Course descriptions

COUN 5020 Foundations of Counseling: The Helping Relationship (Requisite Course)
This course examines the philosophic bases of counseling and the helping relationship focusing on the foundational concepts necessary for working with individuals, groups, and families. Attention is given to the development of professional identity and client relationships.

COUN 5050 Human Growth and Development
The student examines the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels. Emphasis is placed on psychological, sociological, and physiological approaches. Included are such areas as human behavior (normal and abnormal), personality development, family relations/development, and life cycle issues.

COUN 5100 Social and Cultural Foundations of Counseling
This course examines the importance of understanding cultural and ethnic attributes and the dynamics these attributes have on the counseling relationship. Attention is given to gender roles, ethnic groups, subcultures, urban and rural societies, cultural mores, and differing family life patterns.

COUN 5200 Theories of Counseling
This course examines the application of basic theories, principles, and techniques of counseling employed in the field of mental health. A major focus will be on the application of the theories and methods used in individual, group and family counseling.

COUN 5220 Assessment
This course examines the various frameworks for assessing the functioning of individuals, groups, and families and the use of assessment in diagnosis and treatment. Attention will focus on the methods of data gathering and interpretation, individual and group testing, case study approaches, and the study of individual differences. Ethnic, cultural, and sex/gender factors are considered.

COUN 5600 Techniques of Group Counseling
This course examines group theory and types of groups, as well as descriptions of group practices, methods, dynamics, and facilitative skills.

COUN 5700 Lifestyle and Career Development
This course examines such areas as vocational choice theory, the relationship between career choice and lifestyle, sources of occupational and educational information, approaches to career decision-making processes, and career development exploration techniques.

COUN 5800 Professional Orientation and Ethics
This course examines goals and objectives of professional organizations, codes of ethics, legal considerations, standards of preparation, certification, licensing, role identity of counselors and other personnel services specialists, and fee structures and the impact of fees on the counseling relationship.

COUN 5850 Research and Evaluation
This course examines such areas as statistics, research design, and development of research and demonstration proposals. It includes understanding of legislation related to the development of research, program development, and demonstration proposals, as well as the development and evaluation of program objectives.

COUN 6000 Counseling Learning Practicum
Students are required to complete a practicum in conjunction with their counseling curriculum. Each student plans his or her practicum with an academic advisor before completion of 15 credit hours in the program. A formal practicum proposal must be submitted to the counseling advisor before a student can register for the practicum. This is a nonpaid practicum. Prerequisite: completion of seven (7) core courses in this major. Course may be repeated for credit. The practicum is graded on the CR (credit) Option. Requires permission of instructor/academic advisor.