Diploma in Counselling Skills (DCS) contd...
Eligibility
While the program is meant for persons with an academic background up to graduation level, those with lesser qualification are also considered on interview, if they are caring and sensitive human beings and have had sufficient exposure to life.
No other prior qualification is needed except the right attitude to strictly follow the guidelines of the course, and a sincere commitment to understand human beings and to learn, understand and practice counselling.
Duration
Course begins with individual sessions from June 2009, group sessions from Saturday 25th July, and practicals in August. Regular classes end on 31st March 2010, and the first two weeks of April 2010 are spent on extra classes, practicals, presentations, and catching up. The valedictory will be held in second week of April 2010. The programme consists of lectures, role plays, exercises, group interaction, field work, and assignments.
Batches
The information given below is subject to change every year. But the pattern in which classes are held will be similar.
Course begins with individual sessions from June 2009, group sessions from Saturday 25th July, and practicals in August. Regular classes end on 31st March 2010, and the first two weeks of April 2010 are spent on extra classes, practicals, presentations, and catching up. The valedictory will be held in second week of April 2010. The programme consists of lectures, role plays, exercises, group interaction, field work, and assignments.
Classes and group interactions are held twice a week as follows:
RT Nagar RT1 Batch (Wednesday & Friday) mornings 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
RT Nagar RT2 Batch (Tuesday & Thursday) evenings 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
RT Nagar RT3 Batch (Saturday) evening 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm and (Sunday) morning 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
RV Road RV1 Batch (Tuesday & Thursday) morning 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
RV Road RV2 Batch (Saturday) evening 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm and (Sunday) morning 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Additionally, one day in the week is marked for 3 hours practical work, in rotation (as per the convenience of individual candidates). Opportunity will also be provided to enroll in the “Counselling Club”, which conducts role plays, counselling practice and skills sharpening on a regular basis.
The course is conducted in small batches and sufficient individual interaction is done with each candidate for personal growth. Core faculty and mentors willingly spend extra time with students as and when they are needed. For those who wish to refine their skills further, additional training and practical work opportunities are provided, other than the compulsory hours of practical and project work. Dr. Ali Khwaja will be combining two classes together for the RV Road (Basavanagudi) batches whenever it is his session.
Commitment from students
Each student is expected to put in consistent attendance, and complete the requisite hours of practical work, as well as the assignments. Evaluation is a continuous process, based on presentations that the student makes, and his/her counselling sessions evaluated by the group and by experts. Core faculty spends time with individual students more for their improvement than for their assessment. There are no theory exams and students are evaluated continuously for their ability to genuinely reach out and counsel effectively.
An experiential student-centered approach is adopted throughout the course. Students are expected to participate actively, be responsible for their own learning, and commit themselves to the effort required to complete the course. Complete confidentiality is to maintained by every student throughtout.