Counseling Courses

COUN 500 - Orientation
Hours: 0

COUN 501 - Introduction to the Counseling Profession
Hours: 3
Recommended as initial course in a student's program to serve as an introduction to the counseling profession. Roles of counselors and related professionals in various settings are presented. Professional goals and objectives, trends, professional associations, ethical and legal issues, history, credentials, and preparation standards for counselors are explored. A grade of B or better is required in COUN 501 to meet program requirements for the MS-Counseling programs. Corequisites: COUN 510.

COUN 505 - Introduction to College Student Affairs
Hours: 3
Recommended as initial course in a student’s program to serve as an introduction to college student development from a Counseling perspective. Roles of related professionals, including counselors, in various settings are presented. Professional goals and objectives; trends; professional associations; ethical and legal issues; history; credentialing; preparation standards; and characteristics, and behaviors that influence helping processes are explored.

COUN 510 - Counseling Theories and Techniques
Hours: 3
A study of the philosophical and theoretical bases of the helping process. Includes study of major counseling theories, basic helping skills, and applications to diverse populations. Also includes professional issues related specifically to the counseling process. A grade of B or better is required in COUN 510 to meet program requirements for the MS/MED-Counseling programs. Corequisites: COUN 501.

COUN 512 - Career Development
Hours: 3
Career Development. Three semester hours. Interrelationships among lifestyle, work place, and career planning are explored. Career development theories; occupational, educational, and personal/social information sources and delivery systems; and organization of career development programs are studied.

COUN 513 - Communication In Marriage
Hours: 3
Theories and techniques of verbal, and nonverbal communication in the marriage relationship are studied. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528.

COUN 514 - School Counseling and Development
Hours: 3
As the foundation course for those planning to enter school counseling, this course covers organization, planning, management, and evaluation of comprehensive school counseling programs. Appropriate roles and functions of school counselors at various school levels, coordination of professional services; and professional issues such as ethics and associations as they specifically relate to school counseling are included. Recommended for non-counselor educational professionals as well as counselors. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 516 - Basic Counseling Skills
Hours: 3
Provides the foundation for all practicum and internship experiences. Students learn communication and interpersonal skills under faculty supervision. Demonstration of these skills is a prerequisite for enrollment in practicum (COUN 551). Students will examine their intrapersonal issues and interpersonal styles and will follow ACA Ethical Standards. Prerequisites: COUN 501, COUN 510, with minimum grade of B or better in each and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 501, COUN 510, COUN 528.

COUN 517 - Assessment in Counseling
Hours: 3
Assessment in Counseling. Three semester hours. Includes group and individual appraisal techniques to be used to support career, educational, and personal planning and development. Standardized and non-standardized data information gathering methods, validity, reliability, psychometric statistics, factors influencing appraisals, and use and interpretation of appraisal results with a variety of populations are explored.

COUN 520 - Advanced School Counseling
Hours: 3
This course is designed to support further understanding of how to implement a comprehensive developmental school counseling program. Furthermore, this course thoroughly examines specialized topics related to school counseling. Through the course, students are taught models that can be applied in real life situations. They are also encouraged to develop their own models for practical application. This course is a required course for all professional school counseling graduate students and students pursuing a career as a professional school counselors in a pre-K-12 school setting. This course is intended to support the development of students’ professional school counseling competencies (dispositions, knowledge, skills, and attitudes) as stipulated by the CACREP. Prerequisites: COUN 514, COUN 516, and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 514, COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 522 - Counseling Diverse Populations
Hours: 3
Counseling Diverse Populations. Three semester hours. Emphasis on developing knowledge, skills and attitudes for more effective counseling with persons different from the counselor regarding characteristics such as culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, and religious preference. Substantial attention is given to developing awareness of one's own values, attitudes and beliefs as they relate to counseling in a diverse society. Provides an understanding of how diverse values and mores, interaction patterns, social conditions, and trends related to diversity affect counseling.

COUN 528 - Introduction to Group Dynamics and Procedures
Hours: 3
A study of group development, dynamics, and theories in relation to group counseling. Leadership styles, techniques and roles are explored, and ethical issues related to group interventions are discussed. Prerequisites: Admitted to MS program. COUN 501, COUN 510 completed with a minimum grade of B in each, and COUN 516. Corequisites: COUN 501, COUN 510, COUN 516.

