Graduate Education in the Department of Counselor Education

COUN 501. Evaluation and Assessment. 3 Credits.

Introduction to individual, couple, family, group and environmental/community approaches to assessment and evaluation. Topics include the history and purpose of evaluation instruments used by counseling professionals; asic descriptive and inferential statistics, validity, reliability, and measurement concepts; relevant social and cultural contexts in assessment; and principles and ethics of diagnosis and formal and informal assessments. An overview is also provided to intelligence, aptitude, interest, achievement, personality, and cognitive status.

COUN 502. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues. 3 Credits.

Overview of professional counseling including codes of ethics, legal considerations, standards of preparation, certifications and licensing, role identity of counselors, self-care strategies appropriate to the counselor role, and goals and objectives of counseling organizations. The role of counselors in promoting the welfare of all clients, by emphasizing the inherent dignity, worth, and equality of all persons will be emphasized. The primary focus of the course will be on the legal, ethical, and professional issues for counselors. The course is designed to teach the process of decision-making guided by ethics and social responsibility.

COUN 503. Human Relations Methods and Skills. 3 Credits.

Provides students with cognitive, behavioral and affective training. The objectives of this training are to develop the essential interviewing and counseling skills needed to communicate and maintain essential dimensions of the helping relationship and to explore and clarify client concerns. Students will gain awareness of the invitational, processing, personalization, and conceptualization skills, inaddition to an understanding of counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence the helping process. Procedures include activities designed to help students conceptualize a systemic framework for the counseling process with an understanding of strategies conducive to promoting dignity of all persons utilizing a wellness and prevention orientation.

COUN 504. Group Counseling. 3 Credits.

Provides students with the information necessary to understand the development of effective group facilitation skills and knowledge of organizing, implementing, and evaluating groups. Theoretical and experiential understanding of group dynamics will be addressed including group process components, developmental stages, group member roles and behaviors, and therapeutic factors. Students will have an opportunity to develop an understanding of group dynamics unique to each of the 4 group specialties: task groups, psycho-educational (classroom guidance groups), counseling groups, and therapy groups. The value of diverse persons and differing ideas in group work will beilluminated. Students will gain direct experience by participating in a minimum of 10 clock hours of small group activity approved by the program.

COUN 505. Theories of Counseling. 3 Credits.

Overview of the major theories of counseling and personality that provide models to conceptualize client presentation and to select appropriate counseling interventions. Exposure to models of counseling that are consistent with current professional research and practice in the field will be presented to assist in the development of a personal model of counseling. Personal assumptions regarding human nature and behaviors are examined along with some specific therapeutic styles and techniques. Students will develop an understanding of multidisciplinary immediate, intermediate, and long term responses to crisis, emergencies, and disasters, including the use of psychological first aid strategies.

COUN 506. Human Development. 3 Credits.

Addresses major theories of human development across the lifespan, including learning and personality development, and understandings of neurobiological behavior. It is designed to examine human development issues from a multicultural perspective with attention to individual, cultural, and community resilience. The course addresses the cognitive, socio-emotional, spiritual, and physical nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels, in addition to strategies for facilitatingoptimum development and wellness over the lifespan. Tasks related to normal development, prevention, early intervention, and counseling are addressed along with an understanding of developmental crises, disability, psychopathology, and situational and environmental factors that affect behavior. Issues of family development and transitions are addressed from a systemic perspective.

COUN 507. Career Counseling. 3 Credits.

Factors contributing to career development that must be considered by counselors as they assist clients with career planning and decision-making process will be addressed. Career development theories, guidance models, and strategies for various client groups will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the interrelationship between and among work, family, and other life roles, including the impact of multicultural issues in career development. Assessment instruments and techniques relevant to career planning and decision-making will be presented. Studentswill have an opportunity to gain awareness of the counseling skills necessary to address personal issues that emerge in career life.

COUN 508. Family Systems. 3 Credits.

