Core Courses

The Master of Science in Community Counseling at Mount Aloysius College consists of 48 credits.

Required Program Core Courses (48 credits)

PY 500 - Research Methods - Credits: 3
The nature of advanced research in both its quantitative and qualitative manifestations will be the theme of this course. An emphasis will be placed upon experimental design and the interpretation of correlational and experimental data.

PY 505 - Quantitative Data Analysis - Credits: 3
The focus of this course is on the statistical analysis of quantitative data for application in professional work or research.

COUN 515 - Introduction to Counseling Skills and Techniques - Credits: 3
Basic counseling skills are examined with emphasis on experiential learning. Students will demonstrate basic counseling and helping skills utilizing a variety of techniques including role-play, peer consultation and videotape.

COUN 531 - Philosophy and Theories of Counseling - Credits: 3
This course provides an in-depth understanding of the history, development, principles and theories of counseling intervention. The course will explore the counselor, the client, appropriate clinical interventions, ethical and legal principles, counseling research and other professional issues related to the field of counseling.

PY 540 - Theories of Personality - Credits: 3
An in-depth examination of the major personality theories and research literature. Topics include the following theoretical approaches: psychoanalysis, evolutionary, trait, social learning, motivational, biographical, developmental, and narrative.

COUN 550 - Group Counseling - Credits: 3
This course provides a theoretical and practical overview of the fundamentals of group counseling. The various types of groups, the stages groups typically progress through, group processes and dynamics and individual roles within groups will be explored. Ethical, legal and professional issues will be addressed. Students will not only participate in lectures and discussion, but will also participate as members of a class group for which the instructor will be the group leader.

COUN 560 - Career Development - Credits: 3
Students will understand the developmental process of occupational decision making. The prevailing theories of career development will be examined and applications to career development and career counseling will be explored. Students will also gain experience with a number of assessment instruments pertaining to career development.

COUN 580 - Professional Orientation and Ethics - Credits: 3
This course provides an introduction to the community-counseling profession, including legal and ethical issues, standards and credentialing, historical and current trends, individual and group evaluation and intervention, diversity considerations and career options. Students will integrate psychological and counseling theories and research to the application of community counseling techniques and developing appropriate treatments for psychological illness.

PY 600 - Psychological Tests and Measures - Credits: 3
The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to psychological tests and measurements and their uses in clinical, industrial, and educational settings. Topics covered include: test classification, special populations, psychometric principles, norms, ethics, reliability, validity, development, administration, and interpretation of test scores. Prerequisite or Co-requisite: PY 505.

PY 610 - Developmental Psychology - Credits: 3
This course is designed to explore the well-established knowledge about the development process in humans throughout the stages of life. Emphasis is placed on the major theories concerning growth in various aspects of life, including cognitive, social, personality, physical, and moral development.

COUN 650 - Psychopathology - Credits: 3
This course provides an advanced examination into the common mental and behavioral disorders found in society, including causes, manifestations, treatments and preventions. The current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual will be reviewed and understanding of appropriate treatment will be determined by application to cases.

COUN 660 - Family and Couples Therapy - Credits: 3
This course reviews and history, research and current trends in family and couples counseling. Traditional and contemporary models of family and couples therapy will be explored. Topics covered will include divorce, the family lifestyle, cultural issues, substance abuse and ethical and legal issues. Strategies designed to assist families and couples resolve challenges will be presented using lectures and discussions, case studies and video analysis.

COUN 680 - Diversity Issues in Counseling - Credits: 3
This course is designed to foster a multicultural awareness and understanding in counseling. This course reviews the impact of multiple cultural influences and identities on counseling issues and introduces culturally responsive assessment practices and counseling skills. Cultural influences and identities include age, disability, religion/spirituality, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, indigenous heritage, national identity and gender.

COUN 685 - Practicum - Credits: 3
The practicum will serve as an integrative element for the students. They will be required to apply the concepts, techniques and theories learned during their course of study to their practicum setting. The practicum will include participation in 100-hours of supervised field experience.

COUN 690 - Internship I - Credits: 3
Internship I will serve as an integrative element for the students. They will be required to apply the concepts, techniques and theories learned during their course of study to their internship setting. Students will enhance and expand skills developed in previous courses as well as develop additional skills. Students will complete 300 hours of on-site internship experience in this course, 150 hours must be direct hours with clients.

COUN 695 - Internship II - Credits: 3
Internship II will serve as an integrative element for the students. They will be required to apply the concepts, techniques and theories learned during their course of study to their internship setting. Students will enhance and expand skills developed in previous courses as well as develop additional skills. Students will complete 300 hours of on-site internship experience in this course, 150 hours must be direct hours with clients.

Additional Course Work Required for Licensure Candidacy
In addition to fulfilling the 48 credits of degree requirements, applicants for licensure as a counselor in Pennsylvania must show twelve credits beyond this degree for a total of 60 credits. These courses will be drawn from existing graduate courses or from other courses in the counseling program that will be developed in the future.