M.A. Counseling Psychology

WASHINGTON, D.C. and CHICAGO

Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology

Program Overview

The M.A. in Counseling Psychology program is a counselor training program that provides strong preparation in essential diagnostic, therapeutic and consultative skills in order to work with a variety of clinical populations ranging from children to the elderly, and with a variety of emotional, intellectual, and psychological conditions and problems.

Graduates will have the training to work in a variety of clinical settings, and with required licensure, independent practice. The program has adopted the practitioner-scholar model which is predicated on the belief that a competent mental health practitioner must have both a broad knowledge of the scientific and theoretical principles in the clinical practice of psychology and the ability to apply that knowledge to specific clinical situations. The program also incorporates the 8 content areas outlined by the National Board of Certified Counselors to prepare those students seeking professional counselor licensure and desiring to begin professional practice at the master’s level. The program serves a diverse student body from throughout the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic states and the country, and from a number of international countries.

We acknowledge the significance of promoting an academic environment that is sensitive to difference and to the preparation of clinicians who actively develop their multicultural competence. As such, the program seeks to engage faculty and students in the preparation of counselors who meet the needs of diverse communities “from the broader view of innovators, transformers, and problem solvers; and use their discipline to make positive and lasting impacts on the World” (Aspirations Report, 2011, p.5).

Admission Requirements

Application to The Chicago School’s Counseling Psychology program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the required admission essay, and letters of recommendation from academic professors or professional or volunteer experience supervisors. An undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Students must submit official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned. It is recommended that transcripts are submitted from all schools where credit was received to enhance their applications.

The M.A. in Counseling Psychology program has two specific required undergraduate courses that must be completed prior to enrollment with a grade earned of “C” or better (a course in psychology and a course in either statistics or research methods). The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required, however students who have taken the exam may submit their scores to enhance their application. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE School Code: 1119) for consideration. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation. Applications must be submitted with a $50.00 (USD) application fee in order to be evaluated.

TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students

TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 213 computer based, 79 internet based; IELTS - 6.5.

ELS Educational Services, Inc.: The Chicago School is a cooperative member of ELS Educational Services, Inc. which provides intensive English language programs. Students who have successfully completed ELS course 112 may be considered for admission in lieu of the TOEFL or IELTS.

International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc (www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.

International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $500 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures : Transfer of Credit, Waiver of Courses, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Grading Scale, Grade Change Requests, Degree Completion, Degree Conferral, Minimum and Maximum Timeframe requirements, and Credit Hours per semester for Financial Aid.  Information on the Academic Success Program is located under Student Life .

Academic Development Plans

An Academic Development Plan (ADP) is initiated and created by the Department in which the student is enrolled when a student demonstrates deficiencies in competencies that interfere with academic performance, training competence, and/or professional behavior.  Academic Development Plans (ADPs) do not constitute disciplinary action, but failure to complete the plan may lead to disciplinary action.

Student Learning Assessment

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TSCPP) is committed to offering the highest quality graduate and undergraduate completion programs in applied professional disciplines. In order to meet the TCSPP standard for academic quality, all programs will develop overall program competencies, learning objectives, assessment instruments, course descriptions, and course learning objectives. Each of these curriculum components must align in order for students to understand how their program will prepare them for the profession and how they will learn what TCSPP intends. 

All academic programs at TCSPP are required to develop, conduct, and report annual assessments of student learning and program effectiveness in compliance with the processes and procedures established by TCSPP.  These assessments provide reliable and valid information to monitor, maintain, and advance the quality of academic programs.

Student Professional Evaluation and Student Review Process:

The course content and experiential activities offered by the M.A. in Counseling Psychology program are designed to afford students the opportunity to advance their intellectual and professional development and functioning. Throughout the program of study, students are given feedback concerning their personal, academic, and professional strengths, developmental needs, and performance. This feedback will come from a variety of sources including faculty, supervisors, peers, and clients. Students are expected to respond and incorporate this feedback in a mature and professional manner. Throughout their matriculation in the program students are expected to explore and recognize the effects their personal beliefs, issues, emotions, and behaviors have on others and on their ability to function as a professional counselor and practicing clinician. Students are formally evaluated with regard to their professional comportment at the end of specific courses in the curriculum using the Student Professional Evaluation form. Additionally, all students are reviewed annually by program faculty and administration with respect to their overall program performance during the Student Review Process.

Student Evaluation Information and Agreement: All students are required to read and sign the Student Evaluation Information and Agreement form and attached description of Interpersonal and Professional Competencies to indicate their orientation to, understanding of and agreement with program policies with regard to professional evaluation and review.

The Program

Philosophy

The mission of the M.A. in Counseling Psychology program is to prepare mental health professionals who serve the counseling profession through professional competence, personal integrity and academic excellence. This is realized through a curriculum that integrates the theoretical foundations of counseling psychology, essential diagnostic, clinical and consultative skills, and field placement experience into appropriate practice in a variety of settings and with diverse populations. Recognizing that our students are intrinsically motivated to help others, we acknowledge the significance of promoting an environment that is sensitive to difference and preparing clinicians, who actively develop their multicultural competence. Thus, the program seeks to engage faculty and students in the preparation of counselors who meet the needs of diverse communities.

