Master's Program
Application Deadline for the Master of Arts in Counseling is February 1, 2010
The Master of Arts in the Counseling program at UND is offered by the Department of Counseling Psychology and Community Services, a member of the College of Education and Human Development. The program is also a part of the Graduate School of the University, through which admissions, curricula and program requirements are administered. There are four emphases offered in the Master of Arts in Counseling degree program: Addictions, Community, Rehabilitation, and School.
Philosophy & Program Objectives
The M.A. Program in Counseling reflects our commitment to provide training of professional counselors for work in a variety of settings. The program is appropriate for those who wish to become counselors in a range of community agencies, such as mental health centers, rehabilitation offices, addiction treatment clinics, and family service organizations. The Master of Arts is also appropriate for those planning careers in college counseling and student development services and for those who wish to become counselors in elementary, middle, junior high, or high schools. Our emphasis is on practitioner skills training within a broad theoretical foundation and exposure to the empirical bases of the profession.
The Department of Counseling is also committed to seeking and valuing diversity in students and staff. Diversity, used here in a very broad sense, includes the variety of cultures, backgrounds, values, and experiences found among faculty and students; it also includes the diversity of our professional ways of practice, our ways of learning, and our personal and professional goals. In training, the M.A. Program curriculum works to integrate diversity awareness and appreciation into all course offerings, with the goal of encouraging students to explore and appreciate diversity in all situations. We are committed to training multiculturally competent counselors.
The Director of the M.A. Program in Counseling offers a monthly Information Meeting during the Fall Semester for all persons interested in the Program. For more information, call the Department at (701) 777-2729.
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Information Meetings
For the 2009-2010 academic year, an informational meeting will be held for all potential applicants the second Thursday of the following months: September, October, and November, December (Wednesday, 12/9/09, 4:00pm), January - May in Montgomery Hall, Room 308, 4:00pm. For more information, you are invited to contact the Training Director at david.whitcomb@und.edu or at 701-777-3738.
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Admissions Criteria
Admission to the master's program is based on multiple sources of qualifications.
1) Except for students admitted into the combined B.A./M.A. program in Rehabilitation and Human Services (B.A.) and Rehabilitation Counseling (M.A.), students admitted to the Counseling M. A. program must have completed their baccalaureate degree by the time they begin the program.
2) Applicants must have completed at least 20 semester credits of course work in the behavioral sciences at the undergraduate level, which must include abnormal psychology, personality theory, developmental psychology, and statistics. Those who have not taken all four of these courses may be admitted on a provisional basis until the requirement is completed. Courses in psychology and sociology may be applied toward this prerequisite. Course work in other social science disciplines where the course focus is on the description or explanation of individual or group behavior may be accepted in fulfillment of this prerequisite at the discretion of the Counseling Department.
3) Undergraduate GPA and scores on the GRE General Test or the Miller Analogies Test are one source of qualifications considered. The GRE Subject test is not required. Minimum requirements will be those of the Graduate School; an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 overall or 3.0 for the junior/senior years.
4) References, vocational training and experiences, and proposed career goals are very important in the admissions process, as they allow us to better understand the kind of training applicants are seeking.
5) Interview for finalists being considered for admission. This interview may be conducted in a group format at UND, or over the phone for long-distance applicants.
Additional general information about Graduate School Admissions can be found on the Graduate School FAQ.
A balance between male and female students is preferred. The Department is committed to cultural diversity and students from minority groups are encouraged to apply. The department typically admits 18 – 20 new students annually, from an applicant pool ranging from 40 - 65 over the last several years.
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Admissions Procedures
The following procedures are to be used for the Addictions, Community Agency, and Rehabilitation Counseling emphases. To apply to the School Counseling emphasis, please apply through the Distance Degree Program.
Application materials can be obtained from the UND Graduate School at (701) 777-2945. The first step in applying to the program is completing the online application on the Graduate School website. Materials which must be submitted include: Application for Admission form, Personal statement, Three letters of recommendation, Undergraduate transcripts, MAT or GRE general score, and the Department of Counseling M.A. Supplemental Application Form. Students are also encouraged to submit a curriculum vitae (resume).
Students will be admitted to the program during one yearly admissions period. Applications for the Counseling program must be completed by February 1 for admission the following Summer or Fall semester. There are no deferred admissions to the program. In completing the Admissions process, we can only consider information received on or before February 1 - please be certain that all information relevant to your application arrives on time.
