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Counseling

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Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Specialization/Forensic and Legal Psychology Dual Degree (M.A./M.A.)

Counselor Education and Supervision (Ed.D.)

Marymount offers the M.A. in counseling with three specialization options: clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling. Beginning fall 2016, the M.A. in pastoral and spiritual care (PSC) will no longer accept new students.

The clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling specializations are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The school counseling specialization, teacher licensure programs, and the M.Ed. in administration and supervision program are accredited by the Division of Teacher Education and Licensure of the Virginia Department of Education, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The M.A. in pastoral and spiritual care is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is not intended to meet licensure requirements toward becoming a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Marymount also offers a forensic and legal psychology option for students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. This is a unique opportunity to earn both a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and a master’s degree in forensic and legal psychology, then complete the post-master's clinical supervisory requirements needed to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Admission Policies: Students admitted to other Marymount graduate programs must reapply to the university and meet the Counseling Program's admissions requirements before they will be admitted into a counseling program.

Nondegree Students: Students who have been denied admissions to any of the counseling programs will need to be approved by the department. Nondegree students may only register for the following courses with permission from the department chairperson and if space permits after registration ends for fully admitted students: CE 500, CE 501, CE 502, CE 503, CE 505, CE 520, CE 529, CE 532, CE 540, CE 541, CE 542, CE 549, CE 551.

Admission Requirements for Master's Degree Programs: In addition to the universitywide graduate admission requirements, the following are required:

a bachelor’s degree and acceptable GPA (an undergraduate major in psychology is preferred, however candidates from other fields will be considered)
official transcripts of all postsecondary education
satisfactory scores on the GRE (including the Analytical Writing score), as determined by the department
two letters of recommendation that speak directly to the applicant’s academic and interpersonal skills
a personal statement describing the applicant’s background and motivation for entering the field of study
Enrollment Policies and Application Deadlines:

Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling specializations: Students are admitted for the fall semester only. Completed applications must be received by January 15 or March 15. Applications received after these deadlines will be considered for a future admission date. If space permits, students may be admitted for the spring semester. Contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services for information.

School Counseling Specialization: Students are admitted for the summer or fall only. Students are expected to begin in the summer or fall immediately after their admission to the program. Completed applications must be received by the January 15 priority deadline or by the second deadline of March 15. Applications received after these deadlines will be considered for the summer, space permitting.

Process: After the initial review applicants' preliminary materials, they may be invited to participate in an on-campus interview process with the faculty. The process includes group and individual interviews and an orientation to the program. All application materials must be received in order to be considered for an interview. The Office of Graduate Enrollment Services will contact those applicants selected for an interview with the date.

Following the interview process, the counseling faculty will review the entire application and render a final decision based on an assessment of both academic and interpersonal appropriateness for the program and the counseling profession. Applicants will be notified of their status by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services and should not contact the counseling department directly.

Academic Progression: The counseling faculty will review the academic, clinical, and professional development of students in all graduate programs each semester. Students must demonstrate appropriate academic, clinical, professional, and interpersonal skills in order to progress in the program and to be placed into a practicum and internship. Details of the review process and procedures can be found in the graduate program handbook.

Academic Probation: Students may only be on non-consecutive probation once during their graduate studies. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 for a second time, the student will be dismissed. Students who wish to appeal their dismissal should refer to the Academic Dismissal section of this catalog for the proper procedure.

Legal Limitations of Practice: The practice of counseling is regulated by state laws. Questions concerning licensure in a specific state should be directed to that state’s board of professional counselors. Before being placed in a practicum or internship site, agencies may require a national criminal background check of the student. The cost of the investigation is the responsibility of the student. Students are required to obtain and present proof of liability insurance prior to the start of a practicum or internship experience and carry the insurance until graduation.

Maximum Credits: Students enrolled in the M.A. programs in counseling are limited to registering for a maximum of 12 credits per semester.

Minimum Grade Requirements:
Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A. Specializations: CE 501, CE 502, CE 508, CE 520, CE 522C, CE 523C, CE 523P, CE 597C, CE 597P, CE 599C, and CE 599P require a minimum grade of B to advance in the program.

School Counseling M.A. Specialization: CE 508, CE 520, CE 522S, CE 523S, CE 560, CE 561, CE 597S, and CE 599S require a minimum grade of B to advance in the program.

