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SMU Home Academics Home MAC Program Home Current Student Home Prospective Home MAC Class Notebook (Table of Contents) (On-line Forms) |
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology ("MAC") MAC
Class Notebook:
Similarly, an ability to provide long-term treatment plans is a required competence, even for those not working in a structured, agency setting. These two classes demand more work and clinical sophistication than any of the 500 level courses. MAC 601: "Psychopathology" The primary focus of this course is on the diagnoses of major Axis I mental disorders (agoraphobia, schizophrenia, etc.) and Axis II personality disorders (borderline, schizoid, etc.) using the format and language of the DSM-IV. Secondary emphases are the etiology, description, treatment, and prognosis of the various mental and personality disorders. Numerous videos are shown and students discuss films portraying the various disorders. Students generally find the readings for this class heavy and experience apprehension and the sheer bulk of material covered. However, they generally find the class interesting and enjoyable. Previous assignments have included diagnoses of case studies, term papers, and two in-class exams. Prerequisite: MAC 503. 601 Syllabus MAC 602: "Assessment and Treatment Planning" This course covers aspects of data collection, effective interviewing, and testing for assessment, as well as focusing on the processes involved in treatment planning. Students learn a model, and several tools, for psychological and clinical assessment, data gathering, and interviewing, Students generally find MAC 602 to be an extremely informative and beneficial class but one that is quite challenging and time consuming. Previous assignments have included two major projects on interviewing and testing and a take-home mid-term exam. Prerequisites: MAC 503 and MAC 601. 602 Syllabus MAC 620: "Ethical Practice in Counseling" This class is designed to provide the student with the knowledge necessary to provide counseling in an ethical and responsible manner and to operate within the ethical standards that guide practitioners in the fields of mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy. The emphasis will be on avoiding the first steps of a path toward unethical practice rather than the final, extreme ends of those paths while, at the same time, stressing wisdom and judgment over black-and-white rigidity. This course was an elective up until Fall 1996, but is now required for all students entering the program. Prerequisites: MAC 503 and MAC 512. 620 Syllabus |
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Email contact: MAC@stmartin.edu |
The required courses at the 600 levels
cover essential material necessary for virtually all
professional counselors. For example, a basic ability to
diagnose psychopathology using the DSM IV is
indispensable to therapists, even those planning
systems-oriented careers such as marriage and family
therapists.