After February 1, summary forms for each applicant are distributed to all admissions committee members. In a typical year, 40-55 application are received. Aproximately 30-36 applicants will be identified for further consideration and these applicants will be asked to participate in an interview. Following the completion of all interviews, a final ranking of applicants is made, such that 18-20 people are admitted to the M.A. Program and an additional 10-18 people are named alternates for admission. Notification of acceptance or alternate status will occur on or before April 1. When final admissions decisions are made, all applicants are notified of their admission status by mail. Applicants who are admitted will have 10 days to respond to the Department about their intent to either accept or decline admission. This must be done promptly, as the plans of other students will be affected by your response. For additional information, contact the MA Program Director at (701)777-2729.
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Program Requirements
Every student in the Master of Arts Degree Program must complete one of the following four emphasis options: Addiction Counseling, Community Agency Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, and School Counseling.
Depending on which emphasis option a student completes, the required curriculum is between 48 and 51 credits. Completion of any emphasis satisfies the academic requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in North Dakota. The Addiction Counseling curriculum is designed for students who want to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in North Dakota. The School Counseling Program is recognized as an Advanced Program within UND’s Teacher Education Unit, which is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Students pursuing certification as school counselors in North Dakota must hold or be eligible for teacher certification in North Dakota, or must plan to be certified within seven (7) years. Students pursuing state licensure as addiction counselors must also complete a 15-hour cognate in addiction-related fields (Psychology, Pharmacy, Sociology) and a 9-month clinical practicum at an approved treatment facility.
Upon admission, students are assigned an academic advisor, who is responsible for program advising and direction of the Independent Study. Beginning students should contact their advisors for information about general course requirements and recommended course sequences. Working with their advisor, students will plan and file a Program of Study, usually before the end of their second semester. Students should discuss all licensure and certification requirement and other aspects of their emphasis with their advisors. Other cognates or minor areas (minimum of nine credits) also may be added to the Program of Study by students who need or prefer course work in other departments.
Students may enroll in the Counseling Practicum (COUN 580/1) after they have satisfactorily completed at least ten credits in the program including COUN 510: Counseling Methods, COUN 530: Counseling, Personality and Development, and either COUN 501: Ethics or COUN 506: Rehabilitation Counseling, Foundations and Ethics, and should be taken prior to or concurrent with enrollment in Practicum (COUN 580/1). After successfully completing practicum, students will enroll in COUN 584/7/8/9: Internship in Counseling, which is a two-semester, supervised counseling experience at an external site. Students spend 15-40 hours per week at internship, depending on program emphasis. Students apply for internships based on their career goals and guided by procedures and deadlines determined by program faculty and internship site staff.
In addition to this practitioner course sequence, students are required to complete a series of research training experiences, culminating in the completion of the Independent Study (COUN 997) or Thesis (COUN 998), which is an independent research project, conducted under the direction of the student’s advisor.
After completing the majority of coursework for the degree, and filing both the Program of Study and the Topic Proposal for Independent Study Form with the Graduate School, students are eligible to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), a nationally-administered exam, which is offered in the fall and spring semesters. The examination costs $40.00 and must be successfully passed prior to graduation. In statistics gathered nationally the Spring 2005 semester, UND students scored above the mean in all eight categories of the exam. This is consistent with UND student performance across the past several years. We are delighted with these results and proud of the students who have accomplished them.
ADDICTION EMPHASIS (49 credits)
| COUN 501 |
Ethics |
3 |
| COUN 502 |
Professional Issues |
1 |
| COUN 510 |
Methods of Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 515 |
Research Methods |
3 |
| COUN 516 |
Research Lab |
1 |
| COUN 517 |
Assessment in Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 518 |
Group Theory & Process |
3 |
| COUN 519 |
Career |
3 |
| COUN 529 |
Addiction |
3 |
| COUN 530 |
Theory |
3 |
| COUN 531 |
Gender |
3 |
| COUN 532 |
Multicultural |
3 |
| COUN 533 |
Couples and Family |
3 |
| COUN 580 |
Practicum |
4 |
| COUN 587 |
Internship in Addictions Counseling |
8-12 |
| COUN 997/998 |
Independent Study/Thesis |
2/4 |
| (PPT) 410 |
Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics |
2 |
To become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in North Dakota, students must also complete the following courses (or equivalents):
| T&L 350 |
Dev. and Education of the Adolescent
|
3 |
or |
|
|
| COUN 565 |
Child and Adolescent Development
|
3 |
| PSY 451 |
Advanced Developmental Psychology |
3 |
or |
|
|
| COUN 565 |
Mid and Older Adult Development
|
3 |
REHABILITATION EMPHASIS (51 credits)
| COUN 506 |
Rehab: Foundations & Ethics |
3 |
| COUN 510 |
Methods of Counseling
|
3 |
| COUN 514 |
Rehab: Assess. & Eval.