Provides analysis of the theory and research in marriage and family interaction and communication patterns. Conceptualization of family dynamics is accomplished through integration of systems theory, the developmental stages of family life, healthy family functioning, family structures, family of origin and intergenerational influences, and the interaction of the family in a multicultural society.Students will gain an understanding of specific problems and interventions that can enhance family functioning and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of disasters on families.

COUN 509. Individual, Marital, and Family Psychopathology and Psychotherapy. 3 Credits.

Overview of theory, research and practice related to the diagnosis and treatment of individual, marital and family psychopathology. Specific attention is paid to understanding interlocking pathology. The diagnostic categories of the DSM-5 are examined as well as physiological, behavioral, social, cognitive and systems perspectives of dysfunction. Patterns of dysfunctional and functional individual, marital, sexual and family behaviors and interactions are assessed and analyzed through an examination of theories, case studies, research, applied literature and specific therapeutic techniques.

COUN 510. Marriage and Relationship Counseling. 3 Credits.

Provides an understanding of the coupling process including dimensions of communication, developmental sequences and family of origin issues, intimacy, sexuality, and marital conflicts. Treatment planning and therapeutic strategies are emphasized.

COUN 511. Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Seminar. 3 Credits.

Introduces students specializing in the practice of marriage, couple, and family counseling to thehistory and philosophy, professional organizations, competencies, preparation standards, credentials, pertinent legal issues and professional trends in the field. Students will develop an understanding of the role of marriage, couple, and family counselors within the emergency management system of the practice site and community. The therapist’s role will be explored within the framework of legal and community systems and will also address the therapist’s role related to divorce, child custody, mediation, and domestic violence.

COUN 512. Understanding Religious and Spiritual Themes in Counseling. 3 Credits.

This course is intended to provide a broad and foundational understanding of how psychospiritual themes manifest in counseling. The course will cover how themes including suffering, the self, change, and flourishing are encountered in a variety of spiritual and religious traditions and within counseling relationships. Students will learn and apply a pluralistic framework where cross comparison of perspectives is encouraged through a spirit of dialogue and where spiritual and religious differences are respected and celebrated.

COUN 513. Multicultural Counseling and Psychosocial Therapy. 3 Credits.

Addresses multicultural issues e.g., ethnicity, religion, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family influences, on the provision of counseling services. This course is designed to evaluate pluralistic trends including, societal, human roles, subgroups, norms, diversity of lifestyle, and communication patterns. The course also emphasizes the examination of personal and institutional prejudice, bias, oppression, and discrimination as well as psychosocial theories of multicultural counseling and identity development. Students will develop and increase personal awareness of cultural issues and professional multicultural counseling competencies as well as gain insight into one’s own assumptions, values, beliefs, and expectations about self and others as a means of working more effectively with diverse populations. Students will understand the counselor’s role in promoting social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, and other culturally supported behaviors that promote optimal growth of the human spirit, mind and body.

COUN 514. Sexuality Counseling. 3 Credits.

Explores the biopsychosocial aspects of human sexuality and the impact on family and couple functioning. Healthy sexual functioning is reviewed as well as the assessment and treatment of sexuality dysfunctions and disorders. Students will address personal attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding sexuality and will consider appropriate assessment and treatment strategies based on the role of relational structure, age, gender, physical status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Ethical and legal considerations regarding the client-therapist relationship will also be discussed.

COUN 515. Statistical Analysis and Research Design. 3 Credits.

Overview of basic statistical concepts and elements of research design that students will utilize to evaluate and design studies in counseling that inform evidence-based practice and lead to the advancement of the counseling profession. The course will cover specific research methods including qualitative, quantitative, single-case designs, action research, and outcome-based research. Students will learn which statistical analysis is associated with each type of design and be exposed to some of the problems with statistical hypothesis testing. Students will learn principles, models, and applications of needs assessment, program evaluation, and the use of findings to effect program modifications using ethical and culturally relevant strategies for interpreting and reporting the results of research and/or program evaluation studies.

