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Program Overview

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

Graduates will be trained to work in a variety of clinical settings, and with multiple populations. The program adopts the practitioner-scholar model 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 counseling 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 students seeking professional counselor licensure and desiring to begin professional practice at the master’s level.

We acknowledge the significance of promoting an academic environment that is sensitive to difference and to the preparation of clinicians who actively develop multicultural sensitivity, responsivity, and 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).

Program Learning 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.

Admission Requirements

Application to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s M.A. 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 evaluated on their overall ability to complete graduate work. Factors considered prior to admission include: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, relevant experience, 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 expected for admission. Applicants 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 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.

The program also requires applicants to have successfully completed at least one (1) undergraduate course in psychology and one (1) undergraduate course in research methods with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better.  Applicants without these psychology courses must be complete them in accordance with the policies outlined in the Progression Requirements section below. 

M.A. Counseling Psychology Progression Requirements

This program requires applicants to have successfully completed at least one (1) undergraduate course in psychology and one (1) undergraduate course in research methods with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better by the end of their first semester (second online term) of study.  Students must successfully meet this progression requirement through one of the following options:

• A grade of “C” or higher in TCS 380 Introduction to Psychology and TCS 385 Introduction to Research Methods;
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course at the Chicago School; or
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course at another regionally accredited institution

Applicants accepted who have not successfully completed one (1) undergraduate course in psychology and one (1) undergraduate course in research methods will be required to register for applicable TCS courses in their first ground semester or online term. All students must meet this progression requirement by the end of their first semester of study. Students who do not successfully fulfill this requirement will not be allowed to register for any future coursework in the program of study until this requirement is met. Extensions can be granted by the Program Chair or designee when extenuating circumstances prevent completion of the requirement in the specified timeframe.  Requests for an extension must be submitted in writing to the Program Chair for consideration.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology 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 of Professional Psychology does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission and in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $250 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 : Academic Calendar, Admissions Requirements, Attendance, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Service Learning, and Transfer Credit/Course Waiver. Click the link above for detailed information.

Student Professional Evaluation and Student Review Process:

The course content and experiential activities offered by the M.A. 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 twice annually by program faculty and administration with respect to their overall program performance during the Student Review Process.

Philosophy

The mission of the M.A. Counseling Psychology program is to prepare mental health professionals who serve the counseling psychology 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.

Ethics and Professional Behavior

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology 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. Furthermore, 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 subject to discipline and possible dismissal.

Licensure

The M.A. Counseling Psychology program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago meets the degree and coursework requirements to be eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Illinois.

Practicum and Internship

The practicum and internship placement experiences 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, techniques and skills learned in the classroom. These supervised field placements allow students to provide direct services to clients and demonstrate their understanding of key concepts in professional counseling in a clinical setting. Students are able to apply to a wide variety of training sites that include community mental health centers, child welfare and family service agencies, substance abuse programs, college counseling centers, 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. Students are required to complete a minimum of a 9-month placement experience and complete at least 700 hours with 280 direct service hours during the placement to meet the Illinois licensure requirements.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook as well as the Internship Training Manual provided by the Applied Professional Practice department.

Comprehensive Examination

All students are required to successfully complete the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE). The information tested by the exam covers the eight competencies outlined by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) as defined by their Standards for Preparation.  The CPCE is administered at least twice a year and is typically 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 have not successfully passed the CPCE are not eligible for degree conferral and must retake the exam during the next scheduled administration. 

Counseling Competency Examination (CCE)

The Counseling Competency Examination (CCE) is a program capstone and 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 final CCE is completed during the Spring semester of the internship seminar (CC598). The student must successfully pass the CCE in order to fulfill the requirements of the Practicum and Internship Seminars. Students must pass the fall semester practice CCE in order to pass CC597 Practicum and Seminar. Students must pass CC597 and CC598 to graduate from the program.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.