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COLLEGE OF SOCIAL & MENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES Rutherford School for Professional Studies Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
In order to qualify for the Master’s Degree Program, a student must have completed a Bachelor’s Degree program in Counseling Psychology offered by RVU through its’ Rutherford School of Professional Studies, an equivalent program at an accredited institution, or a college/university that has reciprocal credit recognition with RVU. In the absence of completing the two options above, RVU requires the prospective student to have taken the GRE. Although there is no specific undergraduate degree or course of study that is specifically required to participate in the MS(Psy) ‘with an emphasis on Counseling’ degree program, it is strongly suggested that areas of undergraduate coursework consist of class completion in the areas of psychology, sociology, social work, grant writing, coaching, teaching, mediation, dispute resolution, and even religion.
The Counseling Psychology program at Rio Verde University prepares students to become professional counselors with expertise in community, family and marital, school, higher education, religious/pastoral or private settings. The program is designed primarily for part-time students who, under ordinary circumstances, can complete the program in approximately three to four years. Classes meet at our convenient Springville, UT or Juarez, MEX locations in the evenings and on Saturdays. For the distance learning student, courses can be completed at the student’s individual pace.
In addition to a 36-credit core curriculum, you will complete between 12-18 additional credits in practicum electives and concentration requirements.
The program’s available concentrations are:
Counseling in Student Affairs in Higher Education This concentration prepares master-level counselors to work with students in a variety of higher education settings. This concentration trains students to attend to the intellectual, social, emotional, and developmental needs of college and university students. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work in such areas as counseling centers, career centers, residence life, student activities, academic advising, and special needs programs.
Counseling in the Community Coursework here prepares master-level counselors to work with adolescents and adults in a community setting. This concentration is designed for students wishing to develop expertise in counseling adolescents and adults. Students also will gain the credentials to assume a supervisory position in community agency settings.
Family and Marital Counseling Here the program prepares master-level counselors to work with families, couples, and children. This concentration is designed for students interested in gaining expertise in counseling and working with families Graduates of this concentration will be prepared to work in the human service profession either publicly or privately. School Counseling Here the goal is to prepare master-level counselors to work as school counselors in the elementary, secondary, or both elementary and secondary settings. The Texas Department of Education-approved guidance counseling certification program allows students to pursue only certification or both certification and licensure as a Professional Licensed Counselor.
Pastoral Counseling As the largest of the RVU counseling programs coursework here enables the master-level counselor to work in a variety of pastoral settings including but not limited to churches, synagogues, hospitals, jails, schools, and community settings. The program provides a holistic approach that integrates counseling practice and theory with Judeo-Christian theology and philosophy to assist individuals and families in academic, clinical, faith and spiritual based counseling settings.
Postgraduate Programs Rio Verde University also offers two postgraduate programs: a licensure program for practicing master-level counselors and a school counseling certification program for those with a master’s degree wishing to become certified as an elementary or secondary school guidance counselor. These postgraduate programs each call for their own admission requirements. Ask your admissions counselor for details.
Eligibility for Licensure as a Professional Licensed Counselor (LPC) Several concentrations in the graduate counseling psychology program fulfill the general educational requirements for licensure in Utah, Texas, and California. Please note that most states also require practicum studies and a period of internship before licensure can be obtained. What you do receive with RVU is fulfillment of the educational requirement as you prepare for testing.
Licensure eligible programs are: • Counseling in the Community • Family and Marital Counseling • School Counseling Elementary – Certification and LPC • School Counseling Secondary – Certification and LPC • School Counseling Dual – Certification and LPC • Counseling in Student Affairs in Higher Education
Admission Requirements Applicants must possess the following qualifications for admission to the MS in Counseling Psychology program: • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. • An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better on a four-point scale. Applicants with an undergraduate cumulative grade-point average less than 3.0 must submit results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) prior to being considered for admission. • Two satisfactory letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional work. • An application form with a nonrefundable $50 application fee. • A 250- to 500-word personal statement of applicant’s interests in the field, future professional plans and goals, and reasons for requesting admission. The quality of the applicant’s statement will be of critical importance to the success of the application for admission. • Official transcripts of all previous college or university work. Applicants will be considered based on their academic ability, expression of interests and goals, life experience, and personal interview. Admissions are rolling with the majority in the fall semester and a limited number in the spring. Prior to admission, selected applicants will be invited to complete a personal interview with Counseling Psychology faculty. Notification of acceptance into the program usually is completed within two weeks of the personal interview. Please note that the program is limited in size because of the intensive training requirements. Although many applicants meet the criteria for admission, it may not be possible to admit all qualified students.
Prerequisite Requirements An undergraduate course in General Psychology, Sociology, or Social Work is required prior to admission into the program. In addition, two undergraduate prerequisites are required prior to enrollment in select courses in the counseling psychology program:
• Statistics • Research Methods or Experimental Psychology (This can be any general course in experimental psychology, a research methods course, or a course in one of the specific areas of experimental psychology such as learning or cognition.)
· To familiarize students with the basic concepts of an integrative approach to counseling. · To examine how various existing methods can be extrapolated from a variety of theoretical models and applied to the process of integrative counseling psychology and · To motivate students to apply creatively the integrative process to their own counseling practice.
