Information Package / Course Catalogue
PCG 417 Cultural Sensitivity in Counseling
MEF University
Degree Programs
Psychology
General Information For Students
Diploma SupplementErasmus Policy Statement
Psychology
Bachelor Length of the Programme: 4 Number of Credits: 240 TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF: Level 6

Ders Genel Tanıtım Bilgileri

School/Faculty/Institute Faculty of Education
Course Code PCG 417
Course Title in English Cultural Sensitivity in Counseling
Course Title in Turkish Kültüre Duyarlı Danışmanlık
Language of Instruction EN
Type of Course Flipped Classroom
Level of Course Advanced
Semester Fall
Contact Hours per Week
Lecture: 2.5 Recitation: Lab: Other:
Estimated Student Workload 115 hours per semester
Number of Credits 5 ECTS
Grading Mode Standard Letter Grade
Pre-requisites None
Expected Prior Knowledge None
Co-requisites None
Registration Restrictions Only Undergraduate Students
Overall Educational Objective To learn the knowledge, awareness, and skills with regard to individual and cultural diversity within the counseling context.
Course Description This course is designed to provide knowledge, awareness, and skills with regard to individual and cultural diversity within the counseling context. The emphasis of the course is on theoretical and practical understandings of the factors that influence the nature and effectiveness of multicultural counseling processes. Students will be provided with the opportunity to examine their own cultural identities and learn to understand and empathize with individuals from backgrounds both similar to and different from their own. Reading materials, video lectures, visual and auditory aids, experiential activities, and discussions will challenge students to observe and acknowledge their own biases and assumptions toward culturally diverse individuals and groups. Through these experiences, students will gain the knowledge, awareness, and skills that will help them become multiculturally sensitive and competent professionals.
Course Description in Turkish Bu ders öğrencilere psikolojik danışmanlık bağlamında bireysel ve kültürel çeşitlilik sağlamak amacıyla bilgi, farkındalık ve beceri kazandırmak için tasarlanmıştır. Dersin vurgusu çokkültürlü danışmanlık sürecinin doğasına ve etkililiğine tesir eden kuramsal ve uygulamalı faktörleri anlamak üzerinedir. Öğrencilere kendi kültürel kimliklerini inceleme ve kendilerine benzer ve kendilerinden farklı deneyimleri olan bireyleri anlama ve onlarla empati kurma olanakları verilecektir. Okuma materyalleri, videolar, görsel ve sesli araçlar, deneyimsel etkinlikler ve ders içi tartışma konuları öğrencilere kültürel farklılığı olan bireylere ve gruplara dair kendi önyargılarını ve varsayımlarını gözlemleme ve kabul etme fırsatını verecektir. Öğrenciler bu deneyimler aracılığıyla çokkültürlülüğe duyarlı ve yetkin profesyoneller olmalarına aracılık edecek bilgiyi edinerek, farkındalık ve becerileri kazanacaklardır.

Course Learning Outcomes and Competences

Upon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:
1) demonstrate professional and personal self-awareness of one’s attitudes, beliefs, understandings, values, and acculturative experiences
2) gain knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity about multicultural issues, including understanding the worldviews of culturally diverse groups in Turkey
3) apply skills in incorporating individual and cultural diversity and the social environment into client conceptualization and interventions
4) identify and address institutional and social barriers, which impede access, equity, and well-being for diverse populations.
Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes 1 2 3 4
1) Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2) Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation.
3) Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes.
4) Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts.
5) Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline.
6) Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards.
7) Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences.
8) Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level).
9) Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.
10) Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement.
11) Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses.
12) Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning.
13) Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations.

