MA program in career counselling and guidance University

MA program in career counselling and guidance University of Iceland Presentation: Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir, Ph. D.

Saga in 3 chapters 1. Post graduate 1 yr diploma: 1990 -2004 2. 1 diploma year + 1 year (optional) to finish a MA degree: 2004 -2010 3. MA degree (2 years) in career counseling and guidance – Sub chapter: 3 groups have been trained at distance (2001 - 2003, 2007 -2009, 2008 -2010).

Chapter 1: 1 yr diploma (68 ECTS) • Established in 1990 as a result of a government project. – In the dept. of education at the Faculty of Social Sciences – Prerequisite • B. A. degree in psychology or • B. Ed degree • B. A. /B. S. degree in other fields + teacher´s certificate.

Chapter 1: 1 yr diploma (68 ECTS) • Counselling programme situated in the Faculty of Social Sciences • 10 courses – 5, 5 weeks of internship • Student enrollment – 12 -18 per year • Only one full position Networking • Visiting professors from abroad

Chapter 1: 1 yr diploma (68 ECTS) • Autumn term: • Introduction to counselling (3 lecture hours a week) • Career counselling (3 lecture hours a week) • Interviewing techniques (4 lecture hours a week) • Observation and assessment (4 lecture hours a week) • Topics in learning disabilities (3 lecture hours a week) • • • Spring term: Careers education (4 lecture hours a week) Study techniques (2 lecture hours a week) Personal and social problems of pupils (4 lecture hours a week) Seminar and final project (3 lecture hours a week) Practical work of 225 hours. The internship is supplemented with discussions led by the course director.

Chapter 2: Diploma + MA yr optional • Diploma year • MA year: – Career counseling (10 ECTS) – Methodology (10 ECTS) – Optional course (10 ECTS) – MA thesis (30 ECTS)

Chapter 3: MA course (120 ECTS) • Location: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Iceland. • Faculty: Three full time positions and one adjunct.

Objectives of the 2 yr MA course • To develop a comprehensive 2 year MA course • The MA course scores high on national and international counselor education quality standards and is among the best in international comparaison. • Students will become effective school and employment counselors in various fields and provide good professional services • The MA course will be a source of research and development work in both national and international projects • To ensure professionalism and specialisation of school and employment counsellors that work according to the law of school and employment counsellors (nr. 35/2009) Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir

Admission requirements • Undergraduate degree with a minimal grade of 7. 25/10. • Students with a degree in other fields than Social Sciences, Psychology or Education can be required to take up to extra 30 ECTS in these fields. • The program has 35 openings for students each year.

MA course – 1 st year • • • Autumn term Counselling Theories (10 ECTS). Practical training 1 a – social context (10 ECTS). Labour market development (10 ECTS)*. Personal and Social Problems of Students (10 ECTS)*. Introduction to quantitive research 10 ETCS. (A mandatory course for the program if students do not have at least 10 ECTS in quantitative research methods in their undergratuate studies) • • • Spring term Career Development Theories. (10 ECTS). Career development, intervention and programme evaluation (8 ECTS). Measurement and assessment (6 ECTS). Practical training 1 b – communication (6 ECTS).

MA course – 2 nd year • Autumn and spring • Research methods (10 ECTS). • Practical Training 2 a – workshop and field work (7 ECTS). • Practical Training 2 b – workshop and field work (7 ECTS). • Free eclectives (6 ECTS). • MA-Thesis (30 ECTS). •

Distribution of counselors over sectors (%) N=329

Competencies and Nice Core Competencies (NCC) K 1 -K 3: Basic knowledge of individuals, groups and society C 1 -C 5: Interventions in career development K 1 -K 3 + C 1 -C 5 = P 1 Professionalism

Professionalism, knowledge and competencies modules P 1 Professionalism C 1 Career education C 2 Career information and assessment C 3 Career counseling C 4 Programme and service management C 5 Social systems interventions and development K 1 The individual K 2 Groups, organization and communication K 3 Society, politics and markets

To conclude • About 330 students have been graduated with a 1 yr post-graduate diploma. About 80 students have graduated with a MA degree • The same education and training for counsellors in schools and in employment agencies Varied employment opportunities in a growing professional field • Enhances research on career development and counselling in Iceland Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir