Master of Guidance and School Counseling

5311 Lifespan, Development, and Human Sexuality. 

Examination of the stages of normal human growth and development as they occur in the context of the family life cycle. Consideration will be given to how the various tasks, transitions, and events impact individuals and families at different stages of life. Human intellectual, physical, social, sexuality, and emotional development from prenatal origins through adulthood will be examined. Students will integrate a linear individual perspective to human development with a systemic family perspective.

5314 Assessment of Individuals and Families. 

Examination of the major individual, marital, and family assessment strategies and instruments. Students will receive training in the use of both testing and non-testing approaches to assessment and appraisal. Attention will be given to the relationship between assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.

5322 Research and Program Development. 

Introduction to the important concepts related to research and program development within the counseling profession. Students will learn common research designs, how to construct research questions, develop a literature review, and information on program evaluation. Current published research will be used to examine different paradigms, research methods, statistics, procedures, and findings. Students will develop research questions and learn how to write literature reviews for topics related to the counseling profession while considering ethical and legal principles. Student will learn how to conduct, interpret, and report research results in culturally and developmentally appropriate ways.

5340 Professional Issues, Ethics, and Law. 

Focuses on the development of a professional attitude and identity as a marriage and family therapist and a professional counselor. Areas of consideration will include professional socialization, the role of professional organizations, licensure and certification, legal responsibilities and 250 liabilities of clinical practice and research, family law, confidentiality issues, codes of ethics, the role of the therapist in court proceedings, and inter professional cooperation.

5343 Introduction to School Counseling. 

Foundations of the profession of school counseling. Includes examination of the philosophy, history, and current trends in school counseling and in education, as well as investigations of the concepts of developmental counseling programs for Pre-K-12 students and the ASCA national model and standards for school counseling programs. Special attention given to childhood mental health and behavioral disorders from the DSM-5.

5360 Counseling Theory and Practice. 

Examination of the major theories and models of counseling. Ethical and culturally relevant issues of in-person and technology-assisted relationships and the impact of technology on counseling is examined. Students expected to develop a coherent theoretical rationale for their therapeutic interventions.

5361 Techniques of Individual and Family Counseling. 

Introduction to the skills involved in developing effective helping relationships. The processes, principles, and techniques associated with counseling are 251 explored. Experiential component fosters the development of basic interviewing, listening, and counseling skills. Additional techniques and resources are reviewed and evaluated.

5362 Career Counseling. 

Reviews concepts, issues, and trends in the field of career counseling and career education. It is designed to consider the role of the counselor in the career decision-making process of individuals across the lifespan. Consideration will be given to the relationships between work, career development, and family functioning.

5363 Group Counseling. 

Study of theoretical foundations of group counseling and group work. Emphasis on dynamics associated with group process and development. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for designing and facilitating groups. Students are provided direct experiences to participate as group members and leaders in small group activities.

5366 Crisis/Trauma Counseling. 

Study and Practice in understanding crisis theory and crisis-induced dysfunctional behavior, trauma, crisis situations, and crisis/emergency intervention approaches. These interventions will help clients, students, and personnel in emotional crises return to a state of cognitive, affective, and behavioral equilibrium and functional coping. This includes addressing suicide, abuse, traumatic situations, and disasters. This course will cover therapeutic approaches that address intervention in ongoing abuse, crisis intervention, as well as healing in the aftermath of abuse, crisis, and trauma.

5383 Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families. 

Intensive overview of therapeutic strategies for working with children, adolescents and their families. Students will learn about the historical context, current research about issues related to this population, and ethical and legal considerations. Consideration will be given to developmental psychopathology. Techniques and strategies from Adlerian, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and systemic approaches will be presented.

5394 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum. 

Integration of didactic and clinical material in the supervised practice of individual, group, marital, and family therapy. Weekly group and/or individual supervision sessions are included. Comprehensive, written examination for a graduate degree. To be taken during the last semester.