Certificate & Diploma Programmes

This is course will provide a comprehensive introduction to the study and application of the science of psychology, helps students to understand the scientific knowledge of both the behavioral, emotional and mental aspect of human beings. The course will provide a brief overview of several major areas in the field of psychology, topics include the foundations of psychology, biological bases of psychology, cognition, human emotions, lifespan development, personality and psychological disorders. Topics include:

1. Discovering Psychology
2. Research in psychology
3. Human development across the life span
4. Conditioning and Learning
5. Theories of motivation and emotion
6. Memory, thinking and intelligence
7. Personality
8. Social psychology
9. Psychological disorders and treatment
10. Health, stress and coping

This course aims at providing students with basic knowledge in counselling theories and approaches, as well as the fundamental counselling skills application. The course covers the major concepts, principles and approaches to counselling. The course also describes the nature of a therapeutic relationship and basic intervention skills and intended to equip students a foundation for further study in counselling and psychotherapy. Topics include:

1. Overview of counselling
2. Becoming a professional counsellor
3. Counselling approaches and techniques

This is an introductory course in psychopathology and provides an overview of the scientific study of abnormal human behaviour. Topics will cover the origin, development, diagnosis, and classification of common mental illnesses. This course will also examine the variety of intervention and treatment for mental health problems and illness. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of various kinds of mental illness and be able to describe their symptoms, causes and treatment from the biopsychosocial perspective. Topics include:

1. Introduction to abnormal behaviour
2. Paradigms and etiology of abnormal behaviour
3. Classification, diagnosis and clinical assessment of abnormal behaviour
4. Anxiety, Trauma-Stressor-Related and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
5. Mood Disorder
6. Eating disorders and Sleep-wake disorders
7. Sexual dysfunction and Gender dysphoria
8. Personality disorders
9. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders
10. Intellectual Disabilities

This course provides students training in fundamental counselling skills the ethical issue in the helping process. The topics covered include how to establish therapeutic rapport, basic counselling skills, assessing clients’ problems and setting goals. Besides skills training, crucial ethical and legal issue will also be covered in the course. Students are expected to actively engage in the learning activities, self-exploration exercises and role-playing to facilitate their learning and development of counselling skills as well as the professional attitude towards counselling. Topics include:

1. Introduction to helping
2. Self-understanding and development
3. Communication skills in counselling
4. Basic skills of therapeutic communication
5. Advances helping skills
6. Help client develop plan and goals
7. Ethical issues in counselling

This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to the current theories of marriage and family counselling, helping students to understand the philosophy, basic principles and key concepts of the marriage/family system and treatment. Topics will cover the history, philosophy, theoretical orientation, models and basic intervention methods of common marriage and family therapy. Also students will have a chance to explore the most common treatment approaches utilized in marriage and family counseling. The course aims to equip students with a broad theoretical and practical foundation for counselling couples and families, understanding the positive impact of a functional family on human well-being. Topics include:

1. Family relationship framework
2. Family development: continuity and change
3. Diversity in family functioning
4. Origins and growth of marriage and family counselling
5. School of family counselling approach- Bowen Family System theory
6. School of family counselling approach- the structural models
7. School of family counselling approach - Strategic models
8. School of family counselling approach - Experiential models

This course will provide an overview of the theoretical principles and foundations of contemporary Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Topics include theoretical frameworks that underlie CBT, case formulation, structuring interviews, Cognitive/Behavioural analysis, assessment techniques, various cognitive restructuring and behavioural techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on the integration of theory and practice, focus on core therapeutic issues in the implementation of CBT in a local context. Topics include:

1. Historical roots and development of Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
2. Basic Principles of Cognitive Model
3. Cognitive techniques
4. Behavioral techniques
5. Cognitive conceptualization and Process of Psychotherapy in CT
6. Depression and CBT intervention
7. Anxiety disorders and CBT intervention

This course provides students with the foundation knowledge of organizational psychology, how counselling skills applied in the workplace to enhance the personal and organizational well-being. Students will familiarize themselves with common issues centered on the job environment place such as stress, burnout, well-being at work as well as basic skills in counselling, coaching and mentoring in an organizational setting. Topics include:

1. The nature and culture of organization
2. Changing work context and organization environment
3. Understanding workplace counselling
4. Role of counselling at work
5. Stress and burnout and crisis
6. Work-life balance
7. Career development
8. Model of workplace counselling
9. Process and practice of workplace counselling
10. Ethical issues in workplace counselling