Applied Coaching Theory

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 7
• Convenor: Janet Sheath
• Assessment: to be confirmed

Research and scholarship in the coaching field has grown and diversified hugely over the last ten years. For example, the career, leadership and executive coaching sectors have expanded considerably. This raises many questions about the knowledge and research base of coaching and its relationship to traditional theories of career and therapeutic counselling.

In this module we help you to understand and critically evaluate the different theoretical bases of coaching. This is achieved by exploring ideas from the main approaches to counselling and coaching, and by drawing out the implications and applications particularly relevant to career and coaching practice. We will also consider professional issues: session management, the use of tools and technology in coaching.

The module is built on an evidence-based approach to coaching to ensure that coaches are consistently linking theory to practice and are able to critically assess and evaluate coaching with individuals and in organisations.

Ethical and professional issues are also addressed as part of developing reflective practice.

Indicative syllabus

• Coaching definitions: coaching, counselling, career coaching
• The epistemology of coaching: normative approaches
• Psychodynamic/person-centred theories: boundaries and the unconscious in coaching
• CBT, narrative and solution-focused approaches
• Pluralism and stage-based models of coaching
• Tools and technology in coaching
• Coaching in context
• Evaluating coaching
• Ethics and reflective practice

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

• discuss the similarities and differences between coaching, executive and career coaching and counselling and therapeutic counselling
• outline the range of tasks that coaching entails and how these differ according to clients' needs
• describe the main skills used in career coaching
• compare and contrast different types of assessment tools in coaching
• evaluate the use of technology in coaching and career coaching
• understand the impact of context on delivering coaching
• critically evaluate coaching research at different levels of analysis
• discuss some of the ethical issues in practising as a coach or career coach.