Program Outcomes 

1. Competency in ethical and professional behavior is evidenced by the ability to apply ethical and professional standards to interactions with clients and with others (peers, supervisors, faculty, professionals in other disciplines, etc); socialization into the profession through advisement, modeling and education; an understanding of legal obligations that may or may not conflict with ethical guidelines; the development of skills in reflective practice and quality control; effective functioning in multiple professional settings. 
2. Competency in relationship is indicated by the capacity to develop and maintain a constructive therapeutic alliance with clients and a constructive working alliance with others (including peers, faculty, supervisors, professionals in other disciplines, etc); openness to feedback and accurate self-reflection; an appreciation of the use of self in the therapeutic relationship; the development of empathy, respect for others and interpersonal relatedness; and an understanding of cultural values, worldview and history on cross cultural relationships. 
3. Assessment is conceptualized to include both formal and informal assessment activities. Competency in assessment is indicated by proficiency in the interpretation of standard assessment tools; the collection and incorporation of information from multiple sources to inform decision making and diagnosis; effective clinical inference that links gathered data with resulting diagnosis and recommendations; effective communication of assessment results and recommendations; the identification and conceptualization of client strengths and limitations and culturally sensitive choice of assessment methods that will comprise a formal assessment.
4. Competency in intervention is indicated by the ability to develop and present plausible formulations for understanding psychological phenomenon using theory; the use of theory to guide formulations regarding the conditions that create, maintain and change behavior or distress; effectively implement and revise treatment strategies; evaluate the effectiveness of a chosen intervention approach of strategy; recognize the limitations of theories as they relate to individual and system functioning and change; and adjust traditional models of treatment and treatment planning to better meet diverse clients’ needs.
5. This competency, individual and cultural difference, is conceptualized as the recognition that culture is best understood from a broad perspective and includes, but is not limited to, identities related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, religious belief, and ability. It is evidenced by the ability to articulate one’s personal culture and its impact on held values, relationships and worldview; an understanding of worldview, and the psychological impact of privilege, prejudice, oppression, culture and sociopolitical structures; the ability to differentiate between individual variation, characteristic variation across culture and human dysfunction in development, attitudes and reactions; and appreciation for the impact of culture on the historical and philosophical foundations of psychology.
6. Competency in research and evaluation is indicated by the ability to organize, synthesize and interpret scholarly information; the ability to design and critique approaches to systematic inquiry; the awareness of limits of certainty in different types of clinical and scientific inquiry; the understanding of foundational scientific knowledge in the field; and the recognition of scholarly knowledge production as a social, cultural and political process. Finally, scholarly findings should guide/direct clinical practice/interventions.
7. Competency in consultation and education is indicated by effective presentation skills and the ability to teach others through oral or written presentation of material; the ability to provide feedback, regarding a client or system issue to multiple sources; and understanding of the means of facilitating and evaluating the growth of knowledge, skills and attitudes in a learner; effective peer consultation and constructive feedback; and the development of productive relationships with community helping networks.

Ethics and Professional Behavior

The Chicago School expects that all counseling students will be knowledgeable of and adhere to the “ACA Code of Ethics” of the American Counseling Association, in addition to the “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct”, as published by the American Psychological Association, as well as the “Code of Ethics” of the American Counseling Association. Futhermore, no student shall obtain part- or full-time employment that is beyond the scope of their cumulative training in the field of psychology or counseling and shall not use titles governed by licensure statutes, unless so licensed by the state. A student who fails to adhere to this policy or otherwise fails to demonstrate the appropriate ethics required for practice in the field of professional counseling or psychology s subject to discipline and possible removal.

Certification/Licensure

The program incorporates the eight content areas outlined by the National Board of Certified Counselors and provides the academic requirements to prepare students seeking professional counselor licensure (LPC) in Illinois, Washington D.C., and other states. Students must consult the licensure requirements for states in which they plan to reside post-graduation. State-by-state licensure information can be accessed via the National Board of Certified Counselors at www.nbcc.org.

Academic Advising

All students are assigned an academic advisor for the duration of the program.

Practicum and Internship

The practicum and internship serve to integrate the theoretical and practical aspects of the education of a professional counselor.  Students have the opportunity during the practicum and internship experiences to synthesize their knowledge, technique and skills learned in the classroom. These supervised field placements allow students to demonstrate their understanding of key concepts in counseling psychology and professional counseling in a work setting. Students are able to choose to apply to a wide variety of training sites that include community mental health centers, employee assistance programs, both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric hospital programs as well as private group practices. The sites available for the training experience are chosen based on their ability to serve diverse populations that will offer the best possible experience to equip students for working in the counseling field.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Comprehensive Examination

All students are required to successfully complete the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE). The information tested by the exam covers the eight Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) common-core areas as defined by their Standards for Preparation. In addition, the program competencies will also be covered.  The CPCE is generally administered twice a year and is taken during the last year of enrollment in academic coursework. Students must be in good academic standing to be eligible to take the CPCE. Students who are unable to pass this examination will be allowed to retake the exam a maximum of two additional times. The exam may be retaken during the next scheduled administration. Students will receive information from their faculty advisor concerning their performance on the examination.

More specific information in located in the Program Guidebook.

Counseling Competency Examination (CCE)

The Counseling Competency Examination (CCE) is comprised of three (3) distinct components with the purpose of demonstrating proficiency in the core competencies of the academic program. This examination illustrates that a student has acquired the counseling skills necessary to graduate from the program. The CCE is completed during the student’s internship seminar (CC 598). The student must successfully pass the CCE in order to fulfill the requirements of the Practicum and Internship Seminar. Students must pass the fall semester practice CCE in order to pass CC 597 Practicum and Seminar. Students must pass CC597 and CC598 to graduate from the program.

More specific information is location the Program Guidebook.