Program Goals As a student in the Counseling Psychology program, you will develop an advanced understanding of human behavior throughout the lifespan; sensitivity to the differences inherent in different cultural, ethnic, and social groups; and mastery of counseling guidance theories and client evaluation skills. The program provides outstanding skill training and clinical preparation for students who are considering a doctoral degree.
Specific program objectives are: • To provide students with an understanding of human behavior throughout the life span. • To expose students to the increasing diversity of our society and to help students develop a sensitivity to the differences inherent in different cultural, ethnic, and social groups. • To train students in specific counseling and consultation skills. • To facilitate the development of group counseling skills. • To expose students to current practices in the field of career and lifestyle counseling. • To give students an understanding of the basic individual, family, and group assessment and evaluation techniques. • To provide students with a solid grounding in research methods and program evaluation techniques. • To help students develop an understanding of the legal and ethical issues facing counselors. • To educate students about the role of the counselor in the school, private, higher education, and community setting. • To help students develop expertise as counselors working in the community, with families, with students in higher education, and with students in school settings.
Admission Requirements: 1. Students must have completed our B.A. in Counseling Psychology, or . . . 2. have taken similar program at an approved College. 3. or have taken the GRE with emphasis on Social Work
*Official transcripts or other supporting documentation required
Additional Prerequisite Requirements – School Counseling Certification
These prerequisites apply to School Counseling applicants and only apply to students who have not already earned an education certificate: • Six credits of undergraduate English (three credits in Composition and three credits in Literature). • Six credits of undergraduate Mathematics.
Graduation Requirements:
A student may select one of the following options to meet the program graduation requi rements:
Courses offered:
(3 semester hour credits each)
A Transpersonal Study
Course Descriptions: (All courses are 3 credits each)
PSY 5050-03 Foundations of Psychotherapy This course will cover the theoretical considerations, principles, and problems in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other empirically validated procedures. The course is also designed to provide an introduction to the basic skills used in psychotherapy generally, and CBT specifically.
PSY 5150-03 Counseling and Multicultural Issues Students will cover cross cultural issues in psychotherapy and counseling. Together with a critical and integrative perspective, the course takes a comprehensive approach to culture as it relates to psychological practice. A variety of theoretical and clinical issues are discussed, including psychological trauma, depression, chronic illness, and other problems presented by clients for whom a culturally informed practice is essential.
PSY 5250-03 Mental Health Counseling An overview of the field of mental health counseling will be presented to students who will also study professional roles, functions, credentialing, and general ethics of mental health counselors. The major focus will be on the development of fundamental counseling skills, including listening, empathy training, and basic interviewing. Issues regarding the development of the therapeutic relationship, cultural diversity, and mental status assessment will be covered.
PSY 5350-03 Counseling Skills – An Integrative Approach This course explores the integrative model and provides guidance about not only what to do at each stage but also the appropriate sequence for implementation. This integrative approach assists counselors in the development of an eclectic framework for their practice by offering a wide range of approaches and techniques to use when implementing whichever counseling theories are practiced..
PSY 5450-03 Introductions to Psychological Testing The course surveys key areas of relevance in psychological assessment across a variety of settings. As an introduction to psychological assessment, the course tackles the fundamental goals and principles of psychological assessment in both applied and theoretical contexts.
PSY 5490-03 Understanding Behavior Disorders Topics covered include counseling interventions with behavioral and emotional disorders; symptoms for psychoses, emotional disorders, and maladaptive behavior patterns. Also the psychology of shame and its relationship to substance abuse and other compulsive behaviors will be presented. Overview of prominent topics in compulsive behavioral disorders including substance abuse, gambling, eating, spending money, sex, internet, and other excessive and harmful behaviors. Counseling skill development through psycho-education presentations and hypothetical problem solving as well as ethical issues in counseling will be explored.
PSY 5550-03 Guided Independent Study This course enables a student to select an area of study in which they have a particular interest. The area selected is subject to faculty approval.
PSY 5570-03 Research Methods This course provides an understanding and an introduction to the research process. Consideration and analysis will be given to each type of research (e.g., philosophical-historical, descriptive, and experimental). Development of library and writing skills, use of research tools for data collection and analysis, and interpretation of data.
PSY 5600-03 Overview of Transpersonal Psychology Studies This course offers an overview of the theories and concepts of transpersonal psychology and will cover the origins of transpersonal psychology, the contributors to the field, the research conducted, and the applications of transpersonal studies to personal growth and counseling.
PSY 5640-03 Modalities of Transpersonal Psychotherapy A study of Eastern and Western psychotherapeutic methods and belief systems is at the core of this course. The course also explores how transpersonal psychology contributes to psychotherapy by examining the practices of meditation, dreamwork, altered states of consciousness, and other modalities.
PSY5660-03 Psychology of Meditation and Prayers This course explores the neurobiology of meditative states and their physiological correlates. The course also focuses on the recent research of prayer and meditation in psychotherapy and medicine with reference to peer reviewed scientific studies and its application to counseling and psychotherapy.
PSY 5670-03 The Spectrum of Consciousness: -A Transpersonal Study This course offers a transpersonal perspective which extends beyond conventional psychology and science to include the study of consciousness in its multiple forms including altered states, dreams, and contemplation. Stresses an application to individual growth and psychotherapy.
PSY 5990-03 Research Project/Paper (9 credits) This is done under the guidance of the students’ practicum supervisor.
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