Objectives of the programme
Masters in Social Work (Counselling) programme would provide both academic learning and professional education and training in counselling, extending beyond theoretical knowledge. This programme is tailored to suit counselors working in a wide range of organizational and community contexts as well as individuals in a family. With the fast changing social scenario, the problems being faced by people across the board are numerous. Unlike in the western world, counselling services are very inadequate in India. There is a growing demand for counselors in schools, corporate sector, health care setting, social and welfare sectors and correctional settings. However, schools/ universities where counselling course/programme are taught in India are very few.
There is a good potential for employment in government as well as NGO sectors. There is an urgent need for specially trained counselors to handle the stress of employees working with call centres, corporate sectors, families, family courts, correctional settings, school, universities and educational institutions, rehabilitation centres, refugee camps,institutions for the differently abled, aged, child care and adoption centres, family planning, voluntary counselling and testing centres, rural sectors especially where farmers are driven to commit suicide, de-addiction centres etc.
The specific objectives of Masters in Social Work (Counselling) are:
To provide basic knowledge of human relationship;
To introduce the learner to biological, psychological and developmental aspects of humans;
To help the learner to have sound knowledge about the what, why and how of counselling services;
To help the learner to understand the method of social case work and its relevance in counselling services;
To explain how counselling a client can improve their psychological well-being through making choices, overcoming psychological blocks and facilitating actions;
To describe the process through which a counselor would take a client to reach a desired goal;
To identify the counsellor’s primary role and show how to use minimal responses as an important means of listening with intent;
To help the counselors reduce the emotional distress of the client;
To promote better adaptation of the client to his/her environment and to develop his/her potential; and To assist the client in making important personal decisions depending upon the problem, situation and environment.