Counseling (M.A.)
Faculty
Description
The Program in Counseling offers two choices for counseling majors, and both result in a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Counseling. One is a specialization in school counseling that prepares individuals for careers as counselors in elementary and secondary schools. The program requires a minimum of 48 credits, is NCATE accredited and meets state certification requirements of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Students seeking school counselor certification in other states should consult the appropriate certification offices in those jurisdictions. The second program requires a minimum of 60 credits and prepares the student to take the examination that will allow them to become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). The LPC is authorized to do work in schools, communities, and private practice. Both programs consist of required courses, laboratory and field experiences, and a comprehensive exam. The student's program is planned in consultation with a faculty advisor; prior experiences and professional goals are considered.
Learning experiences emphasize the integration of theoretical knowledge with professional practice in a supervised setting. Attention is given to understanding ethical, multicultural, socioeconomic, and developmental issues. Graduates from Trinity's counseling degree programs are qualified to provide individual and group counseling; implement assessment and consultation services; and develop, direct, and evaluate comprehensive counseling services.
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Requirements
Required Courses (39 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School SeminarNon-credit seminar for students in their first semester of any School of Education graduate program. Information will be provided to students on general education, certification and graduation requirements. Surveys and writing samples that are data requirements for accreditation of the department will be gathered. Academic policies, APA writing style requirements and university-provided resources will be reviewed.
0 credits
COUN 538 Career and Lifestyle DevelopmentExamines theories of career development through the life span. Topics include: employment trends, career exploration and decision making, lifestyle planning, placement and career counseling programs, clients at different developmental levels in a variety of settings, and strategies that address the needs of a culturally diverse population. Students obtain hands-on experience with computer-based and other career assessment tools and sources of occupational and educational information.
3 credits
COUN 540 Principles and Theories of CounselingExamines the history, philosophy, practices, and principles of the counseling profession, including the professional roles and functions and the application to various settings, populations, and problems. Topics include current issues and trends, advocacy, ethical and legal standards, professional organizations, credentialing, and technological advances in counseling. Reviews the major affective, cognitive, and behavioral theories of counseling and psychotherapy, including historical foundations and applications. Current models of counseling are reviewed and students begin to develop a personal model of counseling. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
COUN 544 Principles and Techniques of Assessment
COUN 547 Counseling and the Group Process
COUN 550 Multicultural CounselingExplores practical and theoretical issues of counseling individuals, couples, groups, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Emphasis is on development of attitudes, values, and skills which promote effective interpersonal relations and counseling across cultures. Consideration is given to the impact of historical, social, and political forces on the behavior of the individual.
3 credits
COUN 555 Counseling Children and Adolescents
COUN 560 Techniques of CounselingProvides an introduction to specific counseling skills used by the various counseling models across the major theoretical orientations, including crisis intervention. Emphasized will be the skills and techniques that a counselor uses to establish, maintain, and terminate therapeutic relationships. Student self-awareness, values, and personal/social development are examined. Practice is gained through role-play and video/audio taping. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540
COUN 561 Principles and Practices of School Counseling
COUN 570 Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling
COUN 605 Ethical, Legal, and Professional IssuesExamines ethical and legal issues in counseling. Codes of ethics, confidentiality, and legal considerations are explored. Emphasis is on professional orientation, responsibility, and ethical decision-making. Professional credentialing and current professional issues are also studied. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COUN 540 and COUN 560
EDCC 510 Human Growth and DevelopmentReviews theory and research in human growth and development over the life span. Emphasis is given to the interdisciplinary nature of human development, particularly the relationships among the biological, cognitive, social, and psychological domains. Critical life events and their adjustments from the prenatal period through adulthood are discussed, stressing the interaction between the developing person and a continually changing world. This course contains a field component.
3 credits
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and YouthSurveys major areas of exceptionality and legislated standards for special education and related services for students with special needs. Topics include inclusive education and collaboration between special educators, regular educators, related service providers, volunteers and parents. Also individual education programs (IEP) are examined in relation to students' needs and learning styles. The field experiences and observations are integral components of this course.
3 credits
EDCC 600 Research in Education
Field Experience (9 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
COUN 631 Practicum in Counseling
COUN 640 Internship in Counseling IRequires students to work in a K-12 school setting under the supervision of both a college faculty member and a professionally credentialed practitioner in the field. Opportunities exist to apply learning and to develop skills and competencies through practical experience. On-site, classroom, individual, and group supervisory hours are required. Students must complete 300 hours of field experience for three credits in Part I of this course. Students must take Part I and Part II of the Internship, totaling 600 hours of supervised internship experience in the field. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY
Prerequisites: Completion of core courses and COUN 631. Application must be made one semester prior to enrollment.
COUN 642 Internship in Counseling IIRequires students to work in a K-12 school setting under the supervision of both a college faculty member and a professionally credentialed practitioner in the field. Opportunities exist to apply learning and to develop skills and competencies through practical experience. On-site, classroom, individual and group supervisory hours are required. Students must complete 300 hours of field experience for three credits in Part II of this course. Students must take both Part I and Part II of the Internship, totaling 600 hours of supervised internship experience in the field. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY
Prerequisites: Completion of core courses and COUN 640. Application must be made one semester prior to enrollment.
