Guidance Counseling and Student Affairs (66)
Administered by Department of Education Studies and Secondary Education
Effective Fall 2009
66.500 Introduction to the Helping Professions (3) - This introductory class is a core experience for students enrolled in the M.Ed. Counseling programs. It exposes students to the generic components of counseling across settings and enables students to examine in depth their personal fitness for pursuing a career as a professional helper. It also provides a background for specialized study in each specialization area.
66.502 Career Development (3) - This course allows graduate counseling students to explore in depth selected aspects related to vocational psychology, occupational sociology, career development, career choices, career decision-making, career counseling and guidance, and other career-related issues and behaviors. The course is designed to acquaint students with the basic theories and constructs that are essential to the understanding and implementation of career development through the life span. Systems of career education, occupational information, decision-making strategies, and life-work planning for special populations are examined. Pre- or Co- requisite: 66.500.
66.505 Counseling and Consulting Theory (3) - This course studies selected theories and techniques of individual counseling. It also covers various models of the consultation process focusing on the rationale of why consultation has emerged as an important adjunct to personal counseling. Pre- or Co- requisite: 66.500.
66.508 Appraisal Techniques in Counseling (3) - This course presents an overview of the assessment of individual differences through group tests and measurements. It develops competencies in selecting, administering, and interpreting group intelligence, aptitude, achievement, interest, and personality instruments. It also examines current research involving assessment relative to educational, social, and industrial settings. Prerequisite: 66.505.
66.510 Group Counseling/ Leadership Skills (3) - This course teaches students to understand group processes and their application. Various theories of group counseling will be examined. Class members will experience each group counseling technique through class group experience. Prerequisite: 66.505.
66.512 Adaptive and Maladaptive Behavior Across the Life Span (3) - This course assists students in understanding both adaptive and maladaptive behavior across the life span, with particular attention given to child, adolescent and young adult behavior. It provides students with foundations to assess, differentiate and diagnose various mental disorders based on the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). It will also focus on etiology, symptomatology, treatment, and prognosis of various disorders, as well as the associated biological, personal, and social characteristics. It also examines aspects of resiliency, buffers against stress and mental illness, and adaptive functioning based on race, culture and gender differences. Prerequisites: Graduate Student Status.
66.515 Organization and Development (3) - This course prepares students to function productively in entry level and mid-level supervisory positions within institutions/organizations that serve the needs of a specified group of persons. It stresses both theory and application as students experience the cyclical process of program development and modification. It also teaches selected leadership and management roles and functions in organizational settings, as well as proposal writing and working with grants. Prerequisite: 66.500.
66.520 Life Span Psychology (3) - The course reviews human development throughout the life-span with a special focus on the school age and college years. Topics covered include physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of human growth, development, and behavior. Emphasis will be placed on practical application of the course content to the counseling and student affairs profession.
66.525 Multicultural Counseling (3) - This course enables students to develop knowledge and understanding regarding characteristics and concerns of multi-culturally diverse groups, the attitudes and behavior affected by dominant group membership, and individual and group approaches/interventions appropriate with diverse populations.
66.528 Supervised Counseling Practice (3) - This course assists students identify and develop the skills of effective helpers. Students participate in counseling experiences using role-playing and "real life" clients. The class makes extensive use of audio and video tapes of counseling sessions conducted by students and of critiques thereof. Students receive feedback regarding their levels of skill. Prerequisite: 66.505.
66.535 Counseling Practicum (3) - The practicum provides an arranged, supervised experience in a specialized area of counseling. It requires prerequisite training and sufficient experience to allow the beginning of autonomous function. Prerequisite: 66.528.
66.549 Internship in Elementary Counseling (12)- Supervised practice in an approved elementary school. The student works under the direction of a professional counselor in the school setting and meets on campus with the practicum supervisor for intensive seminar activities. The purpose of the internship is to provide the student with experiential approaches in the specialty area. Prerequisite: Must have completed all required courses in the area of specialization unless otherwise approved by the advisor and instructor.
66.550 Introduction to Counseling in Secondary Schools (3) - This course prepares students to apply basic counseling skills in a secondary school setting. Students are trained in the ASCA National Model for School Counseling and in the Pennsylvania Model for School Counseling. It emphasizes the various roles of the secondary school counselor, tools and strategies appropriate in those settings, and consultation and collaboration with other secondary school personnel. In addition, students review the Ethical Standards for School Counselors. This course requires the application of learned skills to secondary child populations; it provides 10 -15 hours of direct application of learned skills to secondary child populations. Prerequisites: 66.500, 66.510, 66.525, or approval from Program Coordinator.
66.559 Internship in Secondary Counseling – 12 Credits. Supervised practice in an approved secondary school. The student works under the direction of a professional counselor in the school setting and meets on campus with the practicum supervisor for intensive seminar activities. The purpose of the internship is to provide the student with experiential approaches in the specialty area. Prerequisite: Must have completed all required courses in the area of specialization unless otherwise approved by the advisor and instructor.
66.560 Introduction to Student Affairs (3) - This course reviews the history and philosophy of student personnel services. It addresses the issues, problems, purposes, and functions student personnel services and ensures that students understand the various areas of student affairs in higher education. In addition, students will learn theories of college student development as it relates to intellectural, moral, ego, psychosocial, family systems, and career functioning. Students will also review the practical day-to-day student personnel issues in student affairs and explore ethical considemtions related to the practice of student affairs. This course requires the application of learned skills to college student populations; it provides 10-15 hours of direct service/counseling experience. Prerequisites: 66.500, 66.510, 66.520, 66.525, or approval from Program Coordinator.