COUN 516. Addictions Counseling. 3 Credits.

This course is an overview of the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs. In addition, the course explores theories, etiology, and diagnosis of addictions and addictive behavior including strategies for prevention, referral, intervention, and treatment.

COUN 517. Practicum in Counselor Education. 3 Credits.

This course provides practical experience in schools, community mental-health agencies, hospitals, private practice settings and other mental-health related settings for counselor education students. This course is designed to enhance the counseling skills and conceptualization processes acquired through direct counseling experience, supervision and classroom interaction. Students must complete 200 hours of which 40 hours are direct client contact. The remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by counselors in schools and other mental health and marriage and family agencies. Prerequisites: COUN 501, COUN 502, COUN 503, COUN 504, COUN 505, COUN 506, COUN 508, COUN 509, COUN 513, and COUN 515.

COUN 518. Internship I in Counseling. 3 Credits.

Internship I: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Clinical Mental Health Counseling Supervised fieldwork in counseling. Internship is a multi-dimensional course including a counseling field experience on site at an agency or institution and an ongoing Analysis of Practice Seminar. The Seminar consists of two parts: supervision and analysis of on-site practice and a professional seminar. Students must complete 300 hours of which 120 hours are direct client contact; the remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by mental health counselors. Internship I: Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Supervised field work in counseling. Internship is a multi-dimensional course including a counseling field experience on site at an agency or institution and an ongoing Analysis of Practice Seminar. The Seminar consists of two parts: supervision and analysis of on-site practice and a professional seminar. Students must complete 300 hours of which 120 hours are direct client contact. The remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by marriage and family counselors. Students completing a dual major in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling must complete a total of 400 hours, of which 120 are direct client hours.Prerequisites: COUN 501, COUN 502, COUN 503, COUN 504, COUN 505, COUN 506, COUN 508, COUN 509, COUN 513, and COUN 515.

COUN 519. Internship II in Counseling. 3 Credits.

Internship II: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Clinical Mental Health Counseling Supervised fieldwork in counseling. Internship is a multi-dimensional course including a counseling field experience on site at an agency or institution and an ongoing Analysis of Practice Seminar. The Seminar consists of two parts: supervision and analysis of on-site practice and a professional seminar. Students must complete 300 hours of which 120 are direct client contact; the remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by mental health counselors. Internship II: Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Supervised field work in counseling. Internship is a multi-dimensional course including a counseling field experience on site at an agency or institution and an ongoing Analysis of Practice Seminar. The Seminar consists of two parts: supervision and analysis of on-site practice and a professional seminar. Students must complete 300 hours of which 120 are direct client contact. The remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by marriage and family counselors. Students completing a dual major in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling must complete a total of 400 hours, of which 120 are direct client hours.Prerequisites: COUN 501, COUN 502, COUN 503, COUN 504, COUN 505, COUN 506, COUN 508, COUN 509, COUN 513, COUN 515, COUN 517, and COUN 518.

COUN 520. Internship in Counseling. 3 Credits.

Internship in Counseling is required for students completing a dual major in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling. Internship is a multi-dimensional course including a counseling field experience on site at an agency or institution and an ongoing Analysis of Practice Seminar. The Seminar consists of two parts: supervision and analysis of on-site practice and a professional seminar. Students must complete 400 hours with 200 hours in each specialty area (200 hours in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and 200 hours in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling). Of the total 400 hours, 120 hours (60 hours in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and 60 hours in Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling are direct client contact. The remaining hours are comprised of a variety of activities conducted by mental health counselors, and marriage, couple and family counselors. Prerequisites: COUN 501, COUN 502, COUN 503, COUN 505, COUN 506, COUN 507, COUN 508, COUN 509, COUN 510, COUN 513, COUN 514, COUN 515, COUN 516, COUN 517, COUN 518, COUN 519, COUN 521, COUN 522, COUN 525, COUN 526, COUN 534.

