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• Counseling Course Descriptions

Master of Arts in Counseling

(MA degree)

Approved by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists

Purpose

The Master of Arts in Counseling program is designed for men and women who desire graduate study and preparation for the counseling profession. We recognize the clinical training and expertise required for working with individuals, groups, and the broader community. It is therefore intended that the program leading to the Master of Arts in Counseling degree will assist students in the process of developing such expertise for effective counseling practice.

Program Objectives

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

• Understand persons as having physiological, psychological, relational, and spiritual needs
• Understand and articulate the core dynamics of counseling in concert with sound theological principles
• Acquire, refine, and demonstrate appropriate psychotherapeutic skills used in working with individuals and groups

Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

• Begin the development of a professional identity as a professional counselor
• Work knowledgeably and with facility in a variety of clinical settings, e.g., private, institutional, community, ecclesiastical, ethnic, and culturally and socioeconomically diverse
• Be prepared to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC), and a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA)

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the MA in Counseling program must hold a four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

• Graduate Department of Counseling application form and application fee
• One official transcript from all colleges or universities attended
• Two references (forms provided in the application materials)

Transfer Credit

Transfer of up to 21 hours credit is allowed toward the MA in Counseling program from accredited graduate schools (transfer credit is not allowed toward internship requirements). Students must have earned a grade of B or better for a course to be considered for transfer. In addition, only courses taken elsewhere within 10 years of the date of matriculation to the MA in Counseling program will be considered for transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

Residence Requirements

Of the 56 hours required for the MA in Counseling program, a minimum of 35 hours must be taken in resident study at George Fox University. All work leading to the MA must be completed within seven years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires approval of the Graduate Department of Counseling (GDC) Faculty. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The MA in Counseling program is generally 2-4 years in length with 56 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 9 are in prescribed spiritual integration courses, 41 in prescribed counseling courses, and 6 in clinical internship credits.

Other Degree Requirements

Each student must complete 20 clock hours of personal counseling/therapy as part of the MA in Counseling program. Additionally, an ongoing review process serves as a way to assess the student's fit for the program; fit for the profession; emotional, psychological, and intellectual ability; as well as maturity level for functioning safely as a mental health professional. GDC faculty will review students each fall and spring semester. During spring term prior to internship, counseling students must pass a national exam before they can start their internship: the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). Only students who pass the national exam may start their internship after having completed all prerequisites. For more specific information, please refer to the student handbook.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the MA in Counseling degree students must:

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 56 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
• Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).
• Complete 20 clock hours of personal counseling/therapy.

Curriculum Plan

Notes:

• Students are expected to follow the sequence COUN 592, COUN 593 beginning with the fall semester of the final year. Students who begin internship in the summer will register for COUN 591 for an additional 2 hours, but will still need to register for and attend fall and spring internship.
• Students should always check with the Graduate Department of Counseling prior to signing up for COUN 585, to assure that all prerequisites have been met.

Counseling Course Descriptions