Graduate Programs
Psychology Counseling Degree (M.A)
Program Description | | Admission
Requirements | | Degree Requirements
| | Course Descriptions
Program Description
The overall focus of the Counseling Psychology Track of the Master
of Arts in Psychology is to train individuals to facilitate growth
and development for persons with mental health problems and problems
with living. This track is intended for persons wishing to counsel
clients with concerns in the personal, social, vocational or educational
areas.
Graduates of the Counseling Psychology Track of this program may
find employment in a variety of settings, such as community mental
health centers, hospitals, group homes, rehabilitation centers,
and substance abuse programs.
Students are encouraged to attend full time to meet the program
requirements in two years. Students may, however, attend part time
for some of their degree work. Some courses are offered during the
summer session.
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Admission Requirements
- Students must have taken the following prerequisites (all of
which must be completed with a C or better):
- General Psychology (3)
- Behavioral Statistics (3)
- Research Methods (3)
- Abnormal Psychology (3)
- An undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 is required for
full admission. All GPA calculations for admission are based upon
the last 60 units of undergraduate and post- baccalaureate study.
- An undergraduate transcript from all colleges attended must
be sent to the graduate school.
- Acceptable performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- The highest ranking applicants will be required to interview
with the faculty of the Counseling Psychology program.
Send the following admission materials to the Graduate School
Office, Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD 21252:
- Three letters of recommendation. Use the Recommendation
Form found in the Graduate School Application Packet.
- A letter of intent indicating why the applicant is interested
in pursuing a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology.
Completed applications and admission credentials must meet the
deadline of January 15 for fall semester admission. Applications
are not accepted for spring admission.
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Degree Requirements Students complete required prerequisite
courses. Students should be prepared to take at least two and one-half
years to complete the program.
The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology offers a practitioner
track and a thesis/research track from which degree candidates can
choose.
The M.A. Counseling Psychology Research track provides students
the experience, knowledge and skills required for successful Ph.D.
program admission. Students in this track receive intensive training
and mentorship in research.
Students in the practitioner track of the M.A. Counseling Psychology
program are trained to work as counselors and therapists at the
master level. Graduates of the practitioner track may choose
to continue their education in a Psy.D. program or pursue licensure
at the master level. Both tracks include 48 units.
- Required Courses:
PSYC 605 - Basic Counseling Techniques (3)
PSYC 606 - Intro to Career Development (3)
PSYC 607 - Applied Counseling Theories (3)
PSYC 609 - Advanced Counseling Techniques (3)
PSYC 611 - Developmental Psychology (3)
PSYC 615 - Introduction to Research Methods in
Counseling (3)
PSYC 622 - Multicultural Counseling (3)
PSYC 647 - Individual Appraisal (3)
PSYC 731 - Group Counseling (3)
PSYC 745 - Practicum in Counseling (3)
PSYC 790 - Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues
(3)
PSYC 793 - Internship (6)
- Practitioner Track Courses
PSYC 613 - Community Counseling (3)
- Electives (6 units)
Students are also required to take one 3-credit elective course.
NOTE: Electives selected by students must have
prior written consent of the adviser and must be approved for the
student's program of study.
- Research Track Courses
PSYC 687 - Advanced Experimental Design (3)
PSYC 897 - Thesis Credits (6)
NOTE: Earn a Graduate Certificate in Family-Professional
Collaboration with your elective units and some additional course
work. Turn to page 92 for more information.
Field Experiences
This program includes field experiences in the form of practicum
and internship. These clinical experiences are part of the requirements
necessary for certification or licensure in the state of Maryland.
Practicum: During the second year of the program,
concurrent with other coursework, students enroll in a term long
practicum course. The course involves 240 clock hours
(16 hours a week) of placement in a setting where students provide
counseling under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional.
Practicum also involves attendance and participation in a required
weekly class on campus. The practicum placements are arranged
by the coordinator of clinical training in consultation with the
student and available licensed supervisors. During the practicum,
students engage in clinical experiences appropriate for their
level of professional training.
Internship: Following successful completion
of the practicum, students complete a supervised 300 hour internship
in a clinical setting. Practitioner track students may elect to
enroll in 6 units of internship and complete 600 clinical hours
on a full-time basis (40 hours a week) over one term or on a part-time
basis (20 hours a week) over two terms. Internships are supervised
on site by a licensed mental health professional and include a
weekly class meeting with a faculty member.
- Examinations
At the end of the first year of full time study and in the last
semester of enrollment, students participate in a formal evaluation
process to assess their cumulative knowledge of completed course
work and skills in counseling psychology.
- First Year Portfolio evaluation contains assessment of basic
counseling skills, counseling theories, research methods, community
mental health counseling, advanced abnormal psychology, use
of tests in counseling and ethics. The completion of this evaluation
is a prerequisite for the following courses: PSYC 718, 721,
745 and 793.
- Comprehensive Portfolio evaluation contains assessment of
advanced counseling skills, career counseling, developmental
psychology, multicultural counseling and group counseling.
Students will be given two attempts to complete these examinations.
Students who do not complete either of these examinations after
two unsuccessful attempts will not earn a degree in counseling psychology.
All degree candidates must meet with their academic adviser to
file intended programs of study. This should be done prior to or
during the first semester of course work. The
program can be amended in consultation with the adviser.
COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY POST-Master
PROGRAM
The graduate post-master program in Counseling Psychology
is designed for students who have completed a master degree
and would like to be enrolled in 12-18 credits to meet educational
and vocational objectives.
Each student's program will be designed to meet individual
needs and goals.
Required Courses
- PSYC 637 - Counseling Strategies for Drug and
Alcohol Abuse (3)
- PSYC 718 - Techniques of Family Counseling
(3)
- PSYC 793 - 6-credit Internship II (400 hours)
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Course Descriptions
For course descriptions, see the online
catalog. (Be sure to click on "Graduate Catalog".)
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information on this page represents the current information available
from the 2006-2007 Graduate Catalog. Any changes in requirements
made after the publication of this catalog may not appear. For more
detailed and up to date information, visit this department's web
page at http://wwwnew.towson.edu/counselingpsychology/
For information on all matters related to admissions, fees, or
registration, please contact the Graduate School at 410-704-2501.
Towson University is in compliance with federal and state laws and
regulations that prohibit illegal discrimination.
The university does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
D&P 0899.27
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