, recordings of the consultations will be available, as long as at least 1 student will participate in the consultations. In addition to consultations, some subjects require the presence of foreign students at certain other dates of lectures/exercises, of which foreign students are informed in advance in the timetable.

The schedule and materials are available via Web office (spletni referat) or online classroom after the candidate is registered.

STUDY+ PACKAGE

By purchasing the STUDY+ package, in addition to the friendly staff at the faculty who are always ready to support you in your studies, you will receive the following benefits or services that will be of great help to you: the possibility of direct participation in most lectures and tutorials via ICT resources (Zoom); the possibility of viewing recordings of most lectures and tutorials throughout the year; the possibility of taking exams via ICT tools (Zoom or Moodle online classroom). The package costs 399eur* (*per academic year) and is ordered and paid in a one-time amount upon enrollment or at any time during the year.

You can obtain the list of subjects that require obligatory physical presence despite purchasing the Study+ package on the following email address: urniki@fuds.si
 

CURRICULUM

Explanation of acronyms:

  • ECTS – European Credit Transfer System
 

Practical training
Practical education is of great importance in the study of psychosocial counselling due to the applied orientation of the programme. SASS will organize a working or professional practice for the students of this programme. Students will come into contact with practical problems through organized and individual work.

Practical training within the postgraduate study Psychosocial counselling will take place in various forms: personal experience (individual), supervision (group), practice in psychiatric and other institutions, practice with psychotherapists of the selected psychotherapeutic approach, independent counselling with clients under the supervision in the framework of a selected psychotherapist approach.

The (new) curriculum includes changes to the study program adopted at the Senate session that took place on 14 November 2019. The previous curriculum is NO LONGER RUNNING (PREVIOUS CURRICULUM AND CONDITIONS FOR STUDY).
NOTIFICATION: On 10 September 2021, the FUDŠ Senate adopted updates to some curricula. All current curricula are published on the website.

KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Knowledge assessment is part of the study process of teaching and learning, and it takes place during the course of the study process (after the first semester) and after the completion of the individual courses of the study programme (after the second semester). At the same time, students are expected to pass ongoing activities. The intention and objective of knowledge assessment is to acquire regular and quality information about how students are achieving the planned general and course-specific competences, and obtain information on the achievement of the goals of the study programme.

The method of knowledge assessment and grading is determined for each individual course and specified in its syllabus. They are adjusted to verify the achieved objectives at individual courses, anticipated achievements of the study, and development of general and subject-specific competencies. Methods of knowledge assessment and grading vary because of different teaching methods, which ensure criteria of validity, reliability and objectivity, but also take into account the quality of the structure and organization of knowledge.

  • Assess knowledge and skills of students,
  • Assess output produced in the course of the study work,
  • Offer quality feedback on the progress and achieved results, aiming to motivate students to acquire additional knowledge and skills,
  • Enable integration into continuing education, and
  • Obtain data for the evaluation of conducted pedagogical work.
 

Criteria for knowledge assessment is based on the objectives of the study programme and anticipated achievements of students, identified in individual syllabuses. Students are informed about elements of knowledge assessment and grading criteria in written form, as part of the curriculum, and at the start of each course (at the beginning of each semester). Moreover, the higher education lecturer informs students on the syllabus of the course, study obligations, shares of individual components of knowledge assessment that contribute to the final grade at the course, and relevant literature.

  • Colloquiums,
  • Oral exams,
  • Written exams,
  • Seminar papers or essays,
  • Oral presentations,
  • Practical assignments or portfolio, journals,
  • Solving real problems (case studies),
  • Projects, peer reviews,
  • A written report on professional practice,
  • Master’s thesis.

ADVANCING THROUGH THE PROGRAMME

To progress from the first to the second year, the student must acquire at least 45 ECTS from the first year.

SASS  can enable the student to progress to the next year, even if the required conditions are not met, in the event of the following circumstances: maternity, prolonged  illness, exceptional family or social circumstances, participation in top cultural, sports or professional events.

  • Graduates /completes the studies,
  • Withdraws,
  • Is excluded,
  • Does not enrol into the following year or semester during the studies,
  • Does not graduate at the study programme of the first level within 12 months after the end of the last semester; unless the student repeated the year during the study or changed the study programme or module- then his/her status is ceased at the end of the last semester.

Seniority (absolventski staž), or an additional year, is a term that applies to the time after the end of the last semester, when the student may retain his/her status, if he/she did not graduate. The student asserts this right by enrolling into additional year or the Seniority. The student may use this right only immediately after finishing the last semester, provided that:

  • He/she does not graduate at the study programme of the second level within 12 months after the end of the last semester (unless the student repeated the year during the study or changed the study programme or module – then his/her status is ceased at the end of the last semester).

ACQUIRED COMPETENCES

The below listed competences  are valid for students enrolled in the 1st year of the study programme in the 2020/21 academic year. For students enrolled in the 2nd year of the study programme in the 2020/21 academic year, and all students enrolled in the study programme up to and including in the 2019/20 academic year,  the previous competences are applicable if students education progress is regular (PREVIOUS COMPETENCES OF THE STUDY PROGRAMME).

