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Course Category: Counseling

This course is an examination of the major theoretical approaches to counseling and their relationship to the counseling process. Analysis and evaluation of the function of theoretical constructs and their impact on counseling practice are emphasized.
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program or consent of program chair
This is a graduate level course designed to explore ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling, such as ethics codes, responsibility, competence, therapeutic boundaries, confidentiality, reporting abuse, and practicing in a managed care environment. Professional issues in the context of school and community mental health are also covered, as well as licensing, roles, policies, legislation, reimbursement, and the professional identity of counselors. Cultural diversity issues in counseling are also addressed.
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program or consent of program chair
This course provides an examination of major theories of human development, including those from physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and moral perspectives. Development is viewed across the human life span in each of these areas. The course is designed to encourage an integrated concept of these theoretical perspectives, which serves as a developmental framework for the counseling process.
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program
This course is an introductory research course for educators and those in other fields of human development. It is designed to provide students with the basic information needed to understand the process of systematically researching a problem and to enable students to evaluate and interpret the research of others. The course is taught using methods that provide the opportunity for theory to interact with practice.
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program or consent of program chair
This is an applied educational course designed to help students develop culturally-competent counseling skills and knowledge involving diverse clientele in a phenomena of theory/practice interaction. Students in the course will explore the systemically conditioned perceptual viewpoints of human ethnic populations within the U.S. Such exploration will include possible causal elements of individual and group identity development and how such material is brought as a precondition into the counseling session as transference and counter-transference phenomena. This course assumes that the student has some prior knowledge of counseling/psychological theories and basic counseling skills.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510
This is an applied educational course designed to help in the preparation of professional mental health clinicians. Students will develop a theoretical foundation in career exploration skills, testing and strategic knowledge involving all stages of the career counseling process (i.e. theoretical orientation [career counseling orientation within the overall framing psycho-theoretical orientation], rapport building and collaborative skills, identifying client/macro-systemic multicultural issues and strengths, setting life/career goals, planning interventions, and overall ethical practice issues, etc.) under the supervision of faculty.
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program or consent of program chair
The purpose of this course is for students to learn about select mental disorders that pose challenges to people across the lifespan. Biological, psychological, social and environmental factors implicated in vulnerability and resilience to these disorders are examined. Students develop skills in the diagnosis of mental disorders using the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria. Students also learn treatment planning strategies using best practice and evidence-based treatment approaches and models.
An examination of the history, contemporary research findings, and conceptual models, process issues, and ethics involved in the effective practice of group work. Participation in a group experience is required.
Prerequisites
CNSL 554
This is a skills-based course designed to introduce students to the art and science of counseling and the early stages of the helping process. This goal will be met through the application of counseling theory to counseling practice. The art of counseling refers to the personalization the counselor brings to the counseling relationship and includes establishing a positive rapport with the client. The science of counseling includes critical thinking, assessment, use of data, and evaluation. Throughout this course, we will employ role plays and practice sessions to explore the ways in which theory informs practice and how counseling practice informs theory development.
This course provides an overview of the application of counseling skills and theory to counseling practice. This course includes an experiential approach to the development of counseling skills and the conceptualization of client concerns. The application of principles and techniques of major counseling theories will be presented. Skill practice will be included. Tape recordings are required.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 554
In this course special attention is given to counseling approaches for use with circumstantial and developmental life crises. Lecture/discussion, interviews, and guest speakers will be used throughout the semester to introduce and illustrate the uniqueness of crisis intervention and disaster mental health services from a counseling perspective.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 554
This is a graduate level course designed to cover ethical and legal issues, selection, administration, and interpretation of various instruments commonly used in clinical/school settings to measure achievement, intelligence, aptitude, interest, personality, and ability. Students will be introduced to background statistics and test construction issues which are salient to the practice of assessment. Emphasis will be placed upon the selection of appropriate instruments, understanding technical data, including basic statistical concepts and analyzing and communicating results.
Introduction to major theories and counseling techniques specifically designed for children ages 2-15. This will include play and creative techniques applicable with various populations in numerous settings and adaptable to individual, family, and group modalities.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 515, CNSL 554
This course provides an overview of the use of medications for treating mental disorders in adults. The emphasis is on practical application: what should I know about the medicines my clients are taking? How do I educate clients about their medications? What positive effects and side effects might I see in my patients taking medication? How can I better collaborate with medical practitioners and other mental health professionals? This course will also explore related historical, social, ethnic and cultural factors. In addition, this course will look at how therapists can work effectively with family members, physicians, and other members of the collaborative mental health team.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 540, CNSL 550
This graduate course emphasizes the application of theory to practice of consultation with particular attention to several key elements: 1) the role and function of the counselor-trained consultant, 2) the use of counseling skills and knowledge in diverse areas of consultative practice and with a diverse clientele where counseling is not the primary driver of the activity, and 3) the reframing of the consultant psyche to a mindset that is primarily based on expertness, teaching (coaching), diagnosis and evaluation.
