Master of Arts Counseling Program888.992.3869

For students whose passion for counseling is geared toward a desire to work with a diverse population of clients, with emphasis on advocacy, diagnosis, and assessment. This track prepares students to provide excellence in counseling services in a variety of settings, including private practice, community agencies, managed behavioral health care organizations, hospitals, employee assistance programs and substance abuse treatment centers. The mental health counselor track will allow graduates to provide a full range of services.

The course work of the entire program prepares the student to be a general counselor first and then adds the track specific specialty instruction as a means of better preparing them for work within their area of passion and setting. All program tracks lead to meeting general requirements for counseling licensure.

For students whose passion for counseling is geared toward a desire to work with students as a school counselor. This track prepares students to provide excellence in counseling services to children in K-12 settings. School counselors assist students and their families as well as other educators. Facilitating teamwork, counseling, teaching coping skills and dealing with developmental problems are just some of the issues these professionals deal with on a daily basis.

The course work of the entire program prepares the student to be a general counselor first and then adds the track specific specialty instruction as a means of better preparing them for work within their area of passion and setting. All program tracks lead to meeting general requirements for counseling licensure.

For students whose passion for counseling is geared toward a desire to work with couples and families. This track prepares students to provide excellence in counseling services in a variety of settings, including private practice, agency, and community centers to better meet the needs facing couples and families in our society today.

The course work of the entire program prepares the student to be a general counselor first and then adds the track specific specialty instruction as a means of better preparing them for work within their area of passion and setting. All program tracks lead to meeting general requirements for counseling licensure.

For students whose passion for counseling is geared toward a desire to work with people of faith, our spiritual formation and counseling track equips graduates with the skills necessary to apply and utilize religious and spiritual counseling interventions as a means of assisting clients in their own spiritual formation. This track prepares students to provide excellence in counseling services in a variety of settings, including churches and other community settings.

The course work of the entire program prepares the student to be a general counselor first and then adds the track specific specialty instruction as a means of better preparing them for work within their area of passion and setting. All program tracks lead to meeting general requirements for counseling licensure.

This course summarizes the profession of counseling and its unique identity and contribution within the overall helping profession. Included in this review will be its history, standards, professional organizations, accreditation, credentialing, certification, and licensure. Students will also be introduced to the 8 CACREP core areas that form professional counselors in training. Ethics of the profession, including issues, legal aspects and decision-making processes will also be thoroughly covered. Special consideration will be given to ethical issues in working with diverse populations .

This course is an examination of theoretical constructs related to the development process and developmentally based behavior patterns across the entire lifespan. The course will also examine accepted theories and current research in learning theory and behavior.

This course is a critical analysis of selected classical and contemporary theories in counseling, with examination of each theory’s history, philosophy, forms of interventions and desired outcomes. Special attention will be given to unique cultural considerations as each theory is analyzed.

This course encompasses the types, uses, and basic psychometrics involved in individual and family testing and assessment. Validity, reliability, and program evaluation concepts are covered, and students are introduced to elementary statistical concepts important to test interpretation and understanding test reviews.

This course is an introduction to the history and application of family systems counseling and the broad range of family theories that have been used within the tradition of family counseling. The students will be able to identify and understand assessment techniques, intervention strategies, and resources needed to support families. Unique family characteristics, such as ethnic and cultural considerations will also be reviewed to highlight the diversity that exists within families.

This course introduces students to the development of essential listening skills for counseling effectiveness, including an in depth look at principles and procedures of individual counseling and process models. This course includes the use of required videotaped counseling interviews and role plays.

This course introduces students to group dynamics, group leadership, and group techniques as they pertain to different group therapy contexts. Dual emphasis is placed on dynamics of group behavior and practical application of group counseling.

This course combines supervision, class work, and the practical utilization and critique of individual and group counseling techniques learned in Individual Counseling. These will be demonstrated through field work, case conferences, and student videos. This course is taught using a group supervision model.

This course is an introduction to clinical diagnostic criteria and related clinical treatment planning strategies utilizing the diagnostic criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for the assessment of mental and emotional disorders.

This course is an introduction to research and its role in the field of counseling. Included in this course is a review of research literature and design considerations including sampling, surveys and statistical tests. Students must prepare an action research proposal as part of the course requirements.

This course is an examination of philosophical assumptions of multiculturalism; ethical considerations related to multiculturalism; individual, family, and group strategies with diverse populations; multicultural and pluralistic trends; identity development models; and indigenous counseling approaches.

This course covers all forms of addiction, with special attention to drug and alcohol addictions. Students will understand the basics of addictions by understanding its impact on individuals, families, and society as a whole. Common treatment philosophies and interventions for working with addicts will also be included.

This course reveals the basic principles, theories, and practices of career counseling with an emphasis on career choices over a life span. Students will gain exposure to the methods used to deliver career counseling services to individual, school, and organizational populations.

This course introduces students to the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with children and adolescents. Emphasis will be place on the role of play, art, and other creative forms of therapy to therapeutically enhance and match the needs of this distinct population.

This is an advanced theory course that offers the student an opportunity to further explore the theoretical framework and application of psychodynamic/experiential therapy. Students who attend this course will leave with a greater understanding of how to integrate psychodynamic/experiential therapy into their work with clients throughout their internship experience.

This is an advanced theory course that offers the student an opportunity to further explore the theoretical framework and application of cognitive behavioral therapy. Students who attend this course will leave with a greater understanding of how to integrate cognitive behavioral therapy into their work with clients throughout their internship experience.

