COMMUNITY COUNSELING
An established, highly regarded graduate counseling program for the working student that focuses on ethics, diversity and social justice
The Community Counseling Program is based on the belief that effective counselors have a sense of personal identity and understand the process of identity formation that governs their ethics; a commitment to social justice and work with diverse populations; are grounded in counseling skills that are compatible with any theoretical orientation and can integrate these into an evolving theoretical foundation; and that they can cope effectively with the stress of a demanding profession and develop the professional and personal support systems to sustain them.
Master of Arts in Education/Community Counseling Program
The Community Program prepares students for work in various community settings, such as youth service agencies, mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, and correctional facilities. Community counseling program objectives are:
To prepare reflective community counselors who demonstrate technological competence, professionalism, ethical decision-making, and knowledge of legal matters.
To prepare community counselors to be multiculturally competent leaders who practice advocacy, value diversity, and promote social justice.
To prepare community counselors to use in-depth knowledge of human growth and development to improve client understanding, well-being, and to enhance resiliency.
To prepare community counselors with career development knowledge and skills to help clients make informed career decisions.
To prepare community counselors who demonstrate an understanding and application of established and emerging counseling theories through effective use of individual techniques for working with a diverse population.
To prepare community counselors who demonstrate an understanding of established and emerging group counseling theories through effective use of group techniques for working with a diverse population.
To prepare community counselors to use their understanding of assessment to assess client’s abilities, aptitudes, achievements and interests.
To prepare community counselors to utilize research to evaluate services and make research based professional judgments.
To prepare community counselors with the foundation to effectively work in a community mental health agency.
To prepare community counselors who understand the role of a community mental health agency within the larger community.
To prepare community counselors with knowledge and skills to provide quality service in diverse communities.