M.A. in Counseling Psychology Courses

The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program is a 48-51 semester credit program. It is designed to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Minnesota as Licensed Professional Counselors (Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy). Credits are listed in parentheses.

PSYC640 • Personality and Counseling Theories I (3)
Introduction to the fields of counseling and clinical psychology through an in-depth study of theories of personality and their derivative counseling models. Emphasis is on understanding the relationship between theory and practice, and on critiquing models in light of current research and perspectives. Focus: dynamic and dispositional Approaches.

PSYC641 • Personality and Counseling Theories II (3)
A continuation of PSYC640 presenting an in-depth study of several theories of personality and their derivative counseling models. Emphasis is on understanding the relationship between theory and practice, critiquing models in light of current research and perspectives, and developing a transtheoretical approach to counseling. Focus: phenomenological, cognitive, and behavioral approaches. Prerequisite: PSYC640.

PSYC642 • Integration of Psychology and Worldview (3)
Overview and critique of the models that articulate the interface between psychology and Christianity. Focus will be on topics central to the practice of counseling within the context of a Christian worldview. Discussion of such areas as the nature of personhood, the nature of evil and psychopathology, and the process of healing. The course has at its core the importance of personally integrating one’s Christian faith and the discipline of psychology.

PSYC643 • Counseling Microskills and Ethics (3)
Demonstration and supervised practice of interview skills. Emphasis is on development of core helping skills and attitudes foundational to an effective counseling process. Introductory issues in counseling relationship ethics and how gender, class, and cultural diversity factors may influence the counseling process.

PSYC644 • Introduction to Family Systems (2)
Exploration of basic family dynamics (such as intimacy, communication, power, shame), with special emphasis given to examining those dynamics from the family systems and family development theoretical perspectives. Differences in family structures and patterns with opportunities for learners to apply theoretical principles to real-life family situations.

PSYC646 • Group Processes (1)
Introduction to the use of groups in counseling and psychotherapy. Emphasis is on theoretical, practical, and ethical issues of group processes including member selection, group development and norms, intragroup conflict resolution, and group termination. Both didactic and experimental methods will be used.

PSYC650 • Psychological Assessment I (Career and Personality Assessment) (3)
Introduction to the theory and practice of psychological assessment focusing on personality measures and instruments used in career counseling. Includes the theoretical, ethical, and practical issues of construction, administration, scoring, and interpretation of psychological tests and evaluation of assessment instruments.

PSYC652 • Psychological Assessment II (Ability and Psychopathology Assessment) (3)
Exposure to and beginning competence in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of instruments related to the assessment of personality and psychopathology, including objective and projective instruments. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-R will also be learned as an instrument for assessing intelligence and for its interface as an assessment tool for psychopathology. Includes psychometric properties and proper use of these instruments, as well as factors affecting their reliability and validity. Additional focus is on synthesizing data, diagnostic interviewing, and report writing skills. Prerequisite: PSYC650.

PSYC654 • Research Methods and Treatment of Data (3)
Methods of empirical research particularly applicable to clinical and counseling situations, with primary emphasis on evaluation and application of published research. Secondary emphasis is development of skills necessary for completion of thesis project. Prerequisite: Introduction to Statistics.

PSYC656 • Psychopathology (3)
Critical review of theoretical perspectives and current research on the development and maintenance of major forms of maladaptive behavior. Examination of the diagnostic process will also include discussion of ethics, biases, and the reliability/ validity of categorization. Discussion of formulations, symptoms, and progression of various disorders will interface with a consideration of appropriate therapeutic interventions.

PSYC660 • Neuropsychology (3)
Nervous system structure and function, with emphasis on clinical/counseling applications. Includes biological causes of normal behavior, organic causes for behavioral disorders, and drug influences on behavior.

PSYC662 • Professional Issues and Ethics I (1.5)
Overview of the legal, ethical, and professional issues currently facing psychologists in practice including matters of confidentiality, informed consent, conflicts of interest, boundary issues including sexual involvement, commitment proceedings, advertising, limits of professional competence, and potential church/state conflicts. Special emphasis is given to the American Psychological Association code of ethics and regulations of the Minnesota State Board of Professional Psychology. Corequisite: PSYC780.

PSYC664 • Integration Seminar I (1.5)
Taken concurrently with the practicum training experience. Learners will present and discuss case material drawn directly from their practicums, paying particular attention to the integrative psychological and theological issues present in the case material. Emphasis is on the manner in which religious questions, in particular, and values, in general, present themselves in the diagnostic and therapeutic material. Attention to the personhood of the therapist as a factor in the therapeutic process. Graded on an S/U basis. Corequisite: PSYC780.

PSYC671 • Lifespan Development (3)
Study of the development of individuals from conception through late adulthood. Emphasis is on the familial, cultural, and societal contexts of development as a framework for the understanding of individual development. Areas of development explored are: physical and physiological changes, intellectual functioning, personality development, normative and non-normative transitions, social relations, family development, vocational development, retirement, and death. Focus is on individual differences (taking into account such factors as gender, culture, and class), issues of continuity-discontinuity throughout life, the nature and assumptions of developmental theory, and the importance of developmental factors in counseling.

PSYC672 • Professional Issues and Ethics II (1.5)
A continuation of PSYC662. Prerequisite: PSYC662. Corequisite: PSYC782.

PSYC674 • Integration Seminar II (1.5)
A continuation of PSYC664. Graded on an S/U basis. Prerequisite: PSYC664. Corequisite: PSYC782.

PSYC780 • Practicum I (3)
A nine-month, supervised counseling/clinical experience (Practicum I and Practicum II combined total a minimum of 700 hours over the nine-month sequence), with primary attention given to individual, family, and group therapy contact. A minimum of 250 supervised hours must be successfully completed. This training component gives the learner the opportunity to integrate classroom learning, personal skills, and prior experience into a new therapeutic setting with on-site supervision. State Board of Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy guidelines for clinical placements and supervision will be applied. Graded on an S/U basis. Prerequisites: PSYC640, PSYC641, PSYC643, PSYC644, PSYC646, PSYC650, PSYC652, PSYC654, PSYC656, PSYC671, and consent of the Department of Psychology faculty. Corequisites: PSYC662, PSYC664.

PSYC782 • Practicum II (3)
A continuation of PSYC780, completing the balance of the 700 hours. Graded on an S/U basis. Prerequisite: PSYC780 and consent of the Department of Psychology faculty. Corequisites: PSYC672 and PSYC674.

Choose one option:

Option One:

PSYC790 • Comprehensive Examination (3)
Graded on an S/U basis.

Option Two:

PSYC791 • Thesis I (3)
The master’s thesis for the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology consists of a research project designed and carried out by the learner, under the direction of a faculty advisor and graduate committee. While all learners in the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program are expected to be good consumers of research, the thesis project is designed to prepare learners to contribute to the research in the field and to gain important research experience necessary for entrance into a doctoral program. Learners interested in pursuing a Ph.D. should seriously consider completing a master’s thesis. Learners must register for six thesis credits in order to complete the thesis. Learners may enroll in PSYC791 in the semester following PSYC654. The latest time to enroll in PSYC791 is the semester after completing program course work. Learners may enroll in PSYC791 and PSYC792 in the same semester or in two consecutive semesters. Graded on an S/U basis. Prerequisite: PSYC654.

PSYC792 • Thesis II (3)
A continuation of PSYC791. Graded on an S/U basis. Prerequisite: PSYC791.

Bethel University reserves the right to withdraw, modify, or add to the list of courses or the course descriptions printed in this bulletin.