Master of Arts in Counseling (M.A.) Program
Admission
Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Seminary given on pages 18-19, applicants to a counseling program (M.A., M.A./M.A.I.S. or M.A./M.Div.) must have earned an accredited baccalaureate degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), including a breadth of liberal arts. Applicants who do not meet these general academic requirements may petition the Admissions Committee for consideration.
Entering counseling students are expected to bring a foundational knowledge of psychology. Proficiency in this foundational knowledge will be confirmed through a placement exam, required of all incoming counseling students. If deficiencies are indicated, remedial work will be required. Counseling students may satisfy these deficiencies in one of the following two ways: Complete the appropriate undergraduate course(s) at an approved institution, or complete a computer-assisted instructional program provided through the library services of Western Seminary. The student may not begin the second semester of counseling studies without satisfying proficiency requirements.
Applications must give evidence of personal character, interpersonal relationships,
goals, motivation, and potential for future counseling ministry as fitting the program. These will include a vital spiritual life, growing and nurturing relationships with people, commitment to a biblical/theological orientation to the therapeutic process, and vocational aspirations involving
the care and nurture of people. As a part of the admission process all counseling applicants will undergo a background criminal check.
M.A.
in Counseling Track
The Master of Arts degree in Counseling is conferred upon the attainment of certain personal and academic requirements. In addition to the general seminary requirements outlined on pages 30-31, degree candidates must (1) give evidence of a genuine Christian character, orthodox belief, and conduct consistent with a God-given call to a position of leadership; (2) complete all courses in the prescribed M.A. curriculum with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall, and 3.0 in the major. During their final semesters in the program students are required to pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam, which is in preparation for National Certification and Oregon state licensure.
The M.A. in Counseling degree requires 70 hours of study.
The courses are drawn from counseling (48 hours), spiritual formation (4 hours), biblical studies (8 hours), and theological studies (10 hours).
- Spiritual
& personal formation studies: 4 hours
SFS 501 Learning to Love God and Others (2)
SFS 512 Practicing Prayer and Other Key Disciplines (1)
SFS 514 Growing into Ethical Maturity (1) -
Biblical interpretation studies: 8 hours
DBS 516 Survey of Learning to Interpret Scripture (2)
BLS 511 Survey ofGenesis to Song of Solomon (2)
BLS 512 Survey of Prophets to Gospels (2)
BLS 513 Survey of Acts to Revelation (2) - Theological
studies: 10 hours
THS 501 Knowing the Triune God: Theology I (4)
THS 502 Glorifying the God of our Salvation: Theology II (4)
THS 503 Living as the Community of the Spirit: Theology III (2) - Counseling
studies: 48 hours
CNS 500 Discovering and Developing Ministry Potential (2)
CNS 501 Clinical Foundations: Basic Counseling Skills/Interventions (2)
CNS 503 Family Systems Therapy (3)
CNS 504 Psychotherapeutic Systems (2)
CNS 505 Psychopathology (3)
CNS 506 Legal and Ethical Issues (3)
CNS 507 Human Life Span Development (3)
CNS 508 Introduction to Integrative Issues (2)
CNS 512 Group Counseling (3)
CNS 513 Social and Cultural Foundations (2)
CNS 518 Career and Lifestyle Development (3)
CNS 524 Research Evaluation (2)
CNS 525 Tests and Measurements (3)
CNS 530 Internship Case Conference I (2)
CNS 531 Internship Case Conference II (2)
CNS 532 Internship Case Conference III (2)
CNS 533 Internship Case Conference IV (2)
CNS 534 Internship Case Conference V (2)
CNS 5XX Counseling electives (Consult with department advisor) (5) - Total: 70 hours
Child
and Youth Counseling Specialization
Each year the Counseling Department admits a limited number of counseling
students to a specialized Child and Youth Counseling track within the MAC program. In addition to the MAC core counseling courses (43 hours listed above) Child and Youth Counseling students complete a minimum of nine credit hours in courses dealing with children and adolescent issues. These courses include:
CNS 542 Child Assessment and Treatment (1)
CNS 546 Counseling Adolescents (1)
CNS 561R Parent Skill Training (1)
CNS 562J Healing Children Through Non-Directive Play (2)
CNS 563K Advanced Play Therapy (2)
CNS 53x Child Therapy Case Conference (2)Total: minimum 72 hours
This specialized track has been made possible in part through a grant from the Collins Foundation. In addition to these courses the students will be utilizing a state of the art training center on campus, including video and audio taping capabilities, one-way viewing rooms, live supervision of counseling sessions, and specialized reference materials. Upon completion of the specialization, students will receive a Child and Youth Counseling Certificate.
Students interested in this specialization, and also interested in At-Risk Children and Youth, are encouraged to audit one or more of the At-Risk Children and Youth courses listed on pages 107-108.