Practicum and Internship Prerequisites:
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling M.A. specializations: In order to be admitted to a practicum or an internship, students must have completed the practicum and internship application process, which includes attendance at a mandatory meeting one semester prior to the placement; attainment of a satisfactory review of student academic progress; completion of the appropriate paperwork; submission of documentation of student professional liability insurance; and permission of the faculty.

Students must complete all prerequisites and 24 credits prior to registering for CE 597C, CE 597P, or CE 597S Practicum. The practicum and 30 credit hours of the program must be completed prior to being admitted to CE 599C, CE 599P, or CE 599S Internship.

Research Requirement: All students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling specializations are required to log a minimum of 20 hours of research assistance under the guidance of one or more members of the counseling faculty or another approved faculty member. See the Counseling Student Handbook for details. All pastoral counseling students are also required to fulfill service hours. See Service Requirements below.

Residency Requirement for M.A. Students: Clinical courses (CE 522C or CE 522S; CE 523C, CE 523P, or CE 523S; CE 597C, CE 597P, or CE 597S; CE 599C, CE 599P, or CE 599S) must be taken at Marymount.

Scheduling of Courses: Courses listed are not offered every semester. Students should consult their program advisor for guidance on course rotations and scheduling.

Service Requirements: All graduate students in any pastoral counseling program are required to log a minimum of 30 hours of service to Marymount or the community. See the Pastoral Counseling Student Handbook for details.

Transfer Policies:
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling M.A. specializations: Students requesting course substitutions or course transfer from other institutions are required to submit paperwork for required courses for review to the counseling department’s Course Review Committee. Upon approval by the department, students may transfer a maximum of 12 credits. After admission into a program, students may transfer a maximum of 6 credits. Students must gain approval prior to enrolling in a course outside of Marymount from the counseling department's Course Review Committee. No online classes can be transferred into the counseling program.

Counseling (M.A.)

Marymount offers a M.A. in counseling with three specialization options: clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling. Beginning fall 2016, the M.A. in pastoral and spiritual care (PSC) will no longer accept new students.

Marymount's CACREP, licensure-track counseling program provides an opportunity to earn a degree and complete coursework needed for licensure as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in 60 credit hours. Individuals are eligible to sit for the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) examination at Marymount toward the end of their program of study and begin the supervised experience necessary to become a licensed professional counselor upon completion of this degree program. Electives in any specializations should be done in consultations with advisors to meet licensure requirements in other states.

Upon successful completion of the clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling specializations, students will be able to:

display a command of the knowledge base required for professional counselors, including foundation of the counseling field, individual and group counseling skills, tests and measurements, research methods and design, human growth and development, career development, counseling theory, diagnosis and treatment, multicultural counseling, and ethical issues in counseling;
effectively conduct individual counseling sessions;
apply ethical and professional standards; and
demonstrate an understanding of current trends in the job market, self-marketing strategies, and professional, legal, and ethical compliance.

Degree Requirements — Counseling

Shared Degree Requirements:

42 credits from the required courses and 18 credits in a specialization area (60 total credits)

In addition to the courses below, a student must choose from one of the three specializations, which require 18 additional credits.

CE 500 Research and Evaluation

CE 503 Advanced Human Growth and Development

CE 508 Crisis Intervention

CE 509 Substance Abuse and Assessment and Intervention

CE 510 Survey of Testing and Assessment

CE 520 Theories of Counseling

CE 522C/S/P Counseling for Individuals

CE 523C/S/P Group Counseling Techniques

CE 524 Theories and Techniques of Family Counseling

CE 530C/S/P Career Development Counseling

CE 551 Multicultural Counseling

CE 597C/S/P Practicum Based on Specialty

CE 599C/S/P Internship Based on Specialty

Clinical Mental Health Specialization

18 credits

Required Courses:

CE 501 Bases of Psychopathology

CE 502 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

CE 536 Advanced Counseling: Theories and Techniques

Nine (9) elective credits in counseling education or forensic legal psychology courses. Electives must have approval from an advisor. Students should consult with their state licensing board to determine appropriate electives.

Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Specialization

18 credits

Required Courses:

CE 501 Bases of Psychopathology

CE 502 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

CE 540 Contemporary and Historical Religious Perspectives

CE 541 Pastoral Counseling Integration

CE 542 Grief and Loss

CE 549 Moral and Spiritual Development and Ethical Issues in Counseling

No electives

School Counseling Specialization

18 credits

The school counseling specialization provides the education and training necessary to work as a school counselor in elementary, middle, or high school. Students who successfully complete this program will be eligible for licensure as a school counselor (grades PK-12) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students also meet the requirements for the LPC with completion of CE 501.

