Degree Plans and Course Descriptions
Degree Plans
Click here for a PDF file of the 48 hour Counseling and Guidance Degree Plan.
Click here for a PDF file of the 60 hour Counseling and Guidance Degree Plan.
Course Descriptions
The Counseling Program offers courses leading to certification as a school counselor and/or a master's degree in counseling. Students who complete the required 12 hours beyond the master's degree are eligible to pursue licensure as a professional counselor (LPC).
5310. Professional Development and Ethics. 3(3-0)
This course is an introduction to the principles, practices, and philosophy of the field of Counseling and Guidance as well as an exploration of the various work settings where counselors are found. It provides an overview of the counseling field and explores historical development as well as professional orientation of counselors and their ethics and responsibilities.
5311. Theories of Counseling. 3(3-0)
This course provides an in-depth review of selected theories of counseling and their implications on selected personality and developmental theories. Various theorists have developed theories to explain and to account for human development and human behavior and this course will provide a historical overview of those theories, their associated techniques, and their applications in counseling settings.
5312. Counseling Techniques. 3(3-0)
This course is designed to combine the study of theory and philosophy of individual counseling with techniques and practices in the field. This is a "hands on" course where the student is taught through practice and observation, the dynamics of providing individual counseling services. Both classroom and laboratory experiences are offered in this course.
5315. Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling. 3(3-0)
This course is an advanced exploration of professional ethics in the counseling profession. Students will analyze the professional and ethical issues that most affect the practice of counseling and related professions. A number of viewpoints will be presented to stimulate discussion, exploration and reflection.
5321. Abnormal Human Behavior. 3(3-0)
This course is an in-depth look at the varieties of psychopathology, its etiology, classification, and treatment. A look at the history and treatment of mental illness over the years with special attention to the various classification schemes and systems as they have evolved. The emphasis of this course will be to give the student skills to recognize the nature of the abnormal behavior and to determine what services, if any, the counselor might be able to provide. Proper referral services, methods, and procedures will be explored.
5322. Substance Abuse Counseling. 3(3-0)
This course explores the nature of chemical dependency/addiction including alcohol and other legal and illegal substances. Attention will be given to related phenomena that produce and/or result in obsessive and compulsive behaviors as well as implications for education, prevention, treatment, and recovery.
5323. Group Counseling Techniques. 3(3-0)
This course offers an introduction and overview to the practice of group guidance and group counseling. Specific emphasis is on the major factors influencing the group process, stages of group development, plans for designing a group and getting a group underway. Part of class time is spent in experiential learning where class members have the opportunity to participate in a group and to demonstrate group procedures. Attention will be given to the history and other aspects of group development, groups throughout the lifespan, and leading groups from various theoretical perspectives
5324. Assessment. 3(3-0)
This course is a core course and meets state and professional licensing requirements. It is designed to increase counseling students’ knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Attention will be given to the relationship among the principles, procedures, ethics, cultural diversities, evaluations, and interpretations associated with assessments. Students will receive training in the use of both testing and non-testing approaches to assessment and appraisal.
5329. Educational Research. 3(3-0)
This course provides the student with an overview of research methodology. Students will demonstrate ability to describe the research project, collect data, and select an assessment. Students will be expected to complete the IRB approval process and select as assessment with high Validity/Reliability ratings for the research in the field of counseling. This course is a prerequisite for EDCG 5305.
EDCG 5339: Human Growth and Development 3(3-0)
This course is designed to introduce counseling students to human development across the lifespan. It begins with prenatal development, infancy and toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, late adulthood, and ends with the process of death, dying and bereavement. Each stage is examined from a physical and cognitive perspective, as well as an emotional and social perspective. The course looks at the study of human development from both a biological, as well as an environmental prospective.
5341. Guidance: Advanced Topics. 3(3-0)
This is a specialized course focusing on problems of educational and vocational guidance including selection, orientation, personnel, training programs, placement and re-education. Prerequisite: 6 semester hours of advanced education/counseling courses. May be repeated when the topic changes.
5341 Syllabus
EDCG 5345: Diagnosis in Counseling 3(3-0)
This is a required course meeting the Texas state LPC licensing requirements. This course is designed to serve students in gaining knowledge and strategies in diagnosis, case conceptualization, and treatment planning.
5347. Counseling the Culturally Different. 3(3-0)
This course explores cross-cultural and pluralistic counseling, the dynamics of minority ethnic group lifestyles, and the uniqueness of multiethnic education.
EDCG 5350: Marriage and Family Counseling 3(3-0)
This course will introduce students to the study of marriage, couple, and family counseling. Students will gain knowledge and skills in personal and family development, family system dynamics, interpersonal relationships, and social roles and boundaries within marriage, couple, and family counseling. The course will include a variety of theories and techniques for marriage, couple, and family therapy with particular importance on multicultural sensitivity, as well as legal and ethical issues in the practice of marriage, couple, and family counseling.
5354. Principles and Practices in Guidance and Counseling. 3(3-0)
This