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"Online
tour"
(Table of Contents)
Chpt 1: History of the
MAC program
Chpt 2: Purposes of the MAC program
Chpt 3: MAC contrasted w/ other programs
Chpt 4: A proposed timeline for the program
Chpt 5: Instruction and MAC courses
Chpt 6: MAC program flexibility
Chpt 7: Employment options with MAC
Chpt 8: Credentials available with MAC
Chpt 9: Expected costs
Chpt 10: Financial aid
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Master of Arts in
Counseling Psychology ("MAC")
The
MAC "Online tour"
Chapter 2:
Purposes
of the MAC program
 The MAC program is
designed for students who aspire to work as counselors or service
providers in mental health organizations. The goal is to equip
students with the knowledge and professional skills essential to assume
responsible positions in counseling-oriented careers. Highlights of the
program include quality instruction with a low student/teacher ratio,
collaborative learning and student initiative, an interesting and
application-oriented selection of courses, and flexibility of course
scheduling to accommodate working or commuting students.
One of the major goals of
the Masters Program in Counseling Psychology has always been the quality
of instruction. The student/teacher ratio (15 to 1, on the average) is
particularly responsive to individual needs.
A second highlight of the
program is its well-designed combination of required courses, generous
electives, and off-campus internship training. The courses were selected
so as to emphasize breadth of knowledge and address issues most useful to
future clinicians. In addition, the academic portion of the program meets or
exceeds all educational requirements necessary for Washington State
licensure as a Mental Health Counselor and most of the requirements for
licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist.
A third feature of the program
is the flexibility of the scheduling. Classes are offered once a week
with meeting times scheduled to accommodate commuting students, those who
work full-time, and those with young families.
The MAC
Program, therefore, provides students with the opportunity to acquire or
increase knowledge and competence in the areas of assessment, therapy,
and consultation. Congruent with the Mission Statement of the MAC Program,
six major curricular objectives can be identified. Those objectives are:
- Develop well-rounded
individuals who have a solid foundation in counseling
psychology By the
end of your graduate studies, you will have the
appropriate knowledge, skills, and values necessary
for practice as a mental health professional. You
should have acquired a broad knowledge of traditional
psychology with an emphasis on the structural and
societal influences on individual and family
dysfunction. An important part of this knowledge base
is an appreciation for human diversity and a commitment to equal
access by all citizens to the helping services.
- Develop scientific
appreciation in students.
The MAC Program does not emphasize the generation of
new knowledge through empirical methodology. However,
critical to the success of any professional endeavor
is the ability to intelligently consume social science
research findings. Accordingly, an emphasis is placed
on the ability to understand research information and
learn to communicate with a solid academic writing
style.
- Present
students with a multi-theoretical,
multi-leveled approach to problem-solving
and/or clinical practice. A current trend among mental
health providers is a theoretical eclecticism. A
responsible approach to eclectic therapy assumes,
however, a broad knowledge of existing theoretical
approaches to clinical psychology. As a MAC graduate
student, you will acquire depth in at least one
theoretical approach while being able to draw on
various theoretical skills to guide your work.
- Train students in
the various direct service skills
that make up the field of counseling psychology.
Although the MAC Program offers specific coursework in
a variety of clinical approaches (such as systems,
cognitive, etc), depth in any
one modality necessarily has to give way to breadth.
As a result, formal coursework is designed primarily
to whet the appetite; you will experience depth in the
two-semester internship experience.
- Promote
a professional and ethical grounding
on which to anchor the student's knowledge, value, and
skills base. One of the first requirements of
professionals working in the area of mental health is
a strong adherence to established standards of ethical
conduct. Hence, you will learn professional codes of
ethical conduct. Graduates of the MAC Program
are expected to be committed to personal
responsibility for ethical conduct and the quality of
their practice.
- Orient
students toward proficient utilization of
professional and community resources and the
establishment of professional relationships.
Master's-level counselors do not practice in a vacuum.
They form one cog in an elaborate machine of helping
professionals. The ability to mobilize other resources
and interact with other providers is an important
skill area. You will form cooperative relationships with professionals in other
fields and become aware of various professional
organizations with which you may need to interact. This
all begins in the classroom and you will be expected
to be involved in collaborative learning, form
supportive relationships with other MAC students, and participate constructively and enthusiastically in
class discussions.
The
mission statement of the MAC Program, as stated in the University
Catalog, is simply:
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"To
teach professional skills necessary for positions in
community-based counseling programs that require
advanced preparation."
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