With the rapid developments in our modern society, the challenges individuals may face, which they must confront and overcome to develop themselves, have increased. This includes exploring their potentials and learning how to fully utilize them by building healthy habits. Thus, our modern society needs more specialists who can assist individuals in improving themselves and overcoming various problems, which can be achieved through the specialty of guidance and psychological counseling.
Guidance and Psychological Counseling Specialty
From personal and emotional challenges to societal, educational, and professional challenges, guidance and psychological counseling can help people overcome such challenges, handle them, and gain positive self and community awareness. The specialty of guidance and psychological counseling is an applied branch of psychology, where students can learn scientific methods to help others discover themselves and develop their potentials to achieve their personal, professional, and community goals.
Importance of Studying Guidance and Psychological Counseling
Specialists in guidance and psychological counseling guide individuals towards utilizing their capabilities and interests, which are identified through conversation, psychological tests, and available educational or life opportunities, allowing them to meet their personal needs and aspirations. Additionally, specialists help individuals learn how to overcome difficult situations and challenges, such as educational or professional challenges, and also how to deal with grief and loss.
If you are interested in psychology, mental health, and community development fields, you should consider studying guidance and psychological counseling, where you can discover yourself more deeply and help others do the same.
Curriculum of Guidance and Psychological Counseling
The study of guidance and psychological counseling at the bachelor’s level in Turkey takes four years. Here are some topics that may be covered each academic year at Turkish universities, though the curriculum varies from university to university. To find out the details of the courses at each university, you should visit the official university website.
First Academic Year
- Introduction to School Counseling
- Introduction to Educational Sciences
- Communication Skills and Academic Reporting
- Principles of Atatürk and History of the Turkish Republic
- Introduction to Psychology
- Physiological Psychology
- Turkish Language and Literature
- Human Relations and Communication
- Child and Family Law
- Theories of Learning and Behavioral Psychology
- Sociology
Second Academic Year
- Personality
- Measurement and Evaluation
- Special Education
- Developmental Psychology
- Understanding Social Behavior
- Statistics
- Professional Ethics and Legal Issues
- Elective courses
Third Academic Year
- Counseling Skills
- Elements of Group Counseling
- Counseling Theories
- Scientific Research Methods
- Pathological Psychology
- Principles and Techniques of Counseling
- Group Counseling Practice
- Elective courses
Fourth Academic Year
- Family Counseling
- Individual Counseling Practice
- Institutional Field Experience
- Crisis and Trauma Intervention
- Career Counseling and Guidance
- Field Practice in Counseling and Guidance
- Elective courses
Employment Areas
Graduates can work in various fields of guidance and psychological counseling:
- Schools
- Universities Community Service
- Centers Companies and Factories Prisons Military
- Hospitals and Private Centers
Top Universities for Studying Guidance and Psychological Counseling in Turkey
Turkish universities offer advanced programs in guidance and psychological counseling, which you can study in English or Turkish depending on the language of the program offered by each university.