COUN 521. Counseling Children and Adolescents. 3 Credits.

Overview of theories and research pertinent to counseling children and adolescents. Factors that promote and hinder healthy human development will be studied. Students will be provided with information regarding assessment, counseling process, and evaluation process unique to working with children and adolescents. Multicultural dynamics will be addressed. Procedures include activities designed to help students conceptualize an ecosystemic framework for the counseling process.

COUN 522. Foundations of School Counseling. 3 Credits.

Provides information about the structure, administration and organization of counseling programs in schools and agencies. It contains an overview of the historical and professional issues in the field along with professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers including strategies for collaboration and communication. Students will examine counselor’s roles and responsibilities as members of an interdisciplinary Emergency management response teamduring local, regional, or national crisis, emergency, or disaster.

COUN 523. Clinical Experience Completion. 1 Credit.

Students who are unable to complete Practicum or Internship required clinical hours within the time limitations of the semester are responsible for initiating and working out an arrangement with the professor prior to the end of the term in order to receive an incomplete for the course. Students will be required to register and pay for this one (1) credit Clinical Experience Completion course the following semester and complete all required hours. An agreed upon plan for completion must be submitted in writing identifying a date when work will be completed. If the clinical hour requirements are not resolved by the end of the following semester, the grade for the Practicum or Internship course will turn into an “F,” however, the length of time a student has to complete the required clinical hours can be extended with instructor approval. The Clinical Experience Completion Course applies only to Practicum and Internship courses.

COUN 524. Consultation. 3 Credits.

An overview of theories of consultation as well as methods and techniques of consultation with parents, teachers, administrators and business leaders. Understanding of multicultural dynamics and valuing diversity is emphasized. Opportunities that teach students about the continuing need for personal and professional growth are offered.

COUN 525. Advanced Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy, Techniques and Treatment Planning. 3 Credits.

Advanced analysis of individual and family systems theory, research in individual, marriage, couple, and family counseling literature, and the study of current trends in the counseling field. The course emphasizes the application of these elements to case conceptualization, clinical assessment, treatment planning and progress note construction. Students will receive feedback on documentation skills as well as skills demonstrated in simulated counseling sessions.

COUN 526. Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 3 Credits.

Examines the historical, philosophical, societal, cultural, economic and political dimensions of clinical mental health counseling. Professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers, including strategies for interagency collaboration and communications, will beexplored within structures and operations of professional organizations. Attention is given to the implications of professional issues unique to mental health counselors including recognition, reimbursement, right to practice, core provider status, practice privileges within managed care systems and expert witness status. Socio-cultural, demographic and life style diversity relevant to clinical mental health counseling will also be addressed. The course will address counselor’s roles and responsibilities as members of an interdisciplinary emergency management response team during local, regional, or national crisis, emergency, or disaster.

COUN 527. Counseling in a Community Setting. 3 Credits.

Explores typical client characteristics of communities served by a wide spectrum of institutions and agencies that offer counseling services in diverse communities. Models, methods, and principles of program development and service delivery based on human and organizational development assumptions will be emphasized. Students will develop a knowledge and skills base that will include, but not be limited to, prevention models, implementation of support groups, peer facilitation training, parent education, career information and counseling services and encouragement of self-help for clients. Students will develop skills and effective strategies for client advocacy in publicpolicy, consultation, outreach and promotion of community mental health while focusing on culturally diverse populations.

COUN 528. Contemporary Issues in School Counseling I. 3 Credits.

Provides school counselors with information on topics that are current and relevant in the field of school counseling. Emphasis on the importance of assessment and organization and the opportunity for students and practicing counselors to study and evaluate what activities school counselors are currently engaged in and consideration of strategies to deal with students, families, and the larger school system. At the conclusion of this course, participants will understand themyriad of services available in schools not as separate tools to use with categories of students, but as a whole to help ensure an excellent education for all students whether they are categorized as regular students or students with diverse or special needs.