Prerequisites
CNSL 510, CNSL 590
This course is a survey course of the field of family and marriage counseling/ psychotherapy. This course begins by asking students to shift their worldview from linear to systemic. This shift is imperative for students to become effective counselors with families and couples. In-depth discussion of the history of the filed (i.e., how marriage and family counseling was developed), as well as introducing to the students the various theoretical orientations within the systemic framework will be the focus of this course.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510, CNSL 540
This course provides an overview of the application of counseling theory to counseling practice of counseling in human services agencies and other community settings. Emphasis is given to the role, function, and professional identity of community counselors, and to principles and practices of community outreach, intervention, education, consultation, and client advocacy.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510, CNSL 554
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge regarding techniques and skills for counseling children and adolescents. Specific discussions will focus on how counseling and play therapy theories influence the practice of counseling with children and adolescents and how current research and clinical practice influence the development of play therapy and counseling theories. Specific approaches and strategies for working with children and adolescents in the school, agency and private practice setting will be discussed.
This course will provide an introduction to current concepts relative to the school counseling profession. Practical application of concepts within the diverse range of school environments will be covered. Structuring and implementation of a feasible comprehensive counseling program will be emphasized.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510, CNSL 554
This course provides an overview of the skills and theories relevant for treating substance abuse. Course will cover the psychological and psychological aspects, assessment, and treatment of clients with substance abuse disorders. The course will include application of knowledge using course assignments and extensive practice in various counseling techniques utilized in the treatment of alcohol and drug abuse.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 550, CNSL 554
Engagement fosters successful teaching and learning for both students and educators. In this course, school counseling and other graduate students will learn how stress, including that which is related to personal, collective, and historical trauma may impact safety, relationships, regulation, and learning. Trauma-sensitive and equitable practices will be emphasized as a way to re-imagine not only how…
Prerequisites
Admission to MSC degree program or consent of program director.
This course will assist mental health counselors in designing client-centered, individualized and culturally sound treatment plans for a wide variety of clinical mental health disorders.  Course content will include a strong focus on the diagnosis of mental health disorders based on criteria from the DSM-5 and the subsequent treatment planning and provision of evidence based…
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510, CNSL 540, CNSL 550, and admission to MSC degree program or consent of program director
Application of theory and development of counseling skills under supervision while counseling in schools, community agencies, higher education, hospitals, or other controlled clinical settings that total a minimum of 100 clock hours over a minimum 10-week academic term.
Prerequisites
The appropriate specialty course CNSL 581 or CNSL 583, CNSL 509, CNSL 552, CNSL 554, CNSL 570, minimum of 36 credit hours of course work completed in the degree program, and approved practicum application
The theories and techniques counselor supervisors utilize in providing clinical supervision to counselors. The process of administrative supervision utilized by counselor in work settings.
Prerequisites
CNSL 509, CNSL 510, CNSL 554
This is a graduate level course designed to investigate human sexuality from an interdisciplinary perspective using a positive sexuality framework. Students will develop an understanding of how cultural/contextual factors and values systems influence human sexuality across the lifespan. Emphasis will be placed upon the assessment and treatment of sexuality-based concerns, as well as students’ abilities to critically examine their perspectives on human sexuality and analyze societal influences on their perspectives relating to human sexuality.
Prerequisites
CNSL 550
Counselors need to have a knowledge base of the functions, organization, administrative principles, and evaluation of counseling services in K-12 schools. This course focuses on contemporary school counseling issues, with a special emphasis on the development, administration and evaluation of comprehensive school counseling services/programs for students K-12.
Prerequisites
CNSL 520, CNSL 583, CNSL 585, or consent of MSC Program Director.
This one-session, one-credit course will provide University supervision to Professional School Counselors who are seeking to add an endorsement in grades K-8. The internship experience will consist of 100 hours and is intended to reflect the comprehensive work experience of a professional counselor appropriate to the designated program area. Professional School Counselors will be expected to meet with the University supervisor and provide a weekly log delineating hours and experiences.
Prerequisites
Completion of a Master’s degree in Counseling with a School Counseling emphasis and consent of Program Director/Advisor.
This one-session, one-credit course will provide University supervision to Professional School Counselors who are seeking to add an endorsement in grades 5-12. The internship experience will consist of 100 hours and is intended to reflect the comprehensive work experience of a professional counselor appropriate to the designated program area. Professional School Counselors will be expected to meet with the University supervisor and provide a weekly log delineating hours and experiences.
Prerequisites
Completion of a Master’s degree in Counseling with a School Counseling emphasis and consent of Program Director/Advisor.
Application of theory and development of counseling skills under supervision while counseling in schools, community agencies, higher education, hospitals, or other controlled clinical settings that total a minimum of 300 clock hours. Both CNSL 597 and CNSL 598 must be completed to satisfy the program's internship requirement.
Prerequisites
CNSL 590, And an approved internship application
Approved internship application, along with above listed prerequisites. Application of theory and development of counseling skills under supervision while counseling in schools, community agencies, higher education, hospitals, or other controlled clinical settings that total a minimum of 300 clock hours. Both CNSL 597 and CNSL 598 must be completed to satisfy the program's internship requirement.
Prerequisites
CNSL 590, CNSL 597, And an approved internship application
The comprehensive exam is required to complete the Master of Science in Counseling Program. This 3-hour exam is administered by a MSC faculty member one time per semester.
Prerequisites
Must be taken during the Internship in Counseling I or II semester