Counseling, M.A.C.

Faculty

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Program Director

   Michael Morrow, Ph.D., Professor

Program Associate Director

   Carol Lyman, M.A.

Faculty

   Hsin-Hua Cathy Lee, Ph.D., Associate Professor

   Lauren Reid, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

About the Counseling Program

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The Profession

Master’s-level counseling professionals play a critical role in the mental health care field. They provide various clinical services (e.g., assessment, consultation, therapy, advocacy, program development and evaluation) across multiple settings (e.g., mental health agencies, hospitals, schools and colleges, private practices). Mental health care is a thriving field, and the challenges of today’s society make this field one of continued growth. Arcadia’s Graduate Program in Counseling is structured to help students develop competence in delivering therapeutic techniques, multicultural sensitivity and humility, use of diagnostic nomenclature, psychological assessment, consultation and educational strategies, and knowledge of and adherence to professional ethical standards.  

About the Counseling Program

The mission of Arcadia University’s Graduate Program in Counseling (GPC) is to provide students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, self-awareness, dispositions, and skills needed to become competent professional counselors trained to integrate evidenced-based and multicultural practices in their professional work. Students also receive instruction in career development and self-care to help them achieve their professional goals and sustain themselves in their professional careers over time. Our curriculum provides students with repeated opportunities to practice counseling skills, as well as receive and offer feedback to help them become advocates for social justice. Further, our curriculum provides students with the opportunities to fulfill all graduate educational requirements necessary to become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. Overall, the curriculum is designed to embody our motto, Best Practices and Social Justice with Heart, and meet the following specific objectives:   

• Graduates will evidence competency in evidence-based practice in counseling.
• Graduates will demonstrate competency in multicultural practice in counseling.
• Graduates will display skills needed to pursue their specific careers in counseling.
• Graduates will exhibit skills needed to incorporate self-care into their counseling careers.

 The GPC is accredited by the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) and offers a 48-credit Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) and a 60-credit MAC. Both options require completion of 14 core courses and 4 multicultural laboratory experiences, comprising 45 total academic credits. Notably, the 48-credit MAC satisfies current Pennsylvania course and credit requirements to sit for the National Counselor’s Examination (NCE). The 60-credit MAC satisfies current Pennsylvania course and credit requirements to sit for the NCE and to apply for licensure in Pennsylvania, after passing the NCE and after accumulating 3,000 hours of supervised work experience. 

Certain combinations of elective courses comprise specialty concentrations in our curriculum. Arcadia offers the following seven concentrations:        

Autism (View Concentration Requirements)

Child and Family Therapy (View Concentration Requirements)

Community Public Health (View Concentration Requirements)

Foundations in BCBA ^®  (View Concentration Requirements)

Mediation and Conflict Transformation (View Concentration Requirements)

Mental Health Counseling (View Concentration Requirements)

Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery (View Concentration Requirements)

 

General Admission

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Admission to the Graduate Counseling Program (MAC)

The following requirements must be met:

1. A graduate application, including personal statements, to be completed online at www.arcadia.edu/gradapp.
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or better.
3. One official transcript from each college, university, or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and seals.
4. Completion of at least three Psychology courses (must include Introductory Psychology), with grades of “B” or better in each.
5. Three letters of recommendation. The letters must be of a professional not personal nature. For students who have been out of school for five years or less, at least one letter must come from a professor. Of note, Arcadia’s Psychology majors (current students and alums) are only required to submit two letters.
6. An in-person interview with administrators and faculty in the program (by invitation only). 
7. International applicants should visit www.arcadia.edu/international for detailed information on admission requirements and application procedures. Official results from the TOEFL or IELTS are required for all students for whom English is a second language except for non-native speakers of English who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States also is required.

Application Deadline

Regular Decision: Applicants seeking regular admission for the fall semester should complete their applications by January 15. Applicants seeking regular admission for the spring semester should complete their applications by November 1. If seats are still available in courses, the Counseling program might accept applications after these deadlines. Prospective students can contact the Associate Director to inquire whether applications are still being accepted.

Early Decision: Early decision is designed for applicants who hope to secure a seat in the GPC for the fall semester, in advance of the regular decision admission process. Applicants seeking early admission for the fall semester should complete applications by November 1. 

Early Entry: The Early Entry MA Counseling Program allows students in their junior year of undergraduate studies (across all majors) to apply to take up to three graduate counseling courses during their senior year. Applicants seeking early entry should complete applications during their junior undergraduate year by January 15.

Expenses

2020-21 Tuition: $790 per credit

Fees:

• Registration: $50 per semester
• Technology: $100 per semester
• Parking: $55 per semester or $100 per year (Fall and Spring) before 4 p.m. No charge after 4 p.m.

Financial Aid: Graduate students who have been accepted into a degree program and are enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester are eligible to apply for financial aid. Please visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid for information regarding available aid options and visit www.arcadia.edu/gradfinaidapply to complete required forms online.  