COUN 530 - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Hours: 3
As the foundation course for those planning to be counselors in mental health settings, this course includes theoretical and applied information regarding mental health counseling services in the context of the larger social services system. A variety of delivery systems, staffing procedures, case management procedures, emergency services, treatment paradigms, and the need for consultation and collaboration among mental health professionals are discussed. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 534 - Counseling Children and Adolescents
Hours: 3
Prepares counselors to address the specific needs of children and adolescents, with emphasis on developmental needs, specific therapeutic interventions, and common emotional issues. Group and individual counseling techniques and treatment planning are included. Prerequisite: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528.

COUN 535 - Psychopharmacology in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Hours: 3
COUN 535. This course integrates mental disorders of the DSM-5 and psychopharmacology medications. Students will examine psychopharmacological medications including their basic classifications, indications, contraindications and side effects. Students will learn how these medications are administered and how they physically affect the brain. Students will be able to identify common psychopharmacology mediations utilized for their respective mental disorders. In addition, The goal of the course is to introduce psychopharmacological medications and how they relate to clinical mental health counseling settings. Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Admission to a Counseling program. COUN 501, COUN 510, COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 539 - Introduction to Play Therapy
Hours: 3
Students will develop an effective philosophy of and approach to play therapy and an increased understanding of children and of children's world views. Through an experiential component, the student will learn to communicate with children at an affective level, to promote children's self-exploration and understanding, and to increase children's sensitivity to and acceptance of others. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 540 - Diagnosis & Treatment Planning for Clinical Mental Health Counselors
Hours: 3
Principles and models of biopsychosocial assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning for counseling applications within a managed care framework. DSM diagnosis and differential diagnosis formulations, disorder prevention and intervention, and promotion of optimal mental health within counseling settings are studied. Prerequisites: COUN 501; COUN 510; COUN 516; COUN 528; COUN 595; COUN 545.

COUN 545 - Dev Issues/Strategy in Counseling
Hours: 3
This course provides an overview of theory and research related to human growth and development over the lifespan. In addition to meeting the core curricula objectives required for accreditation, the course provides specific developmentally appropriate interventions supported by research that are designed to enhance the growth and development of clients who seek counseling services. Crosslisted with: PSY 545.

COUN 548 - Advanced Counseling Skills
Hours: 3
A laboratory-based, experiential course, Advanced Counseling Skills will merge the continued development of basic skills with theoretically based conceptualization skills and techniques. Students will examine their intrapersonal alignments with chosen theoretical orientations. Students will practice theoretically consistent conceptualization skills and techniques. Students will be expected to adhere to ACA Ethical Standards. A grade of B or better is required in COUN 548 to meet program requirements for MS Counseling programs. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528.

COUN 549 - Ethics in Prof Coun
Hours: 1
Ethics in Professional Counseling. One semester hours Examines ethical and legal issues in counseling and the behavioral sciences. Includes theories of moral philosophy and the development and application of professional codes.

COUN 551 - Practicum
Hours: 3
Provides for continued development and practice of skills learned in COUN 516 and COUN 548. Students develop conceptual and professional skills related to their practice at a field site and practice various specified counseling and related activities during a minimum of 100 hours at an agency or educational setting. Graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Prerequisites: COUN 548 with a grade of B or better. Corequisites: COUN 548.

COUN 552 - Internship
Hours: 3
Primary interest is on integration of process, conceptual, professional, and personal skills. Provides extensive supervised experience in a setting closely aligned with student's chosen program. Graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Prerequisites: COUN 551, Application form returned to department during semester before actual enrollment (check department for availability and due dates).

COUN 555 - Internship in College Student Affairs
Hours: 3
Primary interest is on integration of knowledge and skills in a professional college student affairs setting. Provides supervised experience in a setting closely aligned with student's chosen program. Students must complete a minimum of 300 clock hours at an approved college student affairs site. Students typically enroll in Internship during the semester in which they plan to graduate. This course IS NOT offered during summer terms.

COUN 560 - Crisis Intervention
Hours: 3
An overview of crisis intervention. Major theoretical models of situational crises are described and operationalized across a variety of service delivery systems. Students will develop conceptual competency necessary for professionals engaged in crisis intervention. Special emphasis is given to contemporary research in suicidology, disaster psychology, and crisis management for schools. Prerequisites: Admission to Master's Counseling program.

