Professional Counseling, MS

This course is an orientation to the profession of counseling, its history, professional standards, code of ethics, credentials, areas of specialization, and the development of skills necessary to create a helping relationship. It covers the counselor's professional identity in a variety of settings and roles. Opportunities are provided for students to discover through self-awareness their suitability for the helping profession.

This course covers classic and contemporary theories of career development, counseling, and decision making, including; the use of career/occupational resources, testing, computer-assisted guidance systems, career development planning, assessing factors contributing to career development, advocating for diverse clients, using assessment tools, facilitating client skill development, and using ethical and culturally relevant strategies for addressing career development including the clients' life experiences. Career services in various settings will be discussed.  Multicultural issues and needs of special populations will be presented. There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to provide an overview of the theoretical foundations associated with best-practices for counseling treatment planning and intervention. Topics addressed in this course include the historical development and contemporary application of counseling theories, review of key concepts that influence client change, essential features of the therapeutic process, and considerations for culturally-relevant and setting-specific applications.  Students will be expected to complete designated readings, work in small groups, complete experiential activities, and demonstrate learning across several modes of evaluation. There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of issues on death, dying, loss, and the impact of grief.  Topics addressed in this course include various types of loss, including non-death related, conceptualizations of grief and mourning across the lifespan, evidence-based interventions to support the dying and bereaved individuals, and strategies for identifying and intervening with those who have clinically significant complicated grief.  Students will be expected to explore their own grief reactions as well as examine the societal, cultural, and familial expectations surrounding grief and death rituals.  There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of addictions treatment, the counseling dynamics involved in working with addictions, and the global impact of addictions on society. Students will learn the physiological, cognitive, emotional, and societal aspects related to addictions, and how these conditions impact the counseling process when working with clients who present with addiction-related issues. Students will examine specific treatment strategies applicable to the biopsychosocial issues related to addictions, as well as the current ethical and professional issues impacting the field.

This course provides an overview of the philosophies, theories, techniques, interventions, and treatment approaches most effective in counseling clients who have been diagnosed with an addictive disorder. Specific attention will be paid to examining the relationship between theory and the practice of effective skills. Students will learn best-practices in chemical/substance addictions screening, assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, relapse prevention, and recovery.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the cultural differences of special populations of people. Emphasis on ethical use of appropriate counseling techniques for use with the major racial/ethnic groups and other special populations of people such as those who are physically or emotionally disabled, older, of different genders or of different sexual orientation. Topics addressed in this course include: theories and models of multicultural counseling; multicultural counseling competencies; cultural identity development; worldview, power, privilege, and oppression, social justice, and advocacy. Students will be expected to articulate effective strategies for working with and advocating for diverse populations; recognize the impact of heritage, attitudes, beliefs, and acculturative experiences on individuals' view of self and others; and identify and eliminate barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination at the individual and institutional level. There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to train school counseling students to provide both indirect services to children and adolescents via effective consultation and direct responsive services in the school setting.  Topics addressed in this course include consultation models, crisis counseling models, crisis intervention, and school counselor roles in consultation and crisis response.  Students will be expected to develop interventions in which consultation is the primary method of delivery, appropriately respond to crisis situations encountered in a school environment, create responsive services programming based on applicable data, and demonstrate skills needed for effective consultation and responsive services, and articulate the connection between consultation and responsive services.  There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive, developmental school counseling programs. The course includes student collaboration with existing school counseling programs to facilitate student professionalism and competence in consultation, strategy selection and implementation, program delivery, and community referral. This course is a requirement for eligibility to take the TExES school counselor examination.

This course is designed for the purpose of studying the theory, techniques, and issues related to counseling children using play therapy. The class will consist of lecture, group discussion, video presentations, experiential activities and case studies. Designed for both school and community counselors.

This course is designed to train school counseling students to provide indirect services to children and adolescents through effective consultation with parents, teachers, administrators and external referral sources. The emphasis of the course is on the acquisition of skills that follow a logical consultation model. The course has a didactic and experiential learning component. Students will become sensitized to socio-cultural diversity issues as they impact consultation, and to the ethical and legal issues pertaining to working in the schools. Current research will be used to guide the consultation process.

Prerequisite: (CNEP 5304 and 4308).