This is an advanced theory course that offers the student an opportunity to further explore the theoretical framework and application of post modern brief therapies. Students who attend this course will leave with a greater understanding of how to integrate post modern brief therapies into their work with clients throughout their internship experience.

This course introduces students to current state and national school counseling program models, development, implementation, measurement and evaluation. Attention will also be placed on programming interventions and how these are coordinated within the school system. Students will be given the opportunity in this course to be a part of designing a school counseling program.

This course covers basic issues that effect student personal, social, and academic functioning within a multicultural society. Students will learn school counseling guidance skills needed for prevention and ongoing intervention in response to student issues. Special attention will be given to how school counselors collaborate with school, family, and community resources.

This course is an introduction to the profession of school counseling from K-12. The course will cover the history, philosophy and trends in school counseling. Basic understanding of the role and functions of a school counselor as a collaborator and leader will be covered. Importance will be placed on the school counselor as they interact within the school, family, and community context.

This course is a distinctly defined, post practicum, supervised curricular experience intended to enable students to refine and enhance basic counseling skills, develop more advanced counseling interventions, and integrate professional knowledge and skills appropriate to initial professional placement as a school counselor.

This course will be the concluding piece of supervised curricular experience, integrating professional knowledge, advanced clinical skill development, and interventions for school counseling.

This course focuses on consulting approaches in a multicultural environment. Students will study the nature and process of consultation with students, parents and other professionals in the school environment.

This course focuses on couple issues and their impact on families and society as a whole is explored in this course, as well as multiple theories, strategies, and preventative approaches used in working with couples in providing couple counseling. Special emphasis will be placed on issues of couple functioning as they relate to sexuality, life-cycle dynamics, family of origin and intergenerational influences, culture, socioeconomic status, and belief systems.

This course is an advanced study of systems theory and research as it applies to the family. Issues that affect the family, such as substance abuse, physical/emotional abuse, divorce and remarriage, discrimination and bias, grief and loss, and societal trends will be explored as they relate to family adjustments across the life cycle stages. Students will acquire the knowledge to assess individuals and family problems as they exist within the context of their system and be able to identify core issues and treatment strategies that are consistent with this view.

This course is designed to expose students to a variety of family education materials that will assist the student in supporting families throughout their life-cycle stages. Emphasis will be given to different types of parent education along with opportunities to participate in delivering family education material. Emphasis will also be given to preventative approaches to family dysfunction and other family related barriers. Intensive supervision and support will be provided as a part of this experience.

This course is a distinctly defined, post practicum, supervised curricular experience intended to enable students to refine and enhance basic counseling skills, develop more advanced counseling interventions, and integrate professional knowledge and skills appropriate to initial professional placement as a marriage and family counselor.

This course will be the concluding piece of supervised curricular experience integrating professional knowledge, advanced clinical skill development, and interventions, of marital, couple and family counseling.

This course focuses on consulting approaches in a multicultural environment. Students will study the nature of consultation with clients/participants and the process of consultation in school and community counseling setting.

This course is designed to be an introduction to the field of Clinical Mental Health counseling, helping students develop a general understanding of the roles of a counselor and ethical, legal, and administrative issues that counselors may encounter.

This course is designed to educate students in mental health prevention and intervention in a multicultural society with special emphasis on emergency management and crisis response.

This course is designed to further enhance students’ learning about specific issues and advocacy in mental health. Issues such as racism, discrimination, and poverty experienced by various multicultural groups will be addressed. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in advocacy projects at the local and/or national level.

A distinctly defined, post practicum, supervised curricular experience intended to enable students to refine and enhance basic counseling skills, develop more advanced counseling interventions, and integrate professional knowledge and skills appropriate to initial professional placement as a mental health counselor.

This course will be the concluding piece of supervised curricular experience, integrating professional knowledge, advanced clinical skill development, and interventions for mental health.

This course is designed to expose students to a variety of family education materials that will assist the student in supporting families throughout their life-cycle stages. Emphasis will be given to different types of parent education along with opportunities to participate in delivering family education material. Emphasis will also be given to preventative approaches to family dysfunction and other family related barriers. Intensive supervision and support will be provided as a part of this experience.

This class will provide the student with an introduction to the theoretical, conceptual and practical issues involved in the integration of faith and counseling. Students will be exposed to different models of integration through a critical analysis of the philosophical and theological framework of understanding the intersection of counseling, psychopathology, and the process of change.

This course examines the role of religion and spirituality in counseling. How to respond ethically and wisely to clients’ and their spiritual/religious concerns are discussed. The topics of healthy and unhealthy spirituality, spiritual development, spiritual/religious assessment, coping with crisis and trauma, and forgiveness will be explored. A wide variety of faith systems will be explored. Further, collaborating with clergy and other clinicians are discussed.

This course is designed to further enhance the student’s personal foundation of spiritual formation. Special attention will be given to the student’s own expression of spirituality and how that informs his/her identity as a counselor. To further solidify the process of spiritual formation, students will participate in a cross-cultural experience that will serve a marginalized people group.

A distinctly defined, post practicum, supervised curricular experience intended to enable students to refine and enhance basic counseling skills, develop more advanced counseling interventions, and integrate professional knowledge and skills appropriate to initial professional placement as a mental health counselor.

This course will be the concluding piece of supervised curricular experience, integrating professional knowledge, advanced clinical skill development, and interventions for mental health.

This course focuses on consulting approaches in a multicultural environment. Students will study the nature of consultation with clients/participants and the process of consultation in pastoral counseling settings.