COUN 564 - Family Crisis & Resources
Hours: 3
Crises and special problems encountered in family living with individual and community resources pertinent to them. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 580 - Cou Substance Abuser: Drugs
Hours: 3
Covers a broad range of topics related to chemical dependency with regards to school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family counseling, career counseling, child and adolescent counseling, college counseling, and addictions counseling, along with other counseling specialties. Topics include prevention, abused substances and their effects, symptoms of chemical dependency, chemical dependency treatment models, applications in a multicultural society, 12-step and other support group models, employee assistance programs, and relapse prevention, along with emerging issues.

COUN 581 - Assessment and Treatment of Chemical Dependency
Hours: 3
Provides in-depth information regarding the assessment and treatment of chemical dependency. Topics include coping skills; motivation for change; management of stress, anxiety, and anger; screening for chemical dependency in health care settings; various chemical dependency interventions; and planning specific treatments to match individual clients.

COUN 589 - Independent Study
Hours: 1-3
Independent Study. One to three semester hours. Individualized instruction/research at an advanced level in a specialized content area under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated when the topic varies. Prerequisites: Consent of department head.

COUN 590 - Legal Issues Stu Affairs
Hours: 3
Legal Issues in College Student Affairs. Three semester hours. Provides information about the legal issues common to college student affairs administrators. Includes student-university relationship, risk management techniques, civil rights, contracts and federal regulations.

COUN 595 - Research Literature and Techniques
Hours: 3
Emphasizes research in the student's major field, basic statistics, literature review, proposal and report development, research implementation, needs assessment, program development, and ethical and legal considerations regarding research through the presentation of a formal research proposal and/or completion of presentation of a research report. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528 or Admission to a master's Counseling program. Corequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Crosslisted with: PSY 595, SPED 595.

COUN 597 - Special Topics
Hours: 1-3
Special Topics. One to three semester hours. Organized class. May be repeated when topics vary.

COUN 606 - Stu Affairs Services Hi Ed
Hours: 3
Student Affairs Services in Higher Education. Three semester hours. As the foundation course for those planning to enter students affairs work in higher education, this course offers students opportunities to examine the historical and contemporary role and scope of college students personnel services. Provides students with in-depth understanding of major theories of students development and the application of these theories to student development practice.

COUN 607 - Contemp College Student
Hours: 3
The Contemporary College Student. Three semester hours. Examines various aspects of contemporary college student life and characteristics of present and future college students. Presented as a seminar to identify and examine salient issues facing college students including, but not limited to, sources of motivation, learning styles, development of values, relationship development, mental-health/psychosocial development and issues related to gender, health, and intercultural concerns.

COUN 609 - Introduction to Statistics for Counseling and Human Services Research
Hours: 3
A doctoral-level introductory statistics course, emphasizing applications to counseling and human service research. The major focus will involve an examination of basic statistical procedures: descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and univariate inferential statistics. Usage of a computer-based statistical software tool (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) will be emphasized. Meets requirements for a Level II research tool course. Prerequisites: Admission to a PhD or EdD program in the College of Education and Human Services or consent of the instructor.

COUN 610 - Adv Counsel Theories & Techniq
Hours: 3
Advanced Counseling Theories and Techniques. Three semester hours. In-depth study of various counseling approaches with opportunities for demonstration and evaluation of each student's counseling skills. Prerequisite: Doctoral status or consent of the instructor.

COUN 611 - Introduction to Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy
Hours: 3
A survey of the historical development and principal conceptualizations of marital and family counseling/therapy. Goals include an initial examination and comparison of various theories currently employed in the field with an emphasis on interview techniques. Subject areas to be covered include the various schools of family counseling/therapy, along with current trends and issues in marriage and family counseling/therapy. Prerequisites: COUN 516 and COUN 528. Corequisites: COUN 516, COUN 528.

COUN 612 - Adv Sem M&F Coun/Therapy
Hours: 3
Advanced Seminar in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy. Three semester hours. A didactic and experiential seminar course in marital and family counseling/therapy for advanced students. Emphasis is on the development of the student's therapeutic expertise in structural and strategic family intervention techniques. Prerequisites: COUN 611 and doctoral status or consent of the instructor.