Research, identification, and design of systemic models of prevention and intervention that foster the healthy development of individuals in school and community settings. Focus will be both on assessment and implementation of culturally respectful approaches that invite collaboration with the family, school, community, and other contextual resources of children, adolescents, and adults.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to marriage, couple, and family counseling.  Topics addressed in this course include history and development of marriage, couple, and family counseling; theories and models of family systems and dynamics; theories and models of marriage, couple, and family counseling; and sociology of the family, family phenomenology, and family of origin theories.  In addition, roles and settings of marriage, couple, and family counselors as well as professional credentialing and preparation of marriage, couple, and family counselors will be addressed. Students will be expected to successfully complete a variety of tasks, including projects, presentations, examinations, and role plays.

This course provides an overview of the history, theory, and current research perspectives in the etiology, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of behavioral/process addictions. Specific attention will be paid to examining the similarities and differences between chemical/substance addictions and behavioral/process addictions. As this course is intended to add to the preparation of the counselor-in-training for clinical work in a variety of settings, extensive experiential practice in both culturally responsive assessment and intervention with diverse populations will be included.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5313.

This course is designed to focus on clinical applications of major theoretical models of family counseling. Topics addressed in this course include principles and models of assessment and case conceptualization from a systems perspective; interventions and techniques of marriage, couple, and family counseling; and conceptualizing and implementing treatment. Students will be expected to demonstrate application of various approaches, including both case conceptualization and interventions, from a variety of theoretical models via case studies, role plays, and other course activities.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5320.

This course provides an introduction and critical review of contemporary theory and research in models of holistic wellness including consideration of experiential and interventions that address lifestyle variables. The course also discusses the role of the professional counselor as interventionist in a variety of applied settings in assisting clientele in moving toward optimal health (not just absence of illness), through an integration of physical , psychological, social, spiritual and personal choice components of physical health and lifestyle management.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the assessment and treatment of couple relationships. Major topics include but are not limited to research- and efficacy-based treatment models, legal and ethical standards, couples sexual counseling, premarital counseling and preventive psychoeducational approaches, gender and issues of diversity impacting couple relationships, research relevant to couple counseling, and societal trends.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5320.

This course is designed to focus on evidence-based family treatment of problems that are child- and adolescent-focused. Topics addressed in this course include principles and models of assessment and case conceptualization from a systemic perspective; use of appropriate assessments in family therapy; impact of trauma and addictions on families; evidence-based models and interventions in family counseling for problems that are child- and adolescent-focused; and conceptualization planning of intervention strategies in family counseling. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to utilize assessments, conceptualize treatment, and plan specific interventions to address child and adolescent related issues in family counseling.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5320.

This course offers in-depth consideration of ethical and legal issues that affect the practice of counseling in clinical mental health counseling; marital, couple, and family counseling; addictions counseling; and school counseling settings. The course will assist students in understanding and formulating sound positions on a variety of major issues related to the field of counseling. Students are expected to be familiar with a variety of ethical codes as well as laws regulating the profession.  Students will be expected to utilize ethical-decision-making models and codes of ethics to analyze cases, analyze content appropriate to their program emphases, apply relevant codes of ethics and laws, and demonstrate understanding of critical legal and ethical content. 

This course is designed to provide an overview of the principles of understanding the dysfunction in human behavior and development, including the impact of disaster, crises, and other trauma-causing events on developmental processes. Students will learn how dysfunctional behavior manifests and factors that increase one's vulnerability to abnormal human behavior. The primary topics of this course include theories of normal and abnormal personality development and the effects of crisis, disasters, and other trauma on diverse individuals across the lifespan. Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of abnormal personality development as well as the impact of trauma-causing events on personality development via successful completion of tasks in various assignments which may include case studies, presentations, and examinations.

This course addresses cultural issues in Spanish-speakers such as concept of family, authority and social organization, communication method, thought, formality of address and spirituality. This course will be offered both as an online course and a study abroad experience.  Students who have an opportunity to travel may take this course when it is offered in a Spanish-speaking country.

This on-line course is an orientation to counseling clients in Spanish.  Students will become familiar with terms to use to facilitate a session in Spanish. Professional counseling concepts include mental health, counseling techniques, communication skills, understanding and problem solving, goal setting, and consultation with other professionals.

