Overview
Program Description
The Clinical Counseling program is a 60-credit program structured to promote student appreciation for the role of the professional counselor, to develop a thorough understanding of the theory and practice of counseling, and to acquire mastery of the skills inherent to the program. This program adheres to the curricular regulations for New Jersey Professional Counselor Licensure.
Program Goals
- Gain a thorough understanding of and competence in the practice of individual and group counseling.
- Acquire an appreciation for the role of the counselor in society and an understanding of the ethical and legal responsibilities associated with that role.
- Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the theories of adaptive and maladaptive human behavior and their applicability to assessment and promotion of improved human functioning.
- Develop competency in the design, conduct, and evaluation of counseling research; and acquire professional skills.
- Acquire extensive practical experience in counseling under supervision in appropriate field settings.
Program Requirements
- Comply with the academic policies and procedures of Centenary University
- Complete 60 program prescribed graduate credit hours
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of “B” (3.0) or better in courses completed for the degree
- Complete a residency requirement consisting of minimally 48 credit hours at Centenary University
- Complete the program within 7 years from the date of initial enrollment
- Complete a supervised counseling field experience in a clinical setting
- Complete a master's thesis using quantitative statistics
- Demonstrate throughout the program course of study behavior consistent with the current American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics
Grading Policy for Counseling Programs
Graduate students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above in order to receive a degree. Any graduate student who receives more than one grade of C (to include C+, C, and C-) will be dismissed from the program. No grades of D will be given (anything lower than a C- is an F). A grade of F will result in dismissal from the program.
Audit
Students who are required to complete undergraduate foundation courses may request that they be taken as an official audit. Students choosing this option must designate such at the time of registration or by the end of the first week of the respective semester in which the courses are taken. Audited courses are recorded on the student’s permanent record as an “AUD,” and cannot be converted to a letter grade.
Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology or applicants with an undergraduate degree in another discipline will be required to take a series of prerequisite undergraduate psychology courses.
- Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA 3.0
- Personal Statement
- Interview
- No GRE required
Clinical Counseling Curriculum Requirements
Required courses
| GCO-501 | Counseling: the Profession | 3 |
| GCO-502 | Ethics for the Counseling Profession | 3 |
| GCO-508 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| GCO-510 | Clinical Interviewing | 3 |
| GCO-520 | Group Dynamics I | 3 |
| GCO-541 | Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| GCO-544 | Research Methods in Counseling | 3 |
| GCO-546 | Diagnostic Assessment | 3 |
| GCO-561 | Human Growth & Development | 3 |
| GCO-562 | Social & Cultural Foundations of Behavior | 3 |
| GCO-568 | Maladaptive Behavior I | 3 |
| GCO-578 | Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| GCO-586 | Career Counseling | 3 |
| GCO-590 | Substance Use Disorders Counseling | 3 |
Thesis-3 credits
| GCO-608 | Clinical Counseling Thesis I | 1 |
| GCO-609 | Clinical Counseling Thesis II | 1 |
| GCO-610 | Clinical Counseling Thesis III | 1 |
Field Experience-9 credits
| GCO-555 | Clinical Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| GCO-601 | Clinical Counseling Field Experience I | 3 |
| GCO-602 | Clinical Counseling Field Experience II | 3 |
Selected Electives-6 credits (choose two)
| GCO-525 | Counseling Consultation | 3 |
| GCO-530 | Marriage & Family Counseling | 3 |
| GCO-566 | Personality Theory | 3 |
| GCO-581 | Fundamentals of SAC | 3 |
| GCO-582 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| GCO-584 | Life Span Counseling | 3 |
| GCO-591 | Substance Use in the School Setting | 3 |
| GCO-593 | Prevention Planning, Program Evaluation, & Community Resources | 3 |
| GCO-594 | Substance Use and the Family | 3 |