|
3 |
| COUN 515 |
Research Methods
|
3 |
| COUN 516 |
Research Lab |
1 |
| COUN 518 |
Group Theory & Process |
3 |
| COUN 519 |
Career |
3 |
| COUN 530 |
Theories of Counseling, Personality & Development |
3 |
| COUN 531 |
Gender |
3 |
| COUN 532 |
Multicultural Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 533 |
Couples and Family |
3 |
| COUN 580 |
Practicum |
4 |
| COUN 588 |
Internship in Rehabilitation Counseling |
8 |
| COUN 997/998 |
Independent Study |
2/4 |
| RHS 309 |
Med and Psy Disability I |
3 |
| RHS 310 |
Med and Psy Disability II |
3 |
COMMUNITY AGENCY EMPHASIS (48 credits)
| COUN 501 |
Ethics |
3 |
| COUN 502 |
Professional Issues |
1 |
| COUN 510 |
Methods of Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 515 |
Research Methods |
3 |
| COUN 516 |
Research Lab |
1 |
| COUN 517 |
Assessment in Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 518 |
Group Theory and Process |
3 |
| COUN 519 |
Career |
3 |
| COUN 530 |
Theory |
3 |
| COUN 531 |
Gender |
3 |
| COUN 532 |
Multicultural Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 533 |
Couples and Family |
3 |
| COUN 580 |
Practicum |
4 |
| COUN 584 |
Internship in Community Agency Counseling |
8 |
| COUN 997/998 |
Independent Study/Thesis |
2/4 |
Plus 2 credits of electives from the following:
| COUN 529 |
Addiction |
2 |
| COUN 565 |
Child & Adolescent Development |
3 |
| COUN 565 |
Middle & Older Adult |
3 |
| COUN 565 |
Special Topics |
1/2 |
| COUN 585 |
Research Practicum |
1 |
*Using these 3-credit courses to fulfill the program requirements will result in a 49-credit curriculum rather than the minimum of 48 credits.
SCHOOL EMPHASIS (49 credits)
| COUN 501 |
Ethics |
3 |
| COUN 510 |
Methods of Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 515 |
Research Methods |
3 |
| COUN 516 |
Research Lab |
1 |
| COUN 517 |
Assessment in Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 518 |
Group Theory and Process |
3 |
| COUN 519 |
Career |
3 |
| COUN 522 |
Mgmt. of School Counseling Programs |
2 |
| COUN 523 |
Elementary |
2 |
| COUN 525 |
Secondary |
2 |
| COUN 530 |
Theory |
3 |
| COUN 531 |
Gender |
3 |
| COUN 532 |
Multicultural Counseling |
3 |
| COUN 533 |
Couples and Family |
3 |
| COUN 581 |
Practicum in School Counseling |
4 |
| COUN 589 |
Internship in School Counseling |
6 |
| COUN 997/998 |
Independent Study/Thesis |
2/4 |
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Evaluation, Progress, and Continuation in the Program
Continuing, regular and accountable monitoring of student progress in the program is essential, both for the integrity of the training program, and more importantly, for the benefit of the student working to attain competence in the discipline. In addition to regular evaluations provided in coursework and graded experiences, there are two formal components to evaluation of progress. First, the program faculty conduct one review of progress for each student, occurring at the completion of the first semester. Input is sought from all relevant sources, satisfactory progress is asserted through a vote of the faculty, and feedback is given to the student. Where progress is unsatisfactory, details are provided to the student, along with recommendations to facilitate future satisfactory progress. Exceptional performance is also noted and communicated to students. Second, Comprehensive Examinations serve as a formal, summative means of evaluating academic competency in the Major.
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