Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Counseling, M.A.C.


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Master’s Degrees and Certificates

   Master of Arts in Counseling

  

Concentrations

  • Autism
  • Child and Family Therapy
  • Community Public Health
  • Foundations in BCBA®
  • Mediation and Conflict Transformation
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery

 

Dual Degrees

  • Master of Public Health and Master of Arts in Counseling (see separate listing)
  • Master of Arts in Counseling (Trauma) and Master of International Peace and Conflict Resolution 

  

Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling

  • Child and Family Therapy Certificate
  • Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery Certificate
  • Post-Master’s Program in Counseling for Licensure Readiness

  

Early Entry MA Counseling Program

Master’s Degrees and Certificates


Master’s Degrees and Certificates 

   Master of Arts in Counseling 

      Concentrations 

Autism 

Child and Family Therapy 

Community Public Health 

Foundations in BCBA® 

Mediation and Conflict Transformation 

Mental Health Counseling 

Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery 

Dual Degrees 

       Master of Public Health and Master of Arts in Counseling (see separate listing) 

       Master of Arts in Counseling (Trauma) and Master of International Peace and Conflict 

       Resolution (see separate listing)  Resolution (see separate listing)    

Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling 

       Child and Family Therapy Certificate 

       Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery           Certificate 

       Post-Master’s Program in Counseling for Licensure Readiness 

   Early Entry MA Counseling Program 

About the Counseling Program


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)

 


Academic Policies and Procedures Counseling Program (MAC)


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


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.  

Elective Courses


Students could also take elective courses featured in the Autism Concentration, Foundations in BCBA® Concentration, Community Public Health Concentration, and Mediation and Conflict Transformation Concentration (pending approval from these graduate programs and completion of any necessary prerequisites). Other Master’s-level courses at Arcadia could be taken with the approval of the Program Director and with approval by the Office of Graduate Studies. To do this, students must complete a petition that includes a statement on course relevance to the student’s academic program and career goals. The petition form can be found at: https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/colleges-schools/graduate-undergraduate-studies/graduate-forms

 

Specialty Concentrations


Certain combinations of elective courses comprise specialty concentrations in our curriculum. These concentrations are summarized below, including the required electives for each. Notably, the number of total required credits varies across concentrations. Students can complete more than one concentration.

Each specialty concentration includes 45 credits of core courses.

Concentration: Autism


This 15-credit concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. The concentration includes 4 courses offered by Arcadia’s School of Education and 1 approved elective. This concentration responds to the need for trained professionals to work with children with autism and their families. Courses focus on evidence-based and person-centered therapeutic and educational programs aimed to teach skills to improve independence, reduce challenging behaviors, and promote community participation. Objectives: Graduates will identify characteristics of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, apply concepts and principles of applied behavior analysis, and demonstrate teaching methods for individuals Autism Spectrum Disorders.
 

Concentration: Child and Family Therapy


This 15-credit concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. This concentration includes 3 elective courses offered by the GPC and 2two additional electives. Courses in this concentration focus on child and family mental health, including assessment, diagnosis, and various evidence-based therapeutic treatments. This concentration also emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and cultural tailoring in working with youth and families from diverse backgrounds. Of note, students who complete this concentration are required to complete their internship at a site that provides clinical services to youth and families. Objectives: Graduates will identify psychiatric disorders and other challenges commonly presented by youth and families in counseling, apply concepts of child and family counseling to case conceptualization and treatment planning, and demonstrate counseling skills from multiple empirically supported psychotherapies for youth and families.

Concentration: Community Public Health


This 15-credit concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. The concentration includes 4 courses offered by Arcadia’s Public Health Program and 1 approved elective. Through this concentration, students learn about the systemic forces impacting mental and physical health and how to intervene within communities to create health-promoting practices and environments. Objectives: Graduates will demonstrate understanding of history, theories, and functions of public health; identify current issues in health equity across individuals and systems; display comprehension of epidemiological trends and methods; and demonstrate principles and practices of program planning and evaluation.

Concentration: Foundations in BCBA


This 22-credit concentration requires students to complete 67 total credits toward their 60-credit MAC, including 8 elective courses all offered by the School of Education. This concentration provides students with specialized knowledge of the application of behavioral principles and is meant to complement their counseling training. This concentration allows students the opportunity to pursue credentials as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®). Objectives: Graduates will demonstrate understanding and application of ABA principles and practices, including FBA and consultation across settings, integrate an understanding of human development in the context of ABA, identify and enact standards of ethical and professional behavior of ABA, and apply standards and practices of training and supervising human service staff.