Field experience, practicum, and internship hours must be completed when school is in regular session: September - June, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Required Courses:

CE 505 Advanced Study of Individuals with Exceptionalities

CE 529 Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence*

CE 534 Counseling Children and Adolescents

CE 560 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in School Counseling

CE 561 Practices of School Counseling

3-credit elective from counseling education or forensic legal psychology graduate courses

*Students seeking LPC must take CE 501 not CE 529.

Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Specialization/Forensic and Legal Psychology Dual Degree (M.A./M.A.)

Marymount offers a forensic and legal psychology option for students in the clinical mental health counseling program. Through this program, the student has an opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling and a Master of Arts in forensic and legal psychology.

Marymount’s forensic and legal psychology program balances traditional counseling knowledge and skills with a specialized understanding of the criminal justice and legal systems, while tapping into the rich resources of the nation’s capital. Coursework is interdisciplinary, combining study in sociology, criminal justice, and public policy, in addition to many subfields in psychology. (See forensic and legal psychology for more information.)

The clinical mental health counseling program provides an opportunity to earn a degree, be eligible to sit for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) examination toward the end of the program of study, and begin the supervised experience necessary to become a licensed professional counselor.

Admission Requirement: To be admitted to this program, students are admitted to one program at a time and must meet the application requirements for each program’s admission requirements. Students who are admitted from the forensic and legal psychology program can begin classes in the clinical mental health counseling program only after completing 18 forensic and legal psychology program credits and must plan to begin classes in the clinical mental health counseling program in the fall semester immediately following being accepted into the program. Students who are admitted from the clinical mental health counseling program can begin classes in the forensic and legal psychology program only after completing 40 clinical mental health counseling program credits.

Dual-Degree Requirements — Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Specialization/Forensic and Legal Psychology

75 credits

CE 500 Research and Evaluation*

CE 502 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

CE 503 Advanced Human Growth and Development

CE 508 Crisis Intervention

CE 509 Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention

CE 510 Survey of Testing and Assessment

CE 520 Theories of Counseling

CE 522C Counseling for Individuals

CE 523C Group Counseling Techniques

CE 524 Theories and Techniques of Family Counseling

CE 530C Career Development Counseling

CE 536 Advanced Counseling: Theories and Techniques

CE 551 Multicultural Counseling

CE 597C Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum

CE 599C Internship: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (6 credits)

FLP 501 or CE 501 Bases of Psychopathology

FLP 511 Legal and Investigative Psychology

FLP 512 Issues in the American Legal System

FLP 527 Psychology, Public Policy, and Law

FLP 531 Psychology of Criminal Behavior

FLP 540 Forensic Assessment

Nine (9) elective credits from counseling education and forensic legal psychology courses. Electives must have approval from an advisor. Students should consult with their state licensing board to determine appropriate electives.

Counselor Education and Supervision (Ed.D.)

Beginning fall 2016, the Ed.D. in counselor education and supervision, accredited by CACREP, will no longer accept new students. Students currently enrolled in the program should consult the catalog received at the time of matriculation for program requirements.

Pastoral and Spiritual Care (M.A.)

Beginning fall 2016, the M.A. in pastoral and spiritual care (PSC) will no longer accept new students. This is a non-licensure program that seeks to train competent counselors who will provide counseling services to individuals and groups from a faith-based and spiritual perspective in a variety of settings. This program is not intended for those who are seeking to work in a setting with the scope of practice consistent with the licensure laws set forth to practice as a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Upon successful completion of the pastoral and spiritual care program, students will be able to

demonstrate the professional identity and career options for pastoral and spiritual care counselors and their intended career goals with this degree;
effectively conduct individual counseling sessions;
apply American Counseling Association (ACA) ethical and professional standards;
demonstrate how they have met or will meet the competencies for addressing spiritual and religious issues in counseling as put forth by the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC).

Degree Requirements — Pastoral and Spiritual Care

48 credits

CE 501 Bases of Psychopathology

CE 502 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

CE 503 Advanced Human Growth and Development

CE 508 Crisis Intervention

CE 509 Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention

CE 520 Theories of Counseling

CE 522C Counseling for Individuals

CE 523P or CE 523C Group Counseling Techniques

CE 524 Theories and Techniques of Family Counseling

CE 540 Contemporary and Historical Religious Perspectives