  • Ability to put knowledge into practice and original, creative problem solving in new or unusual contexts;
  • The ability to conduct in-depth critical analysis, synthesis and anticipation of solutions and consequences;
  • Mastering research methods, procedures and processes, deepening critical and self-critical judgment;
  • Autonomy in professional work;
  • Development of communication skills and abilities, mastery (cooperation, coordination, leadership, co-creation) of communication in the international environment, including with experts in other fields;
  • Ethical reflection and commitment to professional ethics, taking  personal and social responsibility related to the use of acquired knowledge;
  • Cooperativeness, teamwork (in the international environment);
  • Ability to use sources and cite them properly;  The ability to connect knowledge and manage the complexities encountered in professional work;
  • The ability to clearly communicate findings and knowledge to the professional and general  public.

Within the Master’s programme of Psychosocial Counseling (MA) students will acquire the following course-specific competences: 

  • An in-depth and detailed level of understanding of the theoretical and clinical principles of the selected counselling approach and their relation to the general counselling principles;
  • An in-depth general level of understanding of other major counselling approaches;
  • Ability to understand and evaluate and independently use research methods relevant for all counselling approaches and critical attitude towards ‘objective’ research within humanistic models;
  • The ability to formulate and apply a psychosocial assistance model in accordance with the selected counselling approach;
  • Develop hypotheses and generative, creative responses to clinical situations and analyze psychosocial interventions;
  • The ability to work successfully with the group and/or as co-advisers, to reflect on the effectiveness of the group work and to improve it based on the results of reflection;
  • In-depth ability to use critical reflection and continuous supervision to evaluate and enhance the performance of your own work with clients and work of others;
  • The ability to take an in-depth critical stance to the selected counselling approach and to evaluate its boundaries and to compare it with other alternative approaches;
  • Ability to build on the constructed critical evaluation of the implications of the problems of culture, race, gender, sexual orientation;
  • The ability to explore, reflect and control their personal involvement in the psychosocial assistance processes they co-create and manage;
  • The ability to use learning resources autonomously by demonstrating information management and integration skills;
  • The ability to document and  critically present their counselling work to both professional and general public for discussion and mutual learning;
  • Ability to document and analyze outcomes of supervision and use them in further psychosocial work;
  • Ability to co-create solutions to psychosocial problems, creatively handle complex, unpredictable and special situations;
  • Ability to successfully anticipate and manage the consequences of the solutions created;
  • The ability to learn also in terms of self-directed professional  training;
  • The ability to synthesize one’s own integration of theory, counselling practice and experience of the personal growth process;
  • The ability to collaborate with both client systems and professionals (including experts from other disciplines);
  • The capacity for autonomy in professional practice;
  • Being aware of and demonstrating ethical and professional responsibility to be a counselor for psychosocial assistance, managing the implications of ethical issues and dilemmas, also related to specific counselling approaches;
  • Ability to grasp existential issues and crises of meaning;
  • Knowledge of the field of marketing and understanding of media phenomena and their connection with the structure and development of  societies;
  • The ability to reflect and take into account the context of the psychotherapy situation and its boundaries (including appropriate legislation), to demonstrate the flexibility and adaptability of the psychotherapy approach;
  • The ability to co-create  a counselling relationship, perform appropriate counselling intervention and master the proper completion of the counselling process;
  • Use of critical reflection and supervision to evaluate both their learning based on participatory observation of counselling work with clients and the work of other experts involved in the problem-solving process.

CONDITIONS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE STUDIES

Conditions for completing the studies are to have completed all study obligations prescribed by the curriculum, to the extent of 120 ECTS credits.

The student who fulfills the above-mentioned SASS transition criteria to enter directly into the second year of the Master’s programme in Psychosocial Counselling, must carry out all prescribed differential exams, prescribed subjects from the first year to the extent of 31 credits, and regular academic requirements of the second year to the extent of at least 60 credits.

The studies are completed by the preparation and an oral defence of master’s thesis.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES

Potential employment opportunities are present in the social and health care (e.g. social work centers), work with youth (counselling centers for children, adolescents and parents, crisis centers for youth, group homes for adolescents, preventive programmes with a systematic approach to prevent violence in schools, at learning communication skills, understanding gender relations, etc.), work with addicts, in the field of rehabilitation, programmes of psychosocial counselling, palliative care, psychosocial counselling, especially in the fast-growing service sector, in public and private non-profit organizations, international institutions (e.g. charity organizations).

Masters of Psychosocial Counselling may find employment also in work organizations, particularly in emergency situations, where there is a high level of strain and stress, and where they could provide psychosocial support to prevent developing mental or psychosomatic disorders. Finally, the area of employability also includes positive psychology, stimulating personal growth, and not only treatment.

LINK TO THE OLD VERSION OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL COUNSELLING STUDY PROGRAMME (MA)

EXPLANATION: On 14 November 2019, SASS Senate adopted a decision on changing the name of the study programme from the name “Psychosocial Assistance” to the name “Psychosocial Counseling”. A decision was also adopted to change the professional title of graduates from the professional title “Master of Psychosocial Assistance” to the professional title” Master of Psychosocial Counseling”.