2012-2013 SNU Graduate Academic Catalog - Southern Nazarene ...

32GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN COUNSELINGGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN COUNSELINGProgram InformationThe graduate degree programs in counseling at SNU are Master of Science in Counseling Psychology(MSCP), Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT), and MAMFT in Child Therapy. TheMSCP and MAMFT programs are designed to meet the academic requirements for the State ofOklahoma’s Licensed Professional Counselor credential and the MAMFT program fulfills the academiclicensing requirements for the Oklahoma Licensed Marital and Family Therapist credential. Allprograms share a common CORE of coursework and are delivered in an accelerated, modularizedformat.The graduate programs in counseling are committed to building thoughtful, informed, caring Christianpersons who are contributing professionals to the field of counseling psychology and marriage andfamily therapy. It is the goal of all programs that persons completing the programs acquire the skills andperspectives requisite to effectiveness in the conduct of both their professional and personal lives. Alsoregarded as essential is the student’s knowledge of and appreciation for the contributions of orthodoxChristianity and the Wesleyan–Armenian tradition to understanding human nature, human behaviorand factors affecting behavior change. The focus of the programs, therefore, is on producing qualified,credible professionals who can bring the added dimension of a Christian perspective that influencestheir professional endeavors.Program Objectives Understanding the discipline's major issues (philosophical, methodological, social) and anarticulation of the complexities of those issues. Understanding the current trends and developments in the field within the context of the historicalunderpinnings of the discipline. Appreciation for and development of research skills which areessential to understanding the current work of the field as well as to becoming a contributingprofessional to the field. Application of current theoretical and research findings to various problems/issues that typicallyarise in counseling settings. Development of requisite skills and techniques (listening, reflecting, responding, testing,interpreting, diagnosing, etc.) to be effective as a counselor in today’s world. Increased depth of understanding in selected content areas. Comparison of various theoretical approaches (and their implications for practice), withintegration/synthesis of the commonalties and analysis of the differences. Sufficient familiarity with various theoretical and worldview positions so that the student can statethe basic assumptions of a particular perspective and compose a coherent argument which followsfrom that specific set of assumptions. Understanding of the principles that guide ethical decision-making as a practitioner (e.g. thoseadopted by the APA, AAMFT, ACA, etc.). Fostering an on-going quest for knowledge, which manifests itself in continuing professionaldevelopment, professional contribution to the field and life-long learning. Continuing improvement of written communication skills. Continuing improvement of oral communication skills. Expression of a personal philosophy of life from which one’s professional emphases andcommitments arise; ultimately, this results in the articulation of a preferred counseling approach,along with practice of that approach.