Counseling Psychology M.A.
The M.A. in Counseling Psychology is intended to prepare students to counsel persons experiencing psychoemotional distress, rather than severe psychological disturbances. Students develop competencies in group processes, human development and cultural diversity, career counseling, assessment and evidence-based counseling/psychotherapy techniques. Students who complete their degrees and meet state certification or licensing requirements may be employed in a variety of mental health settings.
Counseling Psychology students may complete a generalized program or a specialization in couple and family counseling. These students develop competencies in systems theory and in assessment and counseling techniques that pertain to couples, divorce and family problems, including child sexual abuse and family violence.
Students seeking admission to the counseling psychology degree program should have completed the following undergraduate prerequisites: Introductory Psychology, Psychological Statistics, Research Methods, Learning and Conditioning, Tests and Measurement, and Abnormal Psychology. Students lacking these program undergraduate pre-requisites should take them as soon as possible during their graduate program. Tests and Measurement can be taken at the graduate level (PSYC 5301) and then count as a program elective.
The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology degree programs requires 60 credit hours of graduate course work.
Certification and Licensure
Graduates of the M.A. in Counseling Psychology are eligible to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. In addition to the degree, the LPC requires successful passage of the National Counselor Examination (NCE), followed by 3000 hours of supervised practice in a counseling role.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours = 60
All counseling psychology students are required to complete a foundation of 45 hours as follows:
Students who wish to complete the general program of study in counseling psychology may choose their remaining 15 hours from the graduate counseling and psychology courses.
Students who choose the Couple and Family Specialization must include the following courses among their remaining 15 hours.
Sequence of Classes
The courses which should be taken first are comprised of basic general counseling courses that provide, in conjunction with the undergraduate prerequisite courses, the basis and foundation for the later applied courses. These courses for counseling psychology students include PSYC 5312 Counseling Theories, PSYC 5308 Advanced Psychopathology, PSYC 5328 Issues and Professional Ethics, PSYC 5340 Advanced Psychological Statistics and Design, PSYC 5384 Cognitive Behavior Therapy, PSYC 5320 Advanced Study in Human Growth and Development, PSYC 5345 Group Processes, and COUN 5324 Cultural Diversity of Clients.
The applied courses are more specialized clinical applications and should be taken after the basic courses are taken. A student's formal degree plan with specific courses should be completed and approved/signed by their Faculty Advisor and the Graduate Admissions Coordinator before 12 semester hours are completed. Students in counseling psychology must successfully complete (with a grade of B or higher) PSYC 5392 Applied Counseling Practice and PSYC 5393 Applied Therapy prior to enrollment in PSYC 5396 Supervised Practicum in Psychology.