This online course provides training in mental health strategies and interventions in counseling. The focus is on theories and techniques appropriate with Spanish-speaking clients. 

The Internship I experience requires a minimum of 100 clock hours of supervised counseling, including 50 hours of direct service with Spanish-speaking clients. Students will provide counseling to community members in the CNEP Counseling and Training Clinic or other designated location under faculty supervision.  

The Internship II experience requires a minimum of 100 clock hours of supervised counseling, including 50 hours of direct service with Spanish-speaking clients. Students will provide counseling to community members in the CNEP Counseling and Training Clinic or other designated location under faculty supervision.  Students who have an opportunity to travel complete Internship II clinical work in a study abroad program in a Spanish-speaking country

This course provides a foundation of practice for students preparing for contemporary counseling careers in both primary care and behavioral settings. Students will become knowledgeable of the roles of behavioral health providers working in primary care settings, theories and models of care, and cross-cultural issues. Students also will learn to design and implement comprehensive biopsychosocial treatment plans and develop competencies to engage and support clients across a range of health conditions.

This course is designed to address both historical and contemporary research in personality theory from a lifespan developmental perspective. Topics addressed in this course include normative patterns of personality development and adjustment; Major factors and conditions which are related to successful human adaptations including adult-child relations, personality defense mechanisms, developmental stages and abnormal behavior in addition to theories of personality.  Social and Cultural foundations of personality development will also be covered.  Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of personality development across the lifespan as well as social/cultural influences on personality development through successful completion of various assignments which may include case studies, presentations, and examinations. There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is designed to provide the student with both a theoretical and an experiential approach to group counseling dynamics and processes. Group leadership skills and group membership skills will be emphasized as well as theoretical applications. Specific topics covered include group stages, purposes, and kinds of groups, forming a group and creating trust in a group, initial sessions, orientations, and member roles, models of group and consultation model, group facilitation skills and group leadership styles, person-centered groups, gestalt groups, behavioral groups, reality therapy groups, and REBT groups.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5384^*.
^* May be taken concurrently.

This is a course designed to teach practical skills for managing stress and integrating wellness practices into the daily lifestyle. Students will be exposed to current knowledge base and experiential best practices for identifying stressors in their environment and developing strategies for their personal and client use.

This course is designed to provide the student with a basic knowledge for testing and measurement in the counseling field. Topics addressed in this course include historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment and testing in counseling, methods of effectively preparing for and conducting initial assessment meetings, use of assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes, basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, group and individual assessments, validity and reliability in assessments, the use of assessments relevant to academic/educational, career, personal, and social development, use of environmental assessments and systematic behavioral observations, use of symptom checklists and personality and psychological testing, use of assessment results to diagnose developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders, and ethical and culturally relevant strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and test results, and program evaluation and the use of findings to effect program modifications.  Covers functions of testing in education; educational and social issues related to testing and use of test results; theoretical aspects of psychometrics; selection of commercial standardized tests; and common commercial standardized tests.  Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the foundation and history of psychometric assessment, knowledge of the psychometric properties of assessments, including validity, reliability, and norming groups, knowledge of how to select, administer, interpret, and report the results of psychometric assessments, how to conduct a biopsychosocial assessment, and how to conduct a program evaluation and interpret the results. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Testing, scoring, and interpretation procedures for the Wechsler scales.

This course is designed to be a competency-based course with a primary focus on the practice and acquisition of specific techniques and interview skills. Topics addressed in this course include essential interviewing and decision-making skills, evidence-supported counseling strategies, culturally responsive modalities for initiating, maintaining, and terminating counseling, treatment planning, and strategies for promoting wellness and self-care. The student will demonstrate the ability to implement these competencies through discussion, conceptualization assignments, and experiential activities.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5384.

This course is designed to cover types of human distress, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, including the development of tools for the understanding and critical appraisal of abnormal human behavior across the life-span. Strategies and techniques for working with clients in a variety of settings are considered.  The primary topic in this course is the diagnostic process, including differential diagnosis and the use of current diagnostic classification systems. Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of the diagnostic process and treatment planning via successful completion of tasks in multiple case studies, mid-term examination, and final evaluation. Pre-req: A minimum of 12 semester hours of core counseling courses must be completed, including CNEP 5304, and CNEP 5308.