Concentration: Mediation and Conflict Transformation


This 15-credit concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. The concentration includes 4 courses offered by Arcadia’s International Peace & Conflict Resolution Program and 1 approved elective. Mediation is used in couples counseling and separation/divorce proceedings, in assisting communities affected by violence, and fostering communication 

and collaboration to create safe environments (locally and internationally). In this concentration, students learn to integrate their knowledge and skills in these areas into their counseling, advocacy, or conflict transformation. Objectives: Graduates will display understanding and application of theories of conflict analysis, conflict transformation, and restorative justice; and will comprehend and demonstrate practices of mediation and conflict coaching. 

Concentration: Mental Health Counseling


This concentration provides a solid core of counselor training with room to pursue a range of elective courses. This concentration is available to students completing the 48- or 60-credit MAC options. Students completing the 48-credit MAC select 1 elective course (3 credits), and students completing the 60-credit MAC select 5 elective courses. Students completing the 60-credit 

option are required to take one course from the Child and Family Therapy Concentration (PY613, PY640, PY650), one course from the Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery Concentration (PY618, PY622, PY623), and no more than one course outside of the GPC. Objectives: As designed, the precise objectives of this concentration vary depending on the specific courses that students choose for their electives.   

Concentration: Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery


This 15-credit concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. This concentration includes 3 elective courses offered by the GPC and 2 additional electives. Courses in this concentration respond to the need for counselors to assist clients who have been impacted by traumatic experiences both locally and internationally. Specifically, training focuses on/ short-term interventions and long-term care with emphasis on evidence-based treatments of trauma, strategies for treating grief and bereavement, as well as advocacy and social justice. Of note, students who complete this concentration are required to complete their internship at a site that provides clinical services to clients who have experienced trauma. Objectives: Graduates will display and understanding of the diagnosis and features of trauma and stressor-related disorders and challenges, including grief, bereavement, and complex trauma; demonstrate comprehension and application of several empirically supported psychotherapies for trauma, as well as grief and bereavement; and learn and practice advocacy and social justice strategies for individuals and communities with trauma

Advanced Graduate Study Options


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.

Trauma: Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery Certificate


This 15-credit certificate includes 4 determined courses, one lab, and one approved elective. This certificate responds to the need for counselors to assist clients who have been impacted by traumatic experiences both locally and internationally. Specifically, training focuses on short-term interventions and long-term care with emphasis on evidence-based treatments of trauma, strategies for treating grief and bereavement, as well as advocacy and social justice. Of note, students who complete this certificate are required to complete their internship at a site that provides clinical services to clients who have experienced trauma.

Child and Family Therapy Certificate


This 15-credit certificate includes 4 determined courses, one lab, and one approved elective that provide specialized training in child and family mental health, including assessment, diagnosis, and various evidence-based therapeutic treatments. This certificate also emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and cultural tailoring in working with youth and families from diverse backgrounds. Students who complete this certificate are required to complete their internship at a site that provides clinical services to children or adolescents.

Post-Master’s Program in Counseling for Licensure Readiness


This program is designed for individuals who have completed Masters degrees in Counseling and wish to pursue further systematic study to qualify to sit for the National Counselor’s Examination (NCE) or licensure in Pennsylvania (or other states with equivalent requirements). The NCE requires 48 semester hours of graduate credit with a course in nine specified areas. Pennsylvania requires completion of a planned program of 60 graduate semester credits in counseling from an accredited educational institution. This program prepares post-master’s students to meet these requirements. The specific courses that students take in this program vary according to their needs in meeting specific NCE and state licensure requirements.

The number of credits required will be determined after a transcript analysis has been completed. Specific courses will be selected through meeting with the student’s Program Adviser. However, a minimum of 12 credits are required for individuals with a 48-credit Master’s degree.

In this program, students could take any of the GPC’s core or elective courses recommended by the Program Adviser. Students could also take courses featured in the Autism Concentration, Foundations in BCBA® Concentration, Community Public Health Concentration, and Mediation and Conflict Transformation Concentration (pending approval from these graduate programs and completion of any necessary prerequisites). Other Master’s-level courses at Arcadia could be taken with the approval of the Program Director and with approval by the Office of Graduate Studies. To do this, students must complete a petition that includes a statement on course relevance to the student’s academic program and career goals. The petition form can be found at: https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/colleges-schools/graduate-undergraduate-studies/graduate-forms

 

Early Entry MA Counseling Program


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 (PY500, PY516, PY521, PY570) 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: 

PY500 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

 

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