|
Master of Arts in
Counseling Psychology ("MAC")
MAC 620:
"Ethical Practice ...in Mental
Health Counseling and Marriage and Family
Therapy"
Sample Syllabus
(Subject
to Change)
Faculty Member:
Godfrey J.
Ellis, PhD; Approved Supervisor,
AAMFT
Brief
Overview:
MAC
620: "Ethical Practice" 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 on the extreme ends of those paths) and will stress
wisdom and judgment over black-and-white rigidity.
Required Texts:
(Please do
not order your books for the current semester from this list. It may not
be up-to-date.)
- Corey,
G., Corey, M. & Callahan, P. (1993). Issues and
ethics in the helping professions (4th ed).
Brooks/Cole Publishing Co: Pacific Grove, CA.
- Brodsky,
S. (1991). Testifying in court: Guidelines and maxims
for the expert witness. American Psychological
Association, Washington, D.C.
- There
will be several additional photocopied articles to read.
It will be essential that these be read prior to
attending the class session. The class format is heavy on
discussion and students need to be prepared to
participate actively. A list of all additional
photocopied readings will be handed out later.
Course Requirements:
Review
of Films on Ethical Practice:
One
enjoyable and often powerful learning experience is to review
movies dealing with ethical practice. Several films are highly
appropriate for this class and offer powerful learning
opportunities. You will be expected to view the film with your
group and to prepare one brief paper, per
group, identifying and discussing the ethical problems of the
mental health professionals illustrated in the film. The review will be worth 20 percent toward the
final grade for the semester. You may use any of the following
titles
- Basic
Instinct (1992)
- Final
Analysis (1992)
- Prince
of Tides (1991)
- Spellbound
(1945)
- Tin
Cup (1996)
- Whispers
in the Dark (1992)
- Good
Will Hunting (1997)
Personal
Reflection Paper:
You
will be expected to prepare a three to five page reflection
paper on one borderline or questionable behavior that you have
engaged in as a counselor or could imagine yourself engaging in
(given your personality or relationship style). Include a brief
discussion of why that behavior is problematic and the problems
that this behavior could cause for both you and your clients.
Discuss ideas for how that behavior could be avoided in the
future and include safeguards that will ensure the change will be
immediate, effective, and long-term. This paper is meant to be
highly personal and concrete and you will lose points if it is
overly general and abstract. Specific examples or stories are often helpful. The paper will
be
worth 20 percent of the final
grade.
Group
Research Paper :
Students
will prepare a formal library research paper on an aspect of
ethical practice in mental health counseling or marriage and
family therapy. You may pick any topic but remember that the
emphasis is on ethical aspects. Your group will be expected to
conduct a library search for information on that topic and
present at least five references on your topic
of choice. The SMU library staff are available to provide
assistance with finding articles and sources. Be sure to use
complete bibliographic information for all quotes and references.
The paper will need to be a complete discussion of the chosen
aspect of ethical practice (prepared, as always, in correct APA
style). This paper will
be worth 20 percent of the final
grade for the semester.
Examinations:
There
will be a mid-term exam worth 20 percent of the grade
and a final exam worth another 20 percent of the grade.
They will be in-class (but not open-book) exams. The exams will
contain some objective (multiple-choice) questions and several
sentence and paragraph questions. The final exam will be comprehensive with
a greater emphasis on material since the mid-term exam.
Return
to Required 600 Level
Courses |
