Holistic Psychology and Wellness - Bachelor of Arts (30 Credits)
(30 credits plus 13 credits of professional / experiential learning)
The liberal arts major in Holistic Psychology and Wellness is designed to offer students a foundation in the study of psychology from a holistic perspective. Grounded in the concept that mind, body, and spirit are integrally connected, and in cross-cultural perspectives, students gain an understanding of topics in psychology including methodology, states of consciousness, perception, cognition, and identity. This major prepares students for entry-level positions in a number of human services settings where counseling and/or art therapy or expressive arts therapy skills are necessary. It is also designed to prepare students for entry into master's programs in Psychology or Counseling.
Students choose one of the following tracks: Counseling; Art Therapy; or Expressive Arts Therapy.
Honors level students may wish to consider the Accelerated Master's program in Mindfulness Studies.
To successfully meet the requirements of the Holistic Psychology and Wellness major, students will:
• demonstrate the ability to utilize theories of Holistic Psychology in order to understand the ways that mind, body and spirit are integrally connected.
• develop the capacity to utilize cross cultural and global perspectives to understand psychological well-being and distress.
• meet pre-professional competencies in holistic practices, such as yoga, mindfulness, and somatic healing through coursework and internship experience.
• be able to utilize, critically assess, and apply traditional approaches to psychological research to the practices within the field of Holistic Psychology.
Academic & Professional Standards of the Holistic Psychology & Wellness 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 (24 Credits):
There is a minimum grade requirement of "C" in both
CSOCS 3444 and
CPSYC 4451 to complete the major.
Recommended General Education outcomes course,
CMATH 1522 Introduction to Statistics, should be taken prior to
CSOCS 3444 Research Methods in the Social Sciences.
II. Mind (3 Credits) Choose ONE:
Note: Students planning on going to graduate school in psychology should take both these courses.
III. Body Focus (3 Credits):
Students with 60 or more credits may access graduate level classes (GEXTH) depending on their availability.
IV. Spirit Focus (3 Credits):
Students with 60 or more credits may access graduate level classes (GEXTH) depending on their availability.
V. Required Internship Sequence Coursework (7 Credits):
| CPSYC 1551 | Foundations and Systems in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CPSYC 2551 | Concepts & Skills in Professional Practice | 4 |
There is a minimum grade requirement of "C" in both of these internship courses required to complete the major.
VI. Choose ONE of the following tracks (each track includes a 6-credit internship):
Counseling Track:
There is a minimum grade requirement of "C" in
CCOUN 3601 to complete the major.
Art Therapy Track:
There is a minimum grade requirement of "C" in
CARTH 3501 to complete the major.
Expressive Arts Therapy Track:
| CEXTH 2623 | Principles of Expressive Arts Therapy | 3 |
| CEXTH 3801 | Expressive Arts Therapy Internship and Seminar I | 6 |
There is a minimum grade requirement of "C" in
CEXTH 3801 to complete the major.