COUN 613 - Adv Statistical Technique
Hours: 3
Includes a review of introductory statistics, presentation of basic concepts of analyses of variance, advanced correlational methods, and multiple regression, as well as other advanced statistical methods. Focuses on use of the computer for data. This is an approved Level III doctoral research tools course. Prerequisite: Level I and Level II research tools or equivalent or permission of the instructor. Crosslisted with: PSY 681.

COUN 614 - Counseling Strategies for Parent-Child Relationships
Hours: 3
A didactic and experiential course dealing with counseling techniques applied to the improvement of parent-child relationships. The course focuses on intervention skills of transgenerational family therapy, play therapy, and parenting education based on an understanding of the family life cycle and family structure. Prerequisites: Doctoral standing or consent of instructor.

COUN 615 - Marital Counseling/Therapy
Hours: 3
A study of counseling theories applied to marital and other dyadic relationships. Emphasis will be placed on the assimilation, integration, and application of information pertaining to such topics as marital/divorce developmental tasks theory, object relations theory, systemic family of origin theory, interaction patterns in marriage, divorce process, and post-divorce adjustment. Techniques and historical development of marriage enrichment, marital counseling/therapy, and divorce counseling/therapy interventions will be included. Prerequisites: COUN 611, COUN 513, and doctoral status or consent of the instructor.

COUN 620 - Superv Cou Human Develop
Hours: 3
Supervision in Counseling and Human Development. Three semester hours. A didactic and experiential course for post-graduate and doctoral students who wish to assume the role of supervisor. Goals include the assimilation and application of major theoretical/conceptual models and supervision approaches in counseling and human development. Prerequisite: Doctoral status or consent of the instructor.

COUN 621 - Psychoeducational Consulting and Program Evaluation
Hours: 3
Psychological, educational, and sociological theories, models, and processes applied to human and organizational systems of change. Special attention is directed to applying theory to practice and to differentiating between human and structural problems and interventions. Prerequisites:Doctoral standing or consent of instructor. Crosslisted with: PSY 679.

COUN 622 - Advanced Seminar in Counseling Diverse Populations
Hours: 3
This course provides students with a variety of opportunities to increase their level of personal (self-reflective) awareness, and clinical awareness, knowledge, and skills in working with diverse populations. This increased level of cultural competence better prepares students to teach supervise, and mentor counseling trainees and novice practitioner, to conduct culturally sensitive research, and to provide direct services to culturally diverse clients. Prerequisites: Doctoral standing or consent of instructor.

COUN 623 - Race, Class and Gender
Hours: 3
Race, Class, and Gender Issues in Counseling - Three semester hours The multicultural counseling competencies (Arredondo et al., 1996) specify that culturally skilled counselors are expected to understand how factors such as gender, social class, age, sexual orientation, religion, and educational background intersect and interrelate with ethnicity, race, and culture in the lives of their clients, as well as their own lives. The primary purpose of this course is to explore the interconnections of race, class, and gender; including how they shape the structure of U. S. society, and in turn, the experiences of client and counselor. A conceptual framework for understanding race, class, and gender, and their intersection provides students with increased understanding of contemporary issues that Prerequisites: COUN 522: Counseling Diverse Populations or equivalent graduate level multicultural counseling course.

COUN 625 - Research Application
Hours: 3
A doctoral course which focuses on the development of research skills and inquiry methods. The student is exposed to various quantitative and qualitative approaches. In addition, the course provides students with an understanding of scientific inquiry, purpose and benefits of research, research-related ethical and legal issues, and sampling procedures. This is an approved doctoral research tools course. Prerequisites: Doctoral status and completion of 30 semester hours of doctoral level coursework or consent of instructor.

COUN 634 - Self Injurious Behavior: Conceptualization and Treatment
Hours: 3
This course provides advanced doctoral and advanced master's students with knowledge of appropriate use of conceptualization and treatment skills with individuals who employ self-injury as a means of self-regulation. Students will learn conceptualization skills and therapeutic interventions facilitative in working with self- injurious behavior. Students also will engage in online reading assignments and discussion that will facilitate learning. Prerequisites: Master's degree in Counseling or permission of the instructor.

