Counseling - Bachelor of Science (30 Credits)
(30 credits plus 19 credits of experiential learning)
The professional major in Counseling is designed to prepare students at the undergraduate level for work in counseling settings or for further graduate education leading to a career as a counselor. It prepares students for entry-level positions in a number of human services settings where counseling skills are necessary. It is also designed to prepare students for entry into a professional master's degree program in Counseling Psychology and/or the dual-degree programs in Counseling Psychology or Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Students will complete over 400 hours in the field. Optional specializations: Expressive Arts Therapy; Holistic Psychology.
To successfully meet the requirements of the Counseling major, students will:
- utilize theories of human behavior in assessing clinical problems and in developing appropriate skills and interventions.
- be able to apply multi-cultural and global perspectives in their approach to counseling practice.
- demonstrate an understanding of psychological development across the range of human experience.
- critically assess and utilize social science research to further their development as counseling professionals.
- engage in behaviors and practices which conform to professional values, ethics, and standards.
Academic & Professional Standards of the Counseling Major
The Department of Psychology & Applied Therapies understands the commitment to self-awareness and self-management that comes with development as a helping professional. Students’ capacity to engage with empathic understanding of self and other is of great importance for successful completion of the internship courses and many other aspects of the program. Due to the applied nature of our graduates’ work in the field, students’ understanding of areas for growth and their own commitment to work on both personal challenges and professional competencies is essential to moving forward in the major.
Department pedagogy is substantially based on students’ attendance and participation with the course materials, in activities that require consistent collaboration with others, which itself is based in the ability to take other’s perspectives and present one’s own opinions respectfully.
Below are listed other specific competencies and professional behaviors that students will be assessed on as they progress through their program of study. Students will be given feedback when issues arise related to these competencies and allowed an opportunity to improve on suggested areas in order to assist them to successfully complete their chosen major. Students failing to reach benchmarked academic standards and professional competencies over time will enter the Department's academic review process. For more specific descriptions of these competencies and the academic review process, please see Department Manual.
Professional Standards Competencies
A student’s ability to function effectively within the context of helping relationships will be continually assessed by the faculty. Among the competencies that will be evaluated, in accordance with a student’s experience, are:
- Appropriate work comportment including: attendance; punctuality; sound judgment; quality of work; ability to take initiative; attitude, knowledge or application of agency policy;
- Understanding of, and sensitivity to, the power dynamic in the worker/client relationship and the impact of class, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, race, religion/spirituality, and sexual orientation;
- Awareness of how one’s own biases will affect one’s understanding of and regard for another;
- Capacity to be a participant and observer in one’s helping relationships with others;
- Recognition of and ability to deal with issues relating to how one’s own feelings may impact work with clients, agency personnel, and supervisors;
- Ability to interview/converse with clients in order to assess their social and emotional needs;
- Ability to use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills;
- The ability to maintain appropriate and ethically required boundaries, which includes but is not limited to dual relationships, sexual conduct with clients or staff and sexual harassment;
- The appropriate use of self-disclosures;
- Awareness of the scope and limits of one’s expertise, including but not limited to identification as interns;
- Understanding of an ability to adapt treatment plans to meet the needs of diverse clinical populations;
- Understanding of and ability to discuss ethical issues as they arise.
Degree Requirements
I. Required Core (21 Credits):
Minimum grade of "C" in
CSOCS 3444 and
CPSYC 4881 required to complete the major.
Recommended course for general education outcomes,
CMATH 1522 Introduction to Statistics, should be taken prior to
CSOCS 3444 Research Methods in the Social Sciences.
II. Counseling Electives (6 Credits):
Choose TWO (One choice must be at the 3000-level or above). At least one CPSYC prefix course is required. Classes at the 3000 level and beyond are suggested for students with 60 credits or more.
III. Psychology Choice (3 Credits):
Any course with a CPSYC prefix.
IV. Required Internship Sequence Coursework
| CPSYC 1551 | Foundations and Systems in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CPSYC 2551 | Concepts & Skills in Professional Practice | 4 |
| CCOUN 3601 | Counseling Internship and Seminar I | 6 |
| CCOUN 4601 | Counseling Internship and Seminar II | 6 |
Minimum grade requirement of "C" for all internship courses above.