Master of Arts in Counseling

Skip to Progression Summary

The educational experience in the counseling program is focused toward meeting the following goals. Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be expected to:

Understand the essential elements of the counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy professions and the distinctive contributions of human- services professions related in meeting the needs of the various client populations.
Understand the principles of effective counseling or therapy and the processes of bringing about positive change within the counseling setting.
Demonstrate an understanding of theories, skills, techniques, and philosophical foundations of clinical counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy.
Demonstrate the competencies necessary to work in a professional capacity with a broad range of client populations and client problems.
Understand the characteristics of various social, cultural, and ethnic groups and the impact these characteristics have on the counselor and the counseling profession.
Understand the responsibilities inherent in the roles and functions of the professional counselor and the social, legal, and moral obligations created by the professional counseling relationship.
Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with human service professionals from a variety of human service disciplines (psychology, psychiatry, social work, pastoral counseling, etc.)
Demonstrate the skills required for effective client evaluation and assessment, treatment planning, implementation of appropriate counseling strategies and techniques, and follow-up.

Progress Through the Program
How to Graduate

The Master's programs in the Counseling Department have six administrative steps to monitor your progress through the program. If you follow these six steps, you should be able to complete your degree in a timely manner:

1. Admission
2. Degree Plan
3. Candidacy
4. Internship
5. Comprehensive Exam
6. Graduation

The following table summarizes what has to be done for each step (Necessary elements), when that action needs to be done (When due), and how you will knowthat you have successfully completed each step (End product).

BENCHMARKS OF STUDENT PROGRESS
M.A. IN COUNSELING, ALL SPECIALIZATIONS

Event	Necessary elements	When Due	End product
Admission	Application GRE scores, undergraduate transcripts, references	At beginning	Acceptance letter from Graduate Dean
Degree Plan	Acceptance into program	Before completion of first semester	Degree Plan on file w/ Graduate Advisor
Candidacy	12 graduate credits Completion of CN 6354 & CN 6357 (Community) or CN 7372 (MFT) Completion of all prerequisites (3000 courses at 4 yr. univ) Regular admission status (Change of Status form if admitted Conditionally) Maintained B average Application for candidacy 2+ Student Fitness Evaluations	After completion of 12 graduate hours	Graduate Council action noted on application, in file
Internship	Application for internship Completion of courses: Community: 30 hours, including CN 6150/ 6253, 6352, 6354, 6355, 6357, 7301, 7302, 7351 MFT: CN 6370, CN 7372, CN 7371, CN 7374 Admission to Candidacy	Application due the semester before you intend to start Internship	Enrollment in Internship
Comprehensive Exams	Cumulative GPA equal to or greater than 3.0 Completed all prerequisites Completed all course work, exclusive of Internships Comp Exam application Attend Pre-Comp meeting	Application due before the end of the semester prior to Comps	Letter stating results
Graduation	Application for Graduation Graduate Application for Degree	Due during the semester prior to graduation	Graduation List

NOTES:
Students should be familiar with specific policies regarding student progress through the degree detailed in the Graduate Handbook and the Departmental Student Handbook.
Consult departmental calendar published each semester for exact dates.