COUN 640 - Advanced Multivariate Statistics for Counseling
Hours: 3
An advanced doctoral-level statistics course, emphasizing applications to both counseling and other human services. Includes a thorough examination of multivariate inferential statistics, along with applying both univariate and multivariate post hoc procedures. Usage of a computer- based statistical software tool (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) will be emphasized. Meets requirements for a Level V research tool course. Prerequisites: Doctoral standing and completion of Level I, Level II, and Level III tools courses or permission of instructor.

COUN 650 - Inst Th & Meth in Coun Ed
Hours: 3
This course is designed to develop/improve counselor educator skills including planning units or courses, delivering instruction, and assessing learner outcomes. The course also addresses ethical standards for counselor educators. Although the primary focus is on teaching counselors-in-preparation, students will acquire knowledge and develop skills that are applicable to other situations such as presenting at professional conferences and conducting staff development. Prerequisite: doctoral standing or consent of instructor. Crosslisted with: PSY 680.

COUN 660 - Doctoral Field Experience
Hours: 3
The doctoral field experience includes a minimum of twelve semester hours, during which time students are involved in various supervised experiences. The first three semester hours include 300 clock hours of supervised clinical work in the department based training facility where students provide direct counseling to individuals, families, couples, and groups, and refine advanced counseling skills. Six semester hours (600 clock hours) include 300 clock hours of clinical experience in an approved site, plus 300 clock hours of supervised teaching and clinical supervision. During this time students are expected to expand their counseling, teaching, and supervision skills.

COUN 661 - Advanced Practicum
Hours: 3
Advanced Practicum includes 300 clock hours of supervised clinical work in an approved site where students engage in counseling activities with individuals, families, couples, and/or groups, with attention to broadening and refining advanced counseling skills. The remaining six semester hours (600 clock hours) include 300 clock hours of clinical experience in an approved site. During this time students are expected to expand their counseling, teaching, and supervision skills. Prerequisites: COUN 660 Clinical Supervision.

COUN 662 - Advanced Internship
Hours: 3
Advanced Internship includes 300 clock hours of supervised clinical work in an approved site where students engage in counselor education (see CACREP 2016 Doctoral Core Areas). The remaining three internship semester hours (600 total clock hours over two semesters) include 300 clock hours of experience in an approved site. During this time students are expected to expand their counseling, teaching, supervision, leadership, research, and/or diversity skills. Prerequisites: COUN 660, COUN 661, 717, 650, 610, 620, & 695.

COUN 689 - Independent Study
Hours: 1-3
Independent Study. One to three semester hours. Individualized instruction/research at an advanced level in a specialized content area under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated when the topic varies. Prerequisites: Consent of department head.

COUN 690 - Qualitative Research
Hours: 3
This practicum experience is designed to complement and build upon knowledge gained in HIED 696 or EDAD 698. This course is an approved Level IV doctoral research tools course. Prerequisites: HIED 696 or EDAD 698 Note: The course is intended for advanced doctoral students who plan to do a qualitative study for their dissertations and/or seek in-depth practical experience in the use of qualitative research methods used in educational research (e.g., interview strategies, participant observation, and case studies).Students will engage in practice and skill development in analyzing and interpreting qualitative data, communicating results, and evaluating qualitative research. Each student will complete a qualitative research project and write a journal length article based on the research.

COUN 695 - Research Methodology
Hours: 3
An overview of research methodology including basic concepts employed in quantitative and qualitative research methods. Includes computer applications for research. This is an approved Level I doctoral research tools course. Prerequisites: Doctoral status or consent of the instructor.

COUN 697 - Special Topics
Hours: 3
Organized class Prerequisites Doctoral status Note May be repeated when topics vary

COUN 717 - Ethics & Prof Development
Hours: 3
Ethics and Professional Development. Three semester hours. Examines ethical and professional development issues in counseling and the behavioral sciences. Prerequisite: Doctoral status.

COUN 718 - Dissertation
Hours: 3-9
Doctoral Dissertation. Three to nine semester hours. A candidate must present a dissertation acceptable to the student's advisory committee and the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research on a problem in the area of his specialization. To be acceptable, the dissertation must give evidence that the candidate has pursued a program of research, the results of which reveal superior academic competence and significant contribution to knowledge. Graded on a (S) satisfactory or (U) unsatisfactory basis.