Counseling and Human Services, MA

The mission of the Department of Counseling and Human Services at UCCS is to provide excellence in professional preparation of graduate students in school and clinical mental health counseling. Experienced faculty delivers high quality professional education that leads to transformational change. Using a reflective, ethical, developmental and systemic lens, students develop counseling knowledge and skills and personal characteristics to become facilitators of change and social justice among diverse clientele.

The School Counseling Program is designed to prepare professionals for work as school counselors. This track is accredited by CACREP and CDE. The program consists of 60 credit hours and students are able to complete the program in 2 or 3 years

· The Clinical Mental Health Program is designed to prepare professionals for work in mental health agencies and private practice. This track is accredited by CACREP. The program consists of 60 credit hours and students are able to complete the program in 2 or 3 years.

The Counseling and Leadership Program is for Air Force Officers only and is coordinated in collaboration with the United States Air Force Academy. This one year, 45 semester hour program is not accredited by CACREP and does not lead to licensure.

Learning Outcomes

· Counseling and Human Services students will develop necessary counseling knowledge and skills to perform as effective, ethical counseling professionals.

· Counseling and Human Services students will develop self awareness, adaptability and personal growth in order to recognize the strengths and limitations of their personalities.

· · Counseling and Human Services students will demonstrate social and cultural sensitivity, knowledge and skills in order to provide appropriate and effective counseling services to a diverse clientele in a pluralistic society.

Accreditation

The School and Community Counseling Programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The School Counseling Program is also accredited by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).

General Requirements

The Professional Core for the MA in Counseling and Human Services is a seven course (21 credit hour) sequence lasting one full academic year ( summer and two semesters). Students admitted to the program must commit to completing these courses in sequence beginning the summer semester of their first year in the program. Students are also required to complete a practicum of 100 clock hours and a two semester internship of 600 clock hours in a school or counseling agency. The Department emphasizes the academic and personal development of the counselor-in-training. Therefore, experiential coursework is infused within the academic curriculum.

Application Process

Admission to the Department of Counseling and Human Services is a selective process with limited enrollment in a day or evening cohort group. The department admits graduate students only once each year for programs beginning in the summer semester.

Application Materials

Official transcripts of all previous academic work
Career goals statement and self-evaluation
Scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
Three letters of recommendation
Formal interview with a faculty member

Deadlines

Complete applications must be submitted by February 28th for consideration. Applicants will be notified of the results of this review by April 15th each year.

MA in Counseling and Human Services—School Counseling, Track One

School counselors are specifically credentialed professionals who work in school settings with students, parents, educators, and others within the community. They design and manage comprehensive developmental guidance programs to help students acquire skills in the social, personal, educational, and career development that are necessary for living in a multicultural society. School counselors assist students by employing interventions such as guiding and counseling students, individually or in small groups, by providing information through group guidance, by contributing to the development of effective learning environments, by providing student advocacy, and by providing consultation with others.

The School Counselor Program is designed to prepare students to work in elementary, middle, or secondary levels. Students are endorsed in either elementary, secondary, or P-12 counseling, depending on their career goals and the appropriate selection of practicum and internship sites. School counseling graduates may meet the academic requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in Colorado.

The School Counseling Program meets the requirements of the CDE and is accredited by CACREP and NCATE. In accordance with CACREP standards, the school counselor program requires the completion of 51 credit hours of appropriate academic credit.

MA in Counseling and Human Services—Community Counseling, Track Two

This program is designed to prepare graduates to assume positions as counseling professionals in mental health centers, community agencies, business and industry, and in private practice. Students are prepared in the areas of human development; research and testing; professional ethics; career development; theories and practice of individual, group, and marriage and family counseling; diagnosis, psychopathology ; and the etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior. They may provide professional services to individuals, couples, families, and groups for the purposes of treating psychopathology and promoting optimal mental health. Promotion and enhancement of healthy, self-actualizing, and satisfying lifestyles are the primary goals of community counseling.

The Community Counseling Program is based on national training standards, is accredited by CACREP, and is designed to meet the academic requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in Colorado.

To prepare Community Counselors for licensure a 51 credit hour training program is required.

Through the appropriate selection of course projects, field experiences, and additional course work, the students in the Community Counseling Program may develop specialization areas such as addictions counseling, play therapy, hypnotherapy, marriage and family counseling, or counseling in business and industry. Students with specialized interests should make these known to their adviser for inclusion in degree planning.

MA in Counseling and Human Services—Counseling and Leadership, Track 3

The Counseling and Leadership Program within the Department of Counseling and Human Services is offered through Extended Studies and is designed to prepare active-duty military leaders to effectively apply counseling and leadership skills to their professional work settings. This 45 credit-hour track does not lead to licensure as a professional counselor but offers a strong foundation in applying counseling skills to leadership roles and functions. This program is not accredited by CACREP.