Relation to Program Outcomes and Competences

N None S Supportive H Highly Related
     
Program Outcomes and Competences Level Assessed by
1) Thorough knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. N
2) Understanding of and ability to apply essential research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and data interpretation. N
3) Competence to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to solving problems related to behavior and mental processes. H Exam,HW,Participation
4) Understanding and ability to apply psychological principles, skills and values in personal, social, and organizational contexts. N
5) Ability to weigh evidence, to tolerate ambiguity, and to reflect other values that underpin psychology as a discipline. N
6) Internalization and dissemination of professional ethical standards. N
7) Demonstration of competence in information technologies, and the ability to use computer and other technologies for purposes related to the pursuit of knowledge in psychology and the broader social sciences. N
8) Skills to communicate the knowledge of psychological science effectively, in a variety of formats, in both Turkish and in English (in English, at least CEFR B2 level). N
9) Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity. S Participation
10) Recognition for the need for, and the skills to pursue, lifelong learning, inquiry, and self-improvement. S HW,Participation
11) Ability to formulate critical hypotheses based on psychological theory and literature, and design studies to test those hypotheses. N
12) Ability to acquire knowledge independently, and to plan one’s own learning. S Exam,HW
13) Demonstration of advanced competence in the clarity and composition of written work and presentations. H Exam,HW
Prepared by and Date GÖKÇE BULGAN , September 2018
Course Coordinator EZGİ TOPLU DEMİRTAŞ
Semester Fall
Name of Instructor Prof. Dr. ZÜMRA ATALAY

Course Contents

Week Subject
1) Introduction to the course and review of the syllabus
2) The culturally competent counselor
3) Cultural identity development
4) Social justice in counseling
5) Racism and white privilege
6) Spiritual diversity
7) Gender and sexism
8) Sexual orientation and heterosexism
9) Social class and classism
10) Disability, ableism, and ageism
11) Midterm
12) Alternative approaches to counseling theories
13) Multicultural diagnosis and conceptualization
14) Integration and wrap-up
15) Final Examination Period
16) Final Examination Period
Required/Recommended ReadingsReadings Textbook: Hays, D. G., & Erford, B. T. (2014). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems approach (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Teaching MethodsThe primary aim of this course is preparing students to become culturally sensitive and competent professionals. In order to provide a productive learning environment in the classroom, I will use a combination of didactic video lectures, experiential learning activities, and facilitated class discussions. Our learning will be enriched by everyone’s reading and active participation in class discussion. Students are expected to check the syllabus for each week and come to class prepared (having read the chapters and watched the videos) to actively participate in class discussion.
Homework and ProjectsGroup Presentation: Student groups will each present on a cultural group with an emphasis on the cultural context in Turkey. The presentation is expected to include introduction of the topic and definition of key concepts; main issues (e.g., prejudice, economic hardship, etc.) pertinent to the cultural group; integration of research studies and relevant literature review; and an experiential activity or discussion, which actively involves the class. Group projects will be presented using visual and auditory aids (e.g., slides, videos, photographs, etc.) Cultural Excursion Presentation: For this assignment, students are asked to participate in at least one cultural excursion, in which s/he will step outside of his/her personal comfort zone and explore a culture different from their own. Students may choose to attend a volunteer activity, a festival, a religious service, explore a different neighborhood, engage in exploratory dialogues etc. for the purposes of this cultural experience. The cultural excursion should be at least 2 hours in length. Following the cultural excursion, students are expected to talk about their experience in class. They are expected to reflect on what they have learned, thought about, found meaningful during their experience in relation to some of the cultural topics discussed in class. Cultural Identity Paper: For this 4 to 5-page paper, students are asked to reflect on their own cultural identity. Some guiding questions regarding this assignment will be given in class.
Laboratory Work.
Computer Use.
Other Activities.
Assessment Methods
Assessment Tools Count Weight
Presentation 1 % 40
Midterm(s) 1 % 30
Paper Submission 1 % 30
TOTAL % 100
Course Administration bulgang@mef.edu.tr
0212 395 36 61
Office Hours: Mondays 11:00 – 12:00, and by appointment

ECTS Student Workload Estimation

Activity No/Weeks Hours Calculation
No/Weeks per Semester Preparing for the Activity Spent in the Activity Itself Completing the Activity Requirements
Course Hours 14 2 3 1 84
Homework Assignments 3 6 18
Midterm(s) 1 12 1 13
Total Workload 115
Total Workload/25 4.6
ECTS 5