SOP with answers for Queensland University of Technology – QUT’s Master of Counselling program
What draws you to QUT’s Master of Counselling compared to other Master of Counselling programs?
My research has been thorough and there were many factors contributing my choice. QUT’s Master of Counselling curriculum is specialised and wide-ranging at the same time. It is practice-oriented and therefore is perfectly suited to my needs.
The course is designed such that a student can find themselves in a broad variety of domains such as nursing, education, community arts, justice, human services, and other allied health backgrounds. Due to its tie up with the QUT Health Clinics at the Kelvin Grove campus, the course will help me gain very necessary practical skills within the campus itself.
Moreover, there are special units focusing on supervision of other practitioners. This is another relevant addition to the curriculum that is interesting to me and I believe will benefit me much.
What counselling skills and/or approaches are you interested in learning more about in the course?
Having a background in rural development, education and life skills counselling, I am interested in furthering my knowledge so that I can work within the domain better and efficiently. In the long run, I want to contribute to rural development and help rural kids, youth as well as adults chart out a good life for them.
I am looking forward to introduce myself to the global standards and work ethic s in relation to counselling. I am also looking forward to working and learning in a clinic-setting.
Besides this, I am excited about several units in the curriculum that will expand on the subjects of Counselling and Family Therapy, constructive therapy approach, Narrative, Solution-Focused and Collaborative Conversational approaches to counselling and others.
Please name at least one significant mentor and/or supervisor and detail what it was that made them significant for you.
One of my educators, Mr. Vishnu Reddy has had an irreplaceable, profound impact on my growth as a person. He instilled in me the value of service and hard work. In my undergraduate years, he had always encouraged me to challenge myself and meet these challenges with grit and determination.
My inclination towards pursuing the discipline of counselling and social work was definitely affected by his conviction and faith in me. I am grateful to have had a teacher like him.
What would this mentor/supervisor suggest you will contribute to the collective learning of the PY12 community?
The course is greatly interesting as well as challenging, with its schedule and intensive training. However, I believe it is exactly perfect for me. I have found myself become the best version of myself when I step out of my comfort zone.
My teacher, Mr. Reddy always encouraged me to seek a challenge. I believe my tenacity, hard work and honesty will be my contribution to the community.
I have also had extensive experience working with different organisations and NGOs in Rural India which has given me a perspective about counselling, its need and relevance at the grassroots level. I am positive that the community will find this perspective interesting as I am excited to share it as well.
Given the experiential nature of the program, you will be expected to have access to ongoing counselling practice
The practical exposure that the QUT Health clinic offers is the curriculum’s best feature, in my opinion. I feel fortunate and am most looking forward to learning from working here.
The provision of counselling in the QUT Psychology and Counselling Clinic is something that will greatly help me expand the horizons of my practical skills.
I am drawn to challenge and I am confident I will be able to plan according to the schedule. I am looking forward to using my experience at the clinic to gain clarity about the theoretical aspects taught.
QUT’s Master of Counselling program draws on a particular way of teaching (pedagogy) which aligns with the approach we bring to counselling.
In my experience, I have found that there is no one way to learn. Knowledge is always in creation and it is when I have been open to it that it has come to me through multiple perspectives. Even in my college days, besides academic learning, I have gained significant knowledge from discussion with peers and seniors.
On the field, as well, as a practicing counselor, I have learnt that one can only be a good teacher when one learns in the process. I agree with the above pedagogical stance. There is a set hierarchy where an educator is in charge of dispelling information in a one way model and students do the learning.
However, I have found that like different constructivist models of teaching propose, knowledge is born out of collective experiences and sharing these experiences across all horizontals. Learners are indeed active participants in the process of learning, knowledge production.
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