Counseling (M.A.)
The curriculum for the Master of Arts in Counseling is designed as a developmental model where students begin as novice counselors and progress to become professional counselors by advancing through the program. There is a core set of courses taken by all students (30 credits) and an additional set of courses for each specific track.
Degree Tracks
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Track
School Counseling Track
Program Learning Outcomes
- To provide students with the specific knowledge and skills required of clinical mental health counselors, school counselors, or marriage, couple and family counselors as delineated by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
- To prepare students to understand, evaluate and engage in scholarship related to the field of counseling.
- To prepare students to meet the educational requirements for state licensure as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or as a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), or for certification as an elementary and secondary school counselor.
- To provide the knowledge and skills that enables students to incorporate faith, religion, and spirituality into counseling, and understand how Christian faith connects with the counseling profession.
- To guide students toward an ethical practice of counseling that is grounded in professional and spiritual values.
- To help a diverse student body become self-reflective leaders who understand and address how issues of discrimination, privilege and oppression impact the practice and policies of counseling in a multicultural society.
Degree Requirements (60 credits)
Program Core Requirements (30 credits)
| COUN 501 | Professional Issues and Ethics for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 510 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
| COUN 511 | MultiCultural Issues for Counseling Professionals | 3 |
| COUN 520 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| COUN 528 | Career Counseling Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 532 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 537 | Spiritual Formation and Faith Based Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 540 | Counseling Techniques | 3 |
| COUN 541 | Assessment Techniques for Individuals, Couples, and Families | 3 |
| COUN 545 | Research Design & Statistics | 3 |
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track (30 credits)
Meets the standards for accreditation under the Council of Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and prepares you to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania as well as many other states.
| COUN 507 | Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 523 | Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 524 | Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 543 | Substance Abuse/Addiction and Families | 3 |
| COUN 550 | Crisis, Trauma, and Grief Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 570 | Evidence Based Treatment of Psychopathology | 3 |
| COUN 580 | Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| COUN 581 | Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship I | 3 |
| COUN 582 | Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship II | 3 |
Three credits from the following:
| COUN 539 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| COUN 522/EDME 522 | Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3 |
| COUN 514 | Counseling Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| COUN 548 | Advanced Techniques: Anger, Ostracism, Forgiveness and Reconciliation | 3 |
| COUN 552 | Trauma Counseling: Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
Completion of the National Counselor Exam, Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam, or National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam. Students must also attend a professional conference.
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Track (30 credits)
Meets the standards for accreditation under the Council of Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and academically prepares you to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Pennsylvania as well as many other states.
| COUN 509 | Foundations of Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 523 | Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 530 | Contemporary and Integrative Theories of Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 531 | Premarital and Marital Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 539 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| COUN 543 | Substance Abuse/Addiction and Families | 3 |
| COUN 573 | Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Skills and Practice | 3 |
| COUN 587 | Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| COUN 588 | Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Internship I | 3 |
| COUN 589 | Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Internship II | 3 |
Completion of the National Counselor Exam, Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam, or National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam. Students must also attend a professional conference.
School Counseling Track (30 credits)
Meets the regulations set forth in the Pennsylvania Code and the Council of Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The program prepares you to become a certified school counselor in Pennsylvania as well as many other states.
| COUN 508 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 525 | Effective Practices of School Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 526 | Organization and Administration of School Counseling Programs | 3 |
| COUN 551/EDME 551 | Effective Practices for Every Learner | 3 |
| COUN 583 | School Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| COUN 584 | Elementary School Counseling Internship | 3 |
| COUN 585 | Secondary School Counseling Internship | 3 |
| Three elective courses with advisor approval | 9 |
Completion of the Praxis II, National Counselor Exam or Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam