Program Overview

The Master of Arts Program in Counseling and Psychological Services prepares graduates for professional work in counseling, psychotherapy, and other psychological services. It is designed to enhance the student's understanding of the complex nature of human behavior and social interaction, and to develop tools for assessing human problems and assisting individuals in developing greater understanding and acceptance of themselves and their relationships with others. The program is designed to help students meet the educational requirements for Minnesota licensure for Licensed Professional Counselors. Students planning to seek licensure with the Board of Psychology after earning a doctorate can work toward some of their educational requirements in the Master's program.

Saint Mary's University offers other counseling programs: the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and the Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. After completing core courses, students have the opportunity to choose the CPS Master's program or the Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Program. CPS Graduates may also add the Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services program are expected to be able to:

• Use appropriate written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills with counseling clients and professionals.
• Counsel clients of diverse backgrounds based upon an awareness and appreciation of diversity.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills including providing reasoning in support of diagnosis and treatment interventions.
• Apply the fundamentals of research in counseling psychology to practice.
• Apply ethics to counseling incorporating the rules and regulations of the profession, critical thinking, and compassion.
• Articulate appropriate plans for future professional development that include ongoing supervision/consultation.
• Apply knowledge and theory of counseling to practice.
• Assess client strengths, attributes, and problems.
• Apply knowledge and skills to selected areas of psychological practice.

Degree Requirements

Core Courses	19 credits
Assessment Courses	7 credits
Counseling Courses	8 credits
Additional Required Courses	8 credits
Required Practicum Experience	4 credits
Integration Paper and Oral Examination	0 credits
General Electives	2 credits
Total:	48 credits

 

Core Courses:	19 cr.
PY575 Orientation to the Profession of Counseling	1 cr.
PY605 Developmental Psychology	3 cr.
PY607 Theories of Personality	3 cr.
PY608 Psychopathology	3 cr.
PY613 Counseling Theory and Technique	3 cr.
PY620 Statistical Techniques and Research Methods	3 cr.
PY641 Marriage and Family Counseling	3 cr.
Assessment Courses	7 cr.
PY621 Psychological Assessment	3 cr.
PY631 Personality Assessment: Adolescent and Adult	2 cr.
PY632 Child Assessment or	2 cr.
PY633 Personnel and Vocational Assessment	2 cr.
Counseling Courses	8 cr.
PY604 Career Counseling	2 cr.
PY642 Group Therapy	2 cr.
PY648 Multicultural Counseling	2 cr.
PY665 Counseling Skills	2 cr.
Additional Required Courses	8 cr.
PY576 Social Psychology	2 cr.
PY606 Psychophysiology	3 cr.
PY625 Ethics and Professional Issues	3 cr.
General Electives	minimum 2 cr.
A student may elect up to 4 credits from other Saint Mary's University graduate programs, with prior approval of the Program Director. Students may wish to return after graduation to take electives to fulfill course requirements for licensure renewal.
PY600 General Psychology (does not count toward the 48 credits required)	3 cr.
PY590 Claiming Our Spirituality	2 cr.
PY602 Religious and Spiritual Development through the Lifespan	2 cr.
PY630 Advanced Research Methods	2 cr.
PY643 Humanistic/Existential Counseling Approaches	2 cr.
PY644 Cognitive/Behavioral Counseling Approaches	2 cr.
PY645 Psychodynamic Counseling Approaches	2 cr.
PY652 Women's Self-Esteem and Spirituality	2 cr.
PY654 Chemical Dependency	2 cr.
PY656 Psychopharmacology	2 cr.
PY657 Aging: A Behavioral Sciences Perspective	2 cr.
PY658 Human Sexuality	2 cr.
PY659 Brief Therapy	2 cr.
PY660 An Introduction to Play Therapy	2 cr.
PY663 Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in Children	2 cr.
PY667 Developmental Disabilities I	2 cr.
PY540 Developmental Disabilities II	2 cr.
PY669 Advanced Psychopathology	2 cr.
PY684 Exploring Spiritual Life through Literature	2 cr.
PY688 Many Faces of Art: A Psychological Perspective	2 cr.
The following titles are representative of short (1 credit) general elective courses available. See the semester course schedule for current offerings.
PY585 Meditation	1 cr.
PY589 Creativity and Self-Renewal	1 cr.
PY599 Professional Psychological Writing	1 cr.
PY603 Therapeutic Use of Imagery for Psychological and Spiritual Growth	1 cr.
PY649R Psychology and the Law (Rochester only)	1 cr.
PY668R Introduction to Correctional Psychology (most often offered in Rochester)	1 cr.
PY671 Child Sexual Abuse	1 cr.
PY672 Employee Assistance Counseling	1 cr.
PY673 Clinical Use of Hypnosis	1 cr.
PY674 Living With Experiences of Trauma	1 cr.
PY675 Clinical Issues: Bereavement	1 cr.
PY677 Psychological Transformation and the Spiritual Journey	1 cr.
PY678 Children of Addiction	1 cr.
PY679 Psychology of HIV/AIDS	1 cr.
PY680 Stress Management	1 cr.
PY683 Theory and Applications of Sport Psychology	1 cr.
Required Practicum Experience	4 cr.
The student will complete a supervised practicum experience in a counseling or mental health setting under direct supervision.  This experience consists of a minimum of 700 hours, usually two semesters of 350 hours each.  A practicum supervision seminar class must be taken concurrently.
PY695 Practicum I	2 cr.
PY696 Practicum II	2 cr.
Total credits:	48 minimum
Integration and Oral Examination The final requirements of the program include: A paper in which the students integrates his or her course, practicum, and other professional experience with a review of current professional research literature. A final one-hour oral examination based upon the integration paper.