Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology prepares students for careers as counselors within the field of mental health and leads to eligibility to obtain licensure as a mental health counselor and to practice within that scope of practice specified in the state of Washington. Students planning to practice in other states will need to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure in that state, as state scope of practice and licensing requirements vary. This two-year graduate program emphasizes a whole-person approach to wellness and healing that is grounded in the biopsychosocial model of health psychology.
Expected Learning Outcomes
The educational objectives of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology are focused on the education and training of our graduates. We support our graduates in becoming:
- Learners who are keenly aware of and invested in themselves as instruments, and, as such, are able to create and follow robust plans of self-care utilizing mind-body-spirit techniques and components, as well as a curiosity and openness about the recognition that graduate school is a profound growth experience and involves ongoing development and care of the self.
- Skilled in the ethical and professional practice of mental health counseling, including a thorough understanding of one’s roles and responsibilities and the practice of ethical decision making.
- Competent in working across cultural differences, including the cultivation of the awareness, knowledge and skills necessary to work with those different from oneself across a wide range of social identities.
- Knowledgeable about human growth and development, including theories of both individuals and groups that support optimal development across the lifespan. Proponents of the knowledge that wellness and wholeness are about more than alleviation of pain and suffering and are deeply rooted in love, joy, self-actualization and a life truly worth living.
- Skilled in the practice of mental health counseling with both individuals and groups, including the development of the therapeutic relationship, assessment and clinical interventions, all informed by theory and research.
- Able to access and critically assess published research in counseling and psychology based on an understanding of statistics and research design.
- Qualified to pass national and state counseling exams.
Admissions
For general information on the admissions process, refer to the Admissions section in this catalog. Exceptional candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Qualified applicants will be invited to campus for an interview.
Prerequisites
Entering students must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate degree and an introduction to psychology course with a 3.0 or better in the last seven years.
Admission to Clinical Training
To enroll in the Clinic Shift series, students must have successfully completed all prerequisites based on the requirements outlined and must have met the criteria for professional and ethical behavior. Students are also required to pass a national criminal background check (see the Academic Policy and Procedure Manual for more information) and must show proof of completion of the clinic entry checklist prior to the first scheduled clinic shift.
Graduation Requirements
MACP students must complete a minimum of 82 credits and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. MACP students must complete their degree within five years following matriculation into the program. A graduation requirement of the MACP program is that students must complete 570 hours of supervised counseling (including hours in counseling classes at BCNH and its satellites and external practicum sites). In addition to the didactic and clinical experience, MACP students are required to complete 10 hours of individual counseling or therapy sessions during the first year of the program and before their first counseling shift at BCNH. Counseling may occur with a private counselor of the student’s choice or at the Bastyr Counseling Center. Counselors must be licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, or mental health counselors. Documentation of these hours is required.
Exit Exam
Successful completion of a clinical competency exit examination is a requirement for students in the second year of the MACP. This examination tests the minimal knowledge and skills required to perform mental health counseling with diverse clients. The examination does not cover the whole curriculum and cannot substitute for any part of regular course requirements. Students are eligible to schedule the exit exam if they are in good academic standing, have completed or are concurrently registered for all required (nonelective) courses by the end of the term in which they want to take the exam, and are making satisfactory progress in the practicum.
Expected Competencies
Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA in their graduate coursework. Bastyr graduates are qualified to provide exceptional counseling services to individuals and institutions and contribute positively to the mental health education of the community. Students are expected to stay on track with the counseling curriculum. Students who wish to go off track must have permission from the department chair.
The curriculum tables that follow list the tentative schedule of courses each quarter.
Year I
Fall
| PS5100 | Psychological Foundation: Personality | 4 |
| PS5101 | Psychological Foundations: Lifespan Development | 4 |
| PS5102 | Biopsychosocial Approaches and Complementary and Alternative Medicine | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Winter
| PS5104 | Professional Orientation, Ethics and Law Proseminar | 4 |
| PS5105 | Psych Foundations: Multiculturalism, Diversity and Social Justice | 4 |
| PS5302 | Counseling Theory and Practice | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Spring
| PS5206 | Psychological Foundations: Psychopathology | 4 |
| PS5106 | Statistics | 4 |
| PS5108 | Introduction to Health Psychology | 3 |
| PS5802 | Clinic Entry | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Summer
| PS6204 | Substance/Chemical Addictions | 4 |
| PS6312 | Counseling Chronic and Terminal Illness | 3 |
| PS6401 | Mind-Body Approaches for Health | 2 |
| PS6800 | Clinic Shift | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Year II
Fall
| PS6320 | Psychological Testing and Assessment | 4 |
| PS6325 | Counseling and Spirituality | 3 |
| PS6115 | Psychology of Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PS6801 | Internship 1 | 2 |
| PS6810 | Internship Seminar 1 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13 |
Winter
| PS6330 | Group Counseling | 4 |
| PS6102 | Research Methods and Program Evaluation | 4 |
| PS6802 | Internship 2 | 2 |
| PS6811 | Internship Seminar 2 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Spring
| PS6332 | Psychotherapy Methods and Behavioral Medicine | 4 |
| PS6112 | Family Systems | 4 |
| PS6803 | Internship 3 | 2 |
| PS6812 | Internship Seminar 3 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Total Requirements: Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP)
| Total Core Course Credits & Hours |
71 |
| Clinic/Intern Totals |
11 |
| Total Requirements |
82 |