University of Sunderland

Career Guidance

* Exceptions may apply.  Please see Fees and Finance for further information.

Introduction

This course provides a broad based study of career guidance practice and theory, where students gain knowledge of different theories, models of guidance, techniques, and an appreciation of current practice.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Career Guidance offers a dual award that incorporates the professionally validated Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG). The University is the region's professionally validated centre and issues professional awards on behalf of the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG).

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Course Content

Stage 2
Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) 120 credits

• Career Education and Guidance (20 credits)
• Theory and Practice of Career Guidance (20 credits)
• Equity and Diversity in Professional Practice (20 credits)
• Management Information and Research Methods (20 credits)
• Career Guidance: Professional Practice (40 credits)

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Entry Requirements

Applications are welcome from holders of a degree from a recognised Higher Education institution. In exceptional cases, mature candidates without a degree, who have appropriate prior experience or alternative pre-entry qualifications, may be considered.

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Fees and Finance

The fees for this course are as specified in the table at the top of the page.

Please note that different fees apply to students studying for "Equivalent or Lower Qualifications" (ELQs). For more information about ELQs, please see the page Information for applicants who already have an HE Qualification.

For information about University scholarships and bursaries please see the page Fees and Finance.

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Teaching and Assessment

The course combines formal lectures, seminars and workshops utilising the expertise of both full-time university staff and professionals within the career guidance profession. There are also regular practical skills training sessions where students can practice their interviewing and group work skills with young people.

Assessment is through a variety of methods including written assignments and reports, direct observation, presentations and a portfolio of evidence collected from a number of sources incuding work placements.

The Masters is attained through a supervised dissertation.

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Work Experience

Students would carry out placements in various organisations including local Connexions partnerships, local schools and adult guidance organisations.

We have links with both local and regional guidance and advice centres.

The placements would be of one day a week as well as two block placements.

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Career Opportunities

This qualification allows students to follow a clear career pathway. It has a clear vocational focus with graduates gaining the required nationally recognised qualification in Career Guidance that is both recognised and valued by employers.

Recent evidence suggests that the demand for suitably qualified Career Guidance workers is growing with a clear indication that employers in the Connexions Service, Adult Guidance Services and services in colleges and HEIs value the expertise our graduates will offer.

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Supplemental Information

This course is designed to meet the professional requirements of the Institute of Career Guidance.

Teaching staff are members of a regional training group and there is an excellent relationship with the region's career guidance providers, who in addition to providing placements, have an input into the teaching of the programme.

**Contact Time:
Full-time students attend five days per week, of which two days per week will be spent in attending formal classes at the University. One day per week is based in a local Connexions service.

The other days will be devoted to skills training. This will involve a mixture of attending sessions at the University - such as CCTV Interview Training and Computer Laboratories - and conducting visits and other fieldwork in schools, colleges, employment, training and guidance agencies.

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Facilities

*World Class Web/Design Tools*
The University of Sunderland has made a significant investment in providing students with access to the latest releases of Adobe products.

Selected PCs within the St Peter's and Murray Libraries have been pre-loaded with the Creative Suite 4 (CS4)  Adobe Design Premium Suite for your exclusive use.

CS4 Creative includes key products such as Indesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver as well as Photoshop and a range of many others.

Further information is available from:

http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/creativesuite/design/

For information regarding locations of PC or Macs within your own faculty that have access to Adobe products please contact your Faculty IT Support.

If you are interested in purchasing Adobe products for your own PC/Mac Adobe offer significant savings for student purchases via any of its approved re-sellers.

Please visit:

http://www.student-software.co.uk/

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Related Courses

• In-service PGCE Post Compulsory Education and Training (PCET)

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