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PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Description of Program Objectives
The Counseling and Educational Psychology unit offer Masters Degrees in School Counseling Mental Health Counseling,
and Human Services with an emphasis in Community Agencies or in student
personnel services in higher education. It also offers other certification and
endorsement programs in school and mental health counseling. These programs are appropriate for counseling
and human services work in community agencies, school systems, private practice, business settings, and college settings as well as other non-profit programs. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits the programs in School Counseling and Mental Health Counseling.
The overall philosophy of the Counseling and Educational Psychology program is to prepare master's level counselors
and human service professionals with academic, professional, and personal credentials to perform effectively in their anticipated work setting. Individual, systems, and integrated training are emphasized with a focus on research supported skills shown to be essential in effective counseling
and human services work.
Current objectives of the programs are reflected in the core requirements as dictated by national accreditation standards, state standards, and licensure requirements. Through coursework, clinical experiences, and successful completion of the comprehensive examination, students are expected to satisfy overall program objectives and specific course objectives. Students should be prepared to meet course objectives and attend classes as scheduled.
In addition, students must have access to computer technology in order to participate in on-line coursework and communication within the program.
Overall Objectives:
To acquire a theoretical knowledge base from which individual counseling styles can be derived
and human service work can be based.
To become aware of ethical and legal issues concerning counselors and human
services workers.
To develop basic and advanced individual counseling skills.
To become an effective group facilitator.
To develop an awareness and respect of cultural differences, and be able to apply this to the counseling profession.
To experience personal growth and a heightened sense of self-awareness.
To understand research and evaluation procedures.
To learn effective professional communication skills.
Specific Objectives
(Pertinent to the school and metal health counseling programs as outlined by
CACREP standards.)
Professional Identity
History and philosophy, including significant factors and events
Professional roles and relationships with other human service providers
Technological competence and computer literacy
Professional organizations, primarily ACA
Public and private policy processes, including role of counselor in advocacy
Certification/licensure/credentialing
Ethics
Social and Cultural Diversity
Multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns between and within diverse groups
Attitudes, beliefs, understandings and acculturative experiences, including specific experiential learning activities
Individual, couple, family, group and community strategies for working with diverse populations and ethnic groups
Counselor’s role in social justice, advocacy, and conflict resolution
Theories of multicultural counseling
and identity development
Legal and ethical issues
Human Growth and Development
Theories of individual and family
development and transitions across life-span
Theories of learning and personality development
Situational and environmental factors
that affect human behavior
Strategies for facilitating optimum
development over the life-span
Ethical and legal considerations
Career Counseling
- Career development theories and decision-making models
- Labor market information resources and electronic career information
- Career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation
- Interrelationships among work, family, and other life roles and
factors, including the role of diversity and gender in career development
- Career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation
- Assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making
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Technology-based career
development applications and strategies,
including computer-assisted career guidance and information systems and appropriate world-wide sites
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Career counseling processes, techniques, and resources
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Ethical and
legal considerations
Helping Relationships
- Characteristics and behaviors that influence the helping process
- Understanding of basic interventions and counseling skills
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Awareness of different counseling
theories in order to develop a consistent model
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Systems perspective
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Framework for practicing
consultation
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Technological strategies
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Ethical and legal
considerations
Group Counseling
Principles of group dynamics
Group leadership styles and characteristics
Theories of group counseling
Group counseling methods
Types of groups
Ethical and legal considerations
Assessment
Historical perspectives
Concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing as well as other assessment techniques
Statistical concepts
Reliability and validity information
Factors relating to assessment
Selecting, administering and interpreting assessment instruments
Methods of case conceptualization and diagnosis
Ethical and legal issues
Research
Importance of conducting research
Methods
Technology and statistical methods
Role of research in program modification
Using research to improve counseling effectiveness
Ethical and legal considerations
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