In addition, the student seeking to take the examination to be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) must take
COUN 553 Alcohol and Substance AbuseExamines various approaches to treating alcohol and substance abuse, factors which increase susceptibility, models of therapeutic intervening, referral sources, and educational and preventative strategies.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 557 Introduction to Family TherapyExplores research and techniques of family systems theory as a framework for understanding family dynamics and the methods of intervention in family therapy.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 604 Expressive Arts in CounselingThis course examines the theoretical foundation of expressive therapies andtheir applicaton in the counseling of individuals and groups. Students will be introduced to the study and practice of working with art, dreams, jouranling, music, movement, poetry, psychodrama, and play as counseling approaches. This course provides both didactic and experimental learning.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 606 Loss and Bereavement CounselingExplores models of coping for individuals in transition due to loss and bereavement. Topics include the grieving process, attitudes towards death, care of the terminally ill, ethical issues related to death and dying, and clinical issues in working with the bereaved. Emphasis is on seeing loss and death as natural functions of life and on teaching individuals to deal with critical life events.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
Course Descriptions
EDCC 510 Human Growth and DevelopmentReviews theory and research in human growth and development over the life span. Emphasis is given to the interdisciplinary nature of human development, particularly the relationships among the biological, cognitive, social, and psychological domains. Critical life events and their adjustments from the prenatal period through adulthood are discussed, stressing the interaction between the developing person and a continually changing world. This course contains a field component.
3 credits
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and YouthSurveys major areas of exceptionality and legislated standards for special education and related services for students with special needs. Topics include inclusive education and collaboration between special educators, regular educators, related service providers, volunteers and parents. Also individual education programs (IEP) are examined in relation to students' needs and learning styles. The field experiences and observations are integral components of this course.
3 credits
EDCC 600 Research in Education
EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School SeminarNon-credit seminar for students in their first semester of any School of Education graduate program. Information will be provided to students on general education, certification and graduation requirements. Surveys and writing samples that are data requirements for accreditation of the department will be gathered. Academic policies, APA writing style requirements and university-provided resources will be reviewed.
0 credits
COUN 538 Career and Lifestyle DevelopmentExamines theories of career development through the life span. Topics include: employment trends, career exploration and decision making, lifestyle planning, placement and career counseling programs, clients at different developmental levels in a variety of settings, and strategies that address the needs of a culturally diverse population. Students obtain hands-on experience with computer-based and other career assessment tools and sources of occupational and educational information.
3 credits
COUN 540 Principles and Theories of CounselingExamines the history, philosophy, practices, and principles of the counseling profession, including the professional roles and functions and the application to various settings, populations, and problems. Topics include current issues and trends, advocacy, ethical and legal standards, professional organizations, credentialing, and technological advances in counseling. Reviews the major affective, cognitive, and behavioral theories of counseling and psychotherapy, including historical foundations and applications. Current models of counseling are reviewed and students begin to develop a personal model of counseling. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
COUN 544 Principles and Techniques of Assessment
COUN 547 Counseling and the Group Process
COUN 550 Multicultural CounselingExplores practical and theoretical issues of counseling individuals, couples, groups, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Emphasis is on development of attitudes, values, and skills which promote effective interpersonal relations and counseling across cultures. Consideration is given to the impact of historical, social, and political forces on the behavior of the individual.
3 credits
COUN 553 Alcohol and Substance AbuseExamines various approaches to treating alcohol and substance abuse, factors which increase susceptibility, models of therapeutic intervening, referral sources, and educational and preventative strategies.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 555 Counseling Children and Adolescents
COUN 557 Introduction to Family TherapyExplores research and techniques of family systems theory as a framework for understanding family dynamics and the methods of intervention in family therapy.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 560 Techniques of CounselingProvides an introduction to specific counseling skills used by the various counseling models across the major theoretical orientations, including crisis intervention. Emphasized will be the skills and techniques that a counselor uses to establish, maintain, and terminate therapeutic relationships. Student self-awareness, values, and personal/social development are examined. Practice is gained through role-play and video/audio taping. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540
COUN 561 Principles and Practices of School Counseling
COUN 570 Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling
COUN 604 Expressive Arts in CounselingThis course examines the theoretical foundation of expressive therapies andtheir applicaton in the counseling of individuals and groups. Students will be introduced to the study and practice of working with art, dreams, jouranling, music, movement, poetry, psychodrama, and play as counseling approaches. This course provides both didactic and experimental learning.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 605 Ethical, Legal, and Professional IssuesExamines ethical and legal issues in counseling. Codes of ethics, confidentiality, and legal considerations are explored. Emphasis is on professional orientation, responsibility, and ethical decision-making. Professional credentialing and current professional issues are also studied. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 606 Loss and Bereavement CounselingExplores models of coping for individuals in transition due to loss and bereavement. Topics include the grieving process, attitudes towards death, care of the terminally ill, ethical issues related to death and dying, and clinical issues in working with the bereaved. Emphasis is on seeing loss and death as natural functions of life and on teaching individuals to deal with critical life events.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COUN 540 and COUN 560
COUN 631 Practicum in Counseling
COUN 640 Internship in Counseling IRequires students to work in a K-12 school setting under the supervision of both a college faculty member and a professionally credentialed practitioner in the field. Opportunities exist to apply learning and to develop skills and competencies through practical experience. On-site, classroom, individual, and group supervisory hours are required. Students must complete 300 hours of field experience for three credits in Part I of this course. Students must take Part I and Part II of the Internship, totaling 600 hours of supervised internship experience in the field. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY
Prerequisites: Completion of core courses and COUN 631. Application must be made one semester prior to enrollment.
COUN 642 Internship in Counseling IIRequires students to work in a K-12 school setting under the supervision of both a college faculty member and a professionally credentialed practitioner in the field. Opportunities exist to apply learning and to develop skills and competencies through practical experience. On-site, classroom, individual and group supervisory hours are required. Students must complete 300 hours of field experience for three credits in Part II of this course. Students must take both Part I and Part II of the Internship, totaling 600 hours of supervised internship experience in the field. A grade of B or higher is required to advance.
3 credits FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY
Prerequisites: Completion of core courses and COUN 640. Application must be made one semester prior to enrollment.
