About the Program
Coordinators
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Eleonora Bartoli, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Counseling
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Amy S Cox, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Program Overview
Trauma affects millions of people worldwide each year. Individuals affected by natural disasters, war, ethnic conflict, and gender-based violence can suffer long-lasting psychological symptoms that cause significant personal distress and interfere with optimal functioning. Despite this, trauma survivors’ psychological needs frequently go untreated.
The combination of two master’s programs at Arcadia—Counseling with the Trauma Concentration and International Peace and Conflict Resolution—gives students a unique multidisciplinary program not found elsewhere. Students with training in both trauma-specific counseling and international peace and conflict resolution will be well-positioned to plan and implement programs that facilitate psychological recovery from violence and natural disasters, both domestically and abroad.
This program is for students with specific interests in trauma recovery at an international scale as well as for students interested in serving the increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers within the United States. In order to do relief work abroad, agencies increasingly require professional credentials, so this program fulfills the requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania.
Full-time or part-time
If completed on a full-time basis, the program will take three years or longer depending on the individual student’s needs and preferences. Since both programs have part-time options, adapting the student’s schedule is easier than fitting additional courses into a full-time program block schedule.
Counseling Goals and Objectives
The master’s program in Counseling educates and socializes students to become practitioners skilled in the art of behavior assessment and change. Coursework integrates theory and practice—both within and outside of the classroom.
The Counseling program is structured to develop professional-level competence in:
- Communication and listening
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Interpersonal and cultural sensitivity
- Understanding self through introspection and realistic self-critique
- Adhering to professional, ethical and legal standards and behaviors
- Generating and testing hypotheses about human behavior
- Understanding the theories and techniques of counseling and behavior change
- Using counseling skills in individual and group settings
- Integrating and applying assessment, diagnostic, consultation and educational strategies
International Peace and Conflict Resolution Goals and Objectives
The IPCR program’s innovative curriculum allows students to develop an area of concentration within the discipline of international peace and conflict resolution, build an international network of contacts among the international conflict resolution community, and gain practical experience in the field. The IPCR program is structured to develop competencies in:
- Theories and dynamics of conflict and resolution
- Tools and techniques of conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation
- Understanding of how states and other third parties impact conflict
- Knowledge of the methods used to diffuse conflict on a variety of levels—interpersonal, groups and institutions
- An appreciation for the contributions of other disciplines to the field of peace and conflict resolution
- The ability to recognize a number of qualitative and quantitative methods and understand data represented in research
Students can complete specialized courses in areas of a student’s choosing, including international law, sustainable development mediation, health, and human rights.
Benefits of the Dual Degree Program
Arcadia students have opportunities to integrate counseling and conflict resolution principles to service individuals affected by traumatic circumstances. These opportunities may include community projects and internships that will enhance their clinical and community-based skills, both within the United States and internationally, if desired.
Dual degree students gain a greater understanding of the scope of both counseling and international peace and conflict resolution issues surrounding communities and individuals living in post-conflict societies.
The dual degree combines the advocacy agendas proposed by both international peace and conflict resolution and counseling/trauma psychology field to most effectively address communities’ and individual problems in post-conflict societies.
Internship Possibilities
There are multiple opportunities for students to work in situations that allow them to combine their Counseling clinical training with their IPCR internship requirement. Such internships prepare students to serve populations who have experienced traumas both at home and abroad, as well as address both individual and systemic causes of distress. As the fields of counseling (and especially trauma counseling) and IPCR have both a strong advocacy component, it is invaluable for students to pursue internships that integrate both perspectives. These internships will be arranged on an individual basis with the Counseling and the IPCR internship coordinator. Students also have separate faculty advisers in both academic programs.
Accreditation
The Counseling graduate programs are accredited by the Masters in Psychology Accreditation Council (MPAC).
Expenses
Students are billed on a per-credit basis based on the number of credits they enroll for in a given semester. There is a per credit rate for IPCR courses and a separate per credit rate for counseling courses taken. In addition to tuition, students are charged a $50/semester technology fee, a $40/semester registration fee, and an annual parking permit can be purchased for $70. Information on current costs is available at www.arcadia.edu/finaid
Financial aid is available to assist qualified students in covering tuition and related expenses, as well as living costs. Upon review for admission, students automatically will be reviewed by the academic department for a limited number of merit scholarships. Additionally, students can apply to receive up to $20,500 annually through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan at a fixed interest. In addition to the Stafford Loan, students can choose to borrow either a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan or a private alternative student loan to cover remaining expenses. Graduate assistantships also may be available to those who qualify. For more information on available financial aid and how to apply, visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid.
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