Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work (MC-NTCW)

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Overview

Award title	Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work
Year & campus	2020 — Parkville
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	9
Credit points	100 credit points
Duration	12 months full-time or 24 months part-time

The Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work is a specialist graduate qualification for professionals interested in enhancing their clinical and practice-research skills. The degree prepares graduates for working with narrative approaches with individuals, families and communities, particularly in the areas of trauma and recovery.

Narrative therapy is a respectful, non-blaming approach to counselling and community work, which centres people as the experts in their own lives. It views problems as separate from people and assumes people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments and abilities that will assist them to reduce the influence of problems in their lives. Narrative approaches to therapy and community work are used by social workers, psychologists, community development workers, nurses, teachers, doctors, and other health professionals in a wide range of practice settings.

The Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work provides formal training and recognition for narrative therapy and is delivered as a joint initiative of the Department of Social Work (The University of Melbourne) and The Dulwich Centre, Adelaide. The Dulwich Centre is the international centre for narrative therapy training, established in 1984. Since this time the Dulwich Centre has led the development of narrative therapy that is now considered a mainstream modality in many contexts.

Links to further information

https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/graduate/master-of-narrative-therapy-and-community-work

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline, or equivalent; and
• at least two years of documented, relevant work experience; and
• evidence of completion of prior narrative therapy studies at Dulwich Centre, or equivalent; and
• a personal statement outlining why they wish to be considered for the course; and
Applicants must also nominate a professional referee from whom a report may be sought.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance; and
• the work experience; and
• the personal statement; and
• the professional referee report.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to providingsupport to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Professional accreditation

The Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work graduates are eligible to apply for full membership and registration with ACA.

Intended learning outcomes

This course prepares graduates for narrative therapy and community work.

The course should:

Provides graduates with the theoretical and advanced skill base for working with narrative approaches with individuals, families and communities across the life course, particularly in the areas of trauma and recovery.
Prepares graduates for narrative practice in diverse cultural contexts
Introduces the specific theories and advanced skills of narrative therapy
Engages students in critical reflection of their own practice development
Engages students in practice research and writing for publication.

Graduate attributes

Knowledge

Graduates of the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work degree will have:

a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in narrative therapy and community work, and how they relate to professional practice.
knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to narrative therapy and community work.

Skills

Graduates of the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work degree will have:

cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of narrative therapy and community work theories and skills; and to reflect critically on the theory and professional practice of narrative therapy and community work.
cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and to apply established theories of narrative therapy to different bodies of knowledge or practice
cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas concepts at an abstract level
communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences
technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse, theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship

Application of knowledge and skills

Graduates of the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work degree will demonstrate the application of knowledge & skills:

with creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning
with high level personal autonomy and accountability
to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship

Course structure

The MNTCW is comprised of three compulsory subjects, all at level 9:

First half year: SCWK90060 Advanced Narrative Skills Development (25 credit points)

Second half year: SCWK90062 The Art of Narrative Practice (25 credit points)

Year Long: SCWK90061 Narrative Practice and Research Synthesis (50 credit points)

Subject options

Core Subjects

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
SCWK90060	Advanced Narrative Skills Development	February (Off Campus)	25
SCWK90062	The Art of Narrative Practice	Semester 2 (Extended) (Off Campus)	25
SCWK90061	Narrative Practice & Research Synthesis	Year Long (Extended) (Off Campus)	50

Last updated: 18 December 2020

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