Prerequisite: (CNEP 5304 and 5308).

This course is designed to teach students how to use beginning counseling skills. Topics addressed in this course include counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence the counseling process, essential interviewing, counseling, and case conceptualization skills, and self-care strategies appropriate to the counselor role. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use basic micro-skills in counseling practice, and demonstrate knowledge of counselor characteristics and behaviors that can affect the counseling process. They will also be expected to demonstrate the practice and understanding of self-care via intentional personal wellness activities. Must earn a grade of "B" or better to pass. Pre-req: A minimum of 12 semester hours of core counseling courses must be completed, including CNEP 5304 and CNEP 5308.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5304 and 5308.

Supervised counseling experience during breaks between academic semesters. Counseling setting must be the same as the practicum/internship setting either the previous or following semester. The course, while not required for the degree, is required for all students who obtain hours towards the practicum/internship requirements during between-semester breaks.

Contemporary issues in Counseling/Educational Psychology; topics vary with professional identification of participants. May be repeated when topics vary.

This course is designed to provide 100 clock hours of supervised counseling experiences, including 40 hours of direct service with clients. The clinical setting must be approved by the Clinical Coordinator. The semester prior to enrollment the student must complete the practicum application process. Students will be expected to demonstrate satisfactory counseling skills as well as a professional counseling identity as evidenced by a grade of B or above in the course and satisfactory ratings on professional behavior ratings. Students who earn a grade below C will be required to re-take the course.

Prerequisite: CNEP 5314, 5327, 5381 and 5384.

A supervised field experience in counseling and counseling-related activities. An internship application must be completed and submitted to the instructor.

May be repeated when topics vary.

This course, to be taken twice (6 hours), is designed to provide 600 clock hours of supervised counseling experiences, including 240 hours of direct service with clients. The clinical setting must be approved and appropriate to the student's emphasis.  Students will be expected to provide direct counseling services appropriate to their program specialties and to fulfill additional roles common to the role of a counselor in their specialty as evidenced by evaluations from supervisors. Students must earn a "B" or better to pass.

Prerequisite: (CNEP 5397, 5312, 5320 and 5316).

This course will examine the historical, theoretical, ethical, and philosophical foundations of counseling. We will explore major theories of counseling and psychotherapy including an in-depth study of one’s personal practice theory. Projects may include the development, research, utilization, and evaluation of theoretical applications in school and community settings. We will address the relevance of counseling theories in counselor education and supervision.

In-depth study of various counseling strategies appropriate to the development levels of elementary, middle, and secondary school students, adults, couples, and families. Includes case conceptualization and efficacy of theories and treatment strategies of National and International crises, disaster, and other trauma-causing events, short term and intermediate intervention strategies and advocacy methods with at-risk and multicultural populations.

This course provides an in-depth examination of professional, ethical, and legal issues in counselor education and the behavioral sciences. Major issues, including ethical and legal concerns, standards of conduct, and codes of ethics are covered. The NBCC, ACA, IAMFC, ASCA, and Texas LPC Codes of Ethics along with ethical decision-making models are critiqued. In addition, this course provides an orientation to the field and to the program.

Study of the professional standards of writing, publishing and presenting proposals in a diverse society.  Topics include a review of contemporary research on diverse populations. Special emphasis is placed on student gaining knowledge and skill for conducting and communicating the results of scholarly inquiry through processes of editing, consultation and peer review processes.

This class focuses on facilitating student skills in development, planning, implementation and evaluation of assessment and testing programs. Topics include critical evaluation of validity and reliability of standardized and non-standardized assessments. Emphasis is placed on design parameters, specific assessment measures, and their use in program evaluation.

This course is designed to identify effective consultation approaches/styles and advocacy action planning.  Students will acquire skills in assessing needs of counselors in training, developing programs and techniques for change, and program evaluation.

(3 SCH). This course provides students with the awareness, knowledge, and skills required of counselors, counselor educators, and counseling supervisors to be effective leaders and advocates in an increasingly pluralistic and diverse society. The course will provide students opportunities to develop multicultural competencies by critically examining how issues related to social justice and diversity impact various therapeutic, instructional, consultative, and supervisory relationships.

