Professional Counseling Program Mission Statement

The goal of the Professional Counseling Program is to prepare students to master the knowledge and skill areas specified by current preparation standards and best practices in the counseling profession. We encourage the pursuit of intentional growth that promotes pro-social autonomy, lifelong learning, and ethical behavior. These ideals are fostered within a dynamic and multi-modal learning setting in which critical thinking, creativity, scholarship, praxis, and the creation and integration of knowledge are celebrated.

Program Objectives

Throughout the M.A. Professional Counseling Program, course content, student engagement opportunities, and fieldwork experiences are designed to promote:

  1. A counselor professional identity and engagement in professional development and ethical practice.
  2. Awareness of contextual issues in counseling and development of the skills needed to implement counseling interventions and programs.
  3. A stance of lifelong, intentional, personal growth founded on a strengths-based, wellness-oriented, holistic view.
  4. The ability to develop strong therapeutic relationships while applying fundamental counseling concepts, principles, and theories with individuals, couples, families, and groups.
  5. Cognitive complexity via critical thinking and creative expression, which encourages students to engage critically, creatively, and meaningfully with research, theory, and practice in counseling.
  6. The ability to advocate for clients in varied communities.