COU 500 Counseling Theories and Practice I (3)
This course is a survey of the major theoretical systems of counseling and psychotherapy. Specific application of theoretical principles will be investigated, analyzed and described regarding therapeutic intervention. Course content includes an emphasis in systems theory, development of basic counseling techniques, philosophy, principles, and skill development through the video-stimulated recall (VSR) method where students critically interacting with each other in reflection and integration of theory and practice for individuals, groups, and family systems.

COU/PSY 511 Theories of Learning (3)
Examination of fundamental learning principles, their integration into various theoretical approaches and relevant applications to education and therapy.

COU/PSY 512 Cognitive Psychology (3)
Contemporary approaches to cognitive psychology. A broad survey, with in-depth looks at selected topics including attention and memory.

COU 514 Rural Counseling (3)
This course presents an introductory level overview of theory, research, values, and practice of counseling within the rural area. Additional course content includes person-environment interactions and societal and cultural impacts upon individual who live in the rural area and rural community functioning.

COU 515 Introduction to Family Studies (3)
This course will study the dynamics of marriage and family relationships with emphasis on understanding and assessing their structure and function through a family systems approach. Attending to family developmental life cycle issues, students will learn ways in which counselors may approach marriage and family counseling as a creative, preventative, and healing enterprise. Both theory and techniques of marriage and family counseling are presented and integrated with careful attention given to psychological, systemic, and theological perspectives.

COU 516/SWK 516 Marriage and Family Counseling II (3)
This course is an advanced theoretical exploration of the prevailing models for doing marriage and family counseling with special attention paid to critique and theological integration. Students will explore the historical foundations and evolution of marriage and family therapy as a profession and be exposed to dominant theoreticians and models for the assessment and treatment of marriages and families. Skill building will be emphasized through the video-stimulated recall (VSR) method. Prerequisite: Marriage and Family Counseling.

COU 517 Marriage and Family Counseling III (3)
This course presents an advanced theoretical exploration of the special issues in marriage and family counseling. Attention will be paid to some of the practical, ethical, legal, and emerging issues related to the practice of marriage and family counseling in both secular and ministry contexts. Prerequisite: Marriage and Family Counseling II.

COU 520/SWK 520 Human Development (3)
A thorough survey of the specified divisions of the life cycle from early childhood to death will be detailed in this course. Topics include life-cycle theories of development, developmental tasks, normal-abnormal behavior, models of moral, intellectual, social and physical development and learning theories will be explored. Counseling strategies for specific concerns in the life cycle will be emphasized.

COU 523 Counseling Skills (3)
This seminar provides srudensr with both theoretical knowledge and laboratory skills that are necessary for basic counseling with individuals, couples and families. Therefore the seminar is designed to introduce theoretical insights and practical experiential skill development.

COU 530/SWK 530 Research Methods (3)
This course is an introduction to research methods and their application to research problems with emphasis on the conceptualization, design, completion, and evaluation of research in counseling. Course content includes an emphasis on the formal descriptions of the interaction between persons and their environments, presentation of a wide variety of designs, analyses, and conceptual approaches. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be presented in the context of carrying out individual research projects.

COU 540 Group Counseling (3)
This course explores the principles of group counseling dynamics, group development, theory, and techniques. Course content includes developing competencies in self-intervention, growth, and competence in processes of small group practice; relationships within the family system and other small group settings; and the kinds and types of groups with emphasis on methods, problems, and needed skills in working with groups and families in a variety of settings.

COU 550 Counseling Theories and Practice II (3)
This course develops advanced counseling techniques. Course content includes further psychological perspectives on modern psychodynamic, family, group, and crisis intervention forms of counseling and psychotherapy; theories and practice of brief forms of therapy, as well as long-term methods of treatment; and cross-cultural and gender factors that influence counseling and theory. Students will identify and personalize their own theoretical approach through development, demonstration, and integration of the theories.

COU 560 Psychopathology (3)
This course is an overview of contemporary perspectives on child and adult psychological disorders. Course content includes: Training in the use of the DSM-IV diagnostic system; examination of the role of culture, ethnicity, gender, and social class in symptom formation and the experience of illness and critical examination of these issues in clinical application of the DSM-IV.

COU 570 Cultural Competencies (3)
This course is designed to address societal changes, influences and trends, human roles, societal subgroups, social mores, and diversity of life-styles. Other course content includes social change and individual/societal responses, multi-cultural issues, religion, racial issues, ethnicity, gender issues, sexual preference, aging issues, subgroup cultural communication patterns, and methods of addressing the provision of counseling services for these diverse groups.

COU 581 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues (3)
This course provides an in-depth study of professional ethics, legalities, and professional issues relating to the professional practice of counseling.

COU 585 Career Counseling and Lifestyle Development (3)
This course reviews theories of vocational choice, the process of career and lifestyle decision-making and sources of occupational information.

COU 590 Assessment I (3)
This course is the study of the administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment-appraisal instruments used in counseling. Emphasis is on the use of test results in counseling with individuals and families while case note fundamentals and report writing are also studied.

COU 620/SOC620/SWK 620 Sociology of the Family (3)
Study of contemporary family life, with emphasis on research concerning diversity and change in families.


COU/PSY622 Child Development (3)
This course will focus on development from conception through adolescence. While exploring the various areas of child development (e.g., physical, cognitive, social), an integrative approach will be used to facilitate the students’ understanding of the total development experience during childhood.

COU 624 Child and Adolescent (3)
This course examines the theories, methods, and techniques of counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Emphasis will be placed on a multidimensional view of intervention with children and adolescents, giving attention to development, cognitive, behavioral, organic, educational, social, and environmental issues, and development of skills in counseling children and adolescents individually and in family therapy. Coordination of services with agencies, the juvenile court system and assessment instruments with adolescents are examined.

COU 625 Crisis and Abuse Counseling (3)
This course examines crisis theory including major assumptions, characteristics, and stages of a crisis situation. Counselor training and intervention techniques, with respect to crisis and abuse are assessed.

COU 630 Assessment II (3)
An advanced study of assessment-appraisal techniques that includes selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality and competency assessment instruments that culminates by the syntheses of the data in a comprehensive assessment report. Prerequisite: Assessment I.

COU 690 Practicum (1-6)
A field-based counseling experience supervised by a qualified, licensed marriage and family professional at a site selected by special arrangement with the student, the program director, and a mental health agency. Specific emphasis is to place students in direct contact with consumers of marriage and family counseling services. The practicum includes all activities a counselor would perform under proper supervision. It provides the students with an opportunity to develop and apply clinical diagnostic skills in a practical setting. Prerequisites: 18 credits hours of coursework and permission of field director.

COU 699 Graduate Candidacy (0)
Enrollment in this course number is required for Master in Counseling students who have previously enrolled in the maximum number of practicum credits required for their respective track but who have not yet completed the required clock hours or evaluations required for a course grade or program completion. Students who are not enrolled in coursework or field or those who have not completed their requirements for graduation, must enroll in graduate candidacy to continue in the MSC program. A student is allowed to enroll in up to 7 consecutive trimesters of Graduate Candidacy.