Study of counselor training and supervision with an exploration of the major theoretical/conceptual models and an overview of current trends and practices. Course includes didactic and applied experiences. Legal, ethical and multicultural issues and challenges in diverse settings are addressed, in addition to the purposes of clinical supervision and the role of the supervisor.

Prerequisite: CNEP 6305 and 6310.

(3 SCH). This class is designed to facilitate development of students' knowledge, skills, and dispositions through an in-depth review of evidence-based practices associated with effective teaching practices used in counselor training thereby preparing students for careers in counselor education.

This course is an exploration of issues of leadership in counselor education within a diverse society. Focus on problem identification, analysis, supervision, and problem-solving approaches within a multicultural framework. Emphasis is placed on leadership roles, theories, and skills.

This course is designed as a doctoral level survey of Research Design and Statistics. The major focus will involve an examination of the theoretical assumptions underlying various research designs and the use of inferential statistics. Special emphasis will be placed on the selection of appropriate design for specific applications in counseling and educational contexts. The course will involve both theoretical exploration and instruction on the use of computer-based statistical tools (SPSS).

Advanced skill development in designing programs and working with clients experiencing stress related disorders that impact the overall quality of their lives. A special emphasis will be placed implementation of design strategies for development and evaluating programs for improving performance and health.

This course will focus on expanding each student's knowledge of research design and statistical analysis beyond CNEP 6360 and EDLD 6392. Specific topics will include general linear model approaches to analysis of variance and regression analysis. Students will utilize SPSS to complete regularly assigned problems in order to demonstrate their competence. In addition, a special emphasis will be placed on the development of advanced quantitative skills needed to evaluate programs and student processes within a counselor educator model.

Prerequisite: CNEP 6360.

This research methodology course is designed to provide doctoral students with application experience in quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method data analytic procedures. Students will address promises and pitfalls using advanced univariate, multivariate, and non-parametric techniques introduced in CNEP 6360 and CNEP 6370. Students will act as consultants and evaluators on projects developed by student research teams in the department. This course is designed to help students address data analytic applications relevant to professional consulting, clinical and counseling practice as well as contexts involving program evaluation in a wide range of professional settings.

Prerequisite: CNEP 6320, 6360 and 6370.

This course is experientially based on the philosophy, design, and practice of qualitative research. It is understood that participants have a solid background in methods (as defined by the positivist and post-positivist tradition) and statistics. Students will situate qualitative inquiry/research in their philosophical, theoretical, and historical situations, learn methods of qualitative design, and develop a capacity to collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative empirical materials.

This course provides learners with advanced knowledge about and practice with specific qualitative designs commonly used in counseling research. It is understood that participants have a solid background in research methods generally (as defined by the positive and post-positivist tradition) as well as introductory understanding of qualitative methods specifically. Learners will deepen their understanding of general qualitative methods (e.g., phenomenology) and will focus attention on one or more theory-driven approaches (e.g., descriptive phenomenology, hermeneutic phenomenology, specific grounded theory approaches), with particular attention to consistency of method approach including data analysis.

Special topics is an advanced study in an identified area of academic interest. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.  Covers the knowledge base of the counseling profession.

Provides/demonstrates professional counseling expertise with effective application of multiple counseling theories. Demonstrates case conceptualization and effective interventions across diverse populations and settings. The experience includes a minimum of 100 clock hours. Students will experience both the direct delivery of services and weekly individual and group supervision. Opportunities for the evaluation of students’ counseling skills will be provided. Students must earn a grade of 'B' or better to pass.

This course is designed to provide an intensive, supervised professional experience in an approved counseling setting. Topics addressed in this course include counselor education, pedagogy, research, supervision, leadership and advocacy, consultation, and training.  Students will be expected to earn a total of 300 clock hours and will receive supervision in the five core areas of counseling, supervision, teaching, research/scholarship, and leadership/advocacy.  Students repeat the internship for another 300 clock hours and another 3 semester hours of credit.

This course focuses on the application of research skills and inquiry methods. Students will be exposed to various methodological approaches and the components of scientific inquiry. Attention also will be given to ethical and legal issues in research.

Completion of an approved research project under the supervision of a dissertation advisor. (Nine semester hour minimum.)

May be repeated when topics vary.