Graduate Assistantships: The GPC offers several paid Graduate Assistantship (GA) positions each academic year, pending the availability of funding and open positions. GA positions are typically sustained each fall and spring semester that a student is enrolled in the GPC; however, we occasionally offer summer GA positions and time-limited GA positions (e.g., a special appointment assisting faculty scholarship). Students are encouraged to share their interest in pursuing GA positions during in-person interviews. Decisions about GA positions within the GPC are based on merit (e.g., academic record and previous work experiences), as well as students’ interests. Prospective students should contact the Associate Director for more information about GA opportunities.

Graduate Student Employment: Other forms of employment may be also available to graduate students across the University. Students may apply for employment upon acceptance and registration. Questions regarding graduate employment should be directed to the Office of Graduate Studies (see https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/colleges-schools/graduate-undergraduate-studies)

Leave of Absence and Deferred Admission Policy

Students Who Have Been Admitted but Have Not Started: After students are admitted, they are expected to enroll for the semester indicated on the acceptance letter. If they do not enroll for classes at the expected time and have not provided notification (to the GPC, the Office of Enrollment Management, or the Office of Graduate Studies) by the end of the semester indicated in the acceptance letter, admitted students will be placed automatically on inactive status. Students placed on inactive status must meet with the GPC Director to become reactivated and able to take classes. The Director will meet with the GPC Committee (all core faculty) to establish the criteria for students to return to active status, which could require full reapplication, depending on the case.

Students Who Started but Are Not Currently Enrolled: Students must file a temporary withdrawal by completing the online form (Temporary Withdraw from a Graduate Program-Counseling; available at https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/colleges-schools/graduate-undergraduate-studies/graduate-forms) anytime they take a break in continuous enrollment (not including summer). Students who do not file a temporary withdrawal or an extension of leave could be placed on inactive status. Students placed on inactive status must meet with the GPC Director to become reactivated and able to take classes. The Director will meet with the GPC Committee (all core faculty) to establish the criteria for students to return to active status, which could require full reapplication, depending on the case.

Academic Policies and Procedures

According to University policy, a grade point average (GPA) of “B” is required for admission to degree candidacy, internship, and for graduation. A grade of “B” or above is required for the culminating activity for any graduate degree; the culminating activity for the GPC is Internship (PY630 and PY631). Any grade below “C” may not be applied toward a degree, and only 6 credits of “C” or “C+” will count toward a degree. If a failing grade is received (“C-” or below), the course may be repeated one time, but only with the Director’s permission. No more than two core courses may be repeated by a student.

Counseling students may be placed on remediation (i.e., Support Plans) or dismissed for failing grades or for behavior that is deemed by the GPC’s core faculty as clinically problematic. See the GPC’s Student Manual for additional information regarding remediation and dismissal. This manual can be requested by contacting the Associate Director and is available at: https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/programs/counseling.

Degree Requirements

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The MAC (48-credit and 60-credit) requires completion of 14 core courses and 4 labs (45 credits).

Students completing the 48-credit MAC are able to complete 1 elective course, whereas those completing the 60-credit degree can complete 5 elective courses. Students can choose to complete various electives offered by the GPC and potentially some courses offered by several other graduate programs.  

Advanced Graduate Study Options

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The GPC offers three advanced educational options for practicing counselors and related mental health providers looking for further their knowledge, skills, and career opportunities.

To apply, applicants must hold a Masters or doctoral degree in Counseling or a related field and meet all the other entrance requirements listed for the MAC.

Early Entry MA Counseling Program

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The Early Entry MA Counseling Program allows students in their junior year of undergraduate studies (across all majors) to apply to take up to three graduate counseling courses during their senior year. These graduate courses do not require any pre-requisites beyond those required for admission. This program is open to Arcadia University undergraduate students, including transfer students, as well as undergraduate students from other accredited institutions. Taking courses while completing their undergraduate studies allow seniors to lighten their coursework as graduate students, especially within the Counseling program’s 21-month program. While completing courses, Early Entry students receive ongoing advising from an assigned faculty mentor. Importantly, the credits earned for these graduate courses by Early Entry students will only count toward their intended graduate degree (and cannot simultaneously count as credits for their undergraduate degree). Students interested in this program are encouraged to discuss with their undergraduate academic advisors the feasibility of adding graduate courses while completing their final year of undergraduate studies.

Admission to the Early Entry MA Counseling Program

The following requirements must be met:

1. A graduate application, including personal statements, to be completed online at www.arcadia.edu/gradapp.
2. One official transcript from each college, university, or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and seals.
3. Completion of at least three Psychology courses (must include Introductory Psychology), with grades of “B” or better in each.
4. Three letters of recommendation. The letters must be of a professional not personal nature, and at least one letter must come from a professor. Of note, Arcadia’s current Psychology majors are only required to submit two letters.
5. An in-person interview with administrators and faculty in the program (by invitation only). 
6. International applicants should visit www.arcadia.edu/international for detailed information on admission requirements and application procedures. Official results from the TOEFL or IELTS are required for all students for whom English is a second language except for non-native speakers of English who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States also is required.

Course Options: Students in the Early Entry MA Counseling Program can earn three to nine graduate credits during their final year of undergraduate studies by completing one to three of the following courses:

• PY 500 Educational and Career Counseling 3 credits
• PY 516 Human Development: Life Span 3 credits
• PY 521 Research Design, Methods and Evaluation 3 credits
• PY 570 Professional Issues in Counseling 3 credits