COUN 529. Contemporary Issues in School Counseling II. 3 Credits.

Enables school counselors to engage in strategic planning to improve the developmental comprehensive school counseling program. Emphasis is placed on the practical application of planning skills to assess, evaluate, and improve the functioning of the comprehensive school counseling program in order to meet the needs of students in elementary, middle, and high schools. Issues such as ESE and the IEP process, course scheduling, and managing time constraints will beexamined. Students will also become more familiar with other successful P-12 developmental comprehensive school counseling programs.

COUN 530. Technology and the Counselor Educator. 3 Credits.

Examines the importance of increasing technology skills in the field of counseling. Assisting counselors in recognizing the benefits of utilizing technology in many areas of their job and increasing their resource base to assist all clients will be addressed. Examination of information retrieval and dissemination, college and career exploration, counseling interventions, and the establishment of networks of support and communication and their relationship to technology will also be addressed in terms of how these skills can significantly alter the work of counselors.

COUN 531. Play Therapy Theories and Practices. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of the essential elements and principles of play therapy, including history, theories, techniques, legal and ethical issues, and skills. Students will be able to apply information toward creating a developmentally appropriate play therapy room with proper materials. The course is highly experiential with a strong focus on basic play therapy skill development within the context of ethical and diversity-sensitive practice. Prerequisites: COUN 503, COUN 505, and COUN 506.

COUN 531C. Play Therapy Theories and Practice - CEU Credit. 100 Credits.

COUN 532. Play Therapy and Creativity with Families and Special Populations. 3 Credits.

This course continues to build upon basic play therapy skill development. It focuses on the case conceptualization and application of play therapy theories and techniques to families, groups, and individual children belonging to special client populations. Topics of special focus include treatment of trauma, attachment disruption, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The course contains an experiential component focused on the demonstration of skill development within the context of diversity-sensitive practice. Prerequisites: COUN 503, COUN 505, COUN 506, and COUN 531.

COUN 532C. Play Therapy with Families and Special Populations - CEU Credit. 100 Credits.

COUN 533. Utilizing Expressive Arts in Counseling. 3 Credits.

This course also builds upon basic play therapy skill development and then focuses on the application of expressive arts techniques when counseling children, adolescents, and adults. Through an experiential format, students will learn to facilitate and process interventions utilizing expressive mediums such as clay, painting, drawing, movement, music, and sand tray. Prerequisites: COUN 503, COUN 505, COUN 506, and COUN 531.

COUN 533C. Utilizing Expressive Arts in Counseling - CEU Credit. 50 Credits.

COUN 534. Accountability and the School Counselor. 3 Credits.

A comprehensive study is made of contemporary practices of leadership, advocacy, and accountability in the school counseling profession. This course includes study of the transformation of the role of the professional school counselor, comprehensive school counseling programs and the ASCA National Model, accountability measures, leadership qualities and styles, legal and ethical practices, and multiculturalism in the schools in the 21st century.

COUN 535. Play Therapy Service Learn Lab. 1 Credit.

Pass/Fail. This service learning experience takes place in the community at a location serving the needs of children and is taken concurrently with Play Therapy Theories and Practices. During the weekly lab, each student provides an individual play therapy session for his/her assigned client under live supervision. Students receive immediate feedback regarding strengths and areas for continued growth and additionally benefit from observing supervisors' and peers' sessions. The hours of play therapy service and supervision can be applied toward the requirements for the Registered Play Therapist credential. Co-requisite: COUN 531. Prerequisites: COUN 503, COUN 505, COUN 508.

COUN 535C. Play Therapy Service Learn Lab. 50 Credits.

COUN 585. Independent Study. 3 Credits.

COUN 590. Special Topics in Counseling. 1 to 3 Credit.