66.564 Contemporary Issues in Student Affairs (3) – This course studies the incorporation of college/university counseling programs into the total higher education community. Students will learn to develop, promote, implement, monitor, and assess successful developmental counseling programs in higher education placement. This course also includes provision of resources for traditional and non-traditional students, students residing on and off campus, and students requiring special accommodations. In addition, students learn how to collaborate and consult with faculty members, parents, support personnel, and community members to promote successful academic achievement and retention in higher education settings. Students additionally learn the technological applications relevant to working with higher education populations. This course requires the application of learned skills to college/university populations. Prerequisites: 66.560 or approval by the program coordinator.
66.575 Student Affairs Practice and Administration (3) - This course prepares graduate students for entry level and mid-level student personnel services positions in higher education. It emphasizes the history and philosophy of higher education, student affairs purposes and functional areas, as well as professional management/leadership issues relevant to higher education institutions.
66.579 Internship in Student Affairs 12 Credits - The purpose of the internship is to provide the student with one or more experiential approaches in an area of specialization. Basically, the approach will be through (a) parallel programs - ones in which the student is enrolled in academic courses while spending a limited period of time at the internship site and (b) simulated job experience where the intern performs appropriate job tasks/duties which an employee would do. Prerequisite: Must have completed all required courses in the area of specialization unless otherwise approved by the advisor and instructor.
66.590 Research Design and Analysis (3) - This course enables students to develop knowledge and understanding regarding characteristics and concerns of multi-culturally diverse groups, the attitudes and behavior affected by dominant group membership, and individual and group approaches/interventions appropriate with diverse populations.
66.595 Summer Practicum (3) - During Summer Practicum students can receive 3 credits by working 20 to 25 hours per week for six weeks at their practicum site (earning 120 to 150 fieldwork hours). With permission from the program coordinator and site supervisor some students may enroll in Summer Practicum twice over one summer (taught sequentially, 6 weeks per segment) for a total of 12weeks and 6 credits. Students are permitted to earn up to 300 fieldwork hours during the summer term (25 hours per week for up to 12 weeks) toward the required 700 hours of field experience. Students enrolled in Summer Practicum must be concurrently enrolled in course #66.599 - Summer Practicum Supervision.
66.596 Practicum Orientation I (2-6) – The Practicum Orientation I course serves as the introduction to the students' practicum experience. Students enrolled in Practicum Orientation I will begin their field experience in the fall or spring semester. Students will spend the first five weeks of the semester working 10-20 hours per week at an elementary school, secondary school, or college/university campus. Students will be given graduated field-tasks to introduce them to the role of the counselor in an elementary school, secondary school, or college/university setting. Students then increase their practicum hours to 15to 25 hours per week for the remainder of the semester and assume the responsibilities of an independent school or college/university counselor. The course instructor will conduct two site visits per semester for each student enrolled the Practicum Orientation I course. Prerequisites: 66.500, 66.502, 66.505, 66.508, 66.510, 66.512, 66.515, 66.520, 66.525, 66.590 or approval by the program coordinator.
66.597 Practicum I (2-6) - The Practicum I course serves as the introduction to the students' practicum experience. Students enrolled in Practicum I will be completing their second semester of field experience in the fall or spring semester. Students will spend between 15 and 25 hours per week at an elementary school, secondary school, or college/university campus. Students in this course have assumed the responsibilities of an independent school or college/university counselor having completed all requirements in the Practicum Orientation I course. The course instructor will conduct two site visits per semester for each student enrolled the Practicum I course. Prerequisites: 66.500, 66.502, 66.505, 66.508, 66.510, 66.512, 66.515, 66.520, 66.525, 66.590, 66.596 or approval by the program coordinator.
66.598 Practicum Supervision (1-3) - The Practicum Supervision course is offered in conjunction with the students' practicum experience. Students enrolled in Practicum Orientation I, Practicum I or Practicum II will complete a portion of their fieldwork experience in the fall or spring semester. These students also receive supervision provided a full-time core faculty member at the university through this course. Students receive 1 hour and 45 minutes of group supervision per week and up to 16 hours of individual supervision per semester. Students are required to successfully pass both sections of the Counseling and Conceptualization Competency Examination (CCC) during the Practicum Supervision course to matriculate in the counseling program. Prerequisites: 66.500, 66.502, 66.505, 66.508, 66.510, 66.512, 66.515, 66.520, 66.525, 66.590 or approval by the program coordinator. COREQUISITE: 66.600, 66.602 or 66.604
66.599 Summer Practicum Supervision (1-2) - Students in this course complete fieldwork at a practicum site and receive weekly supervision on campus provided by a fulltime core faculty member in the graduate counseling program. Students initially receive 2 credits for 2 and a half hours of group supervision per week and up to one hour of individual supervision per week during a six week summer segment. With permission from the program coordinator and site supervisor, some students may enroll in Summer Practicum Supervision twice over one summer (taught sequentially, 6 weeks per segment) for I additional credit. No more than 3 credit hours will be awarded for students enrolling in two segments of summer practicum supervision over one summer term. Concurrent enrollment in course #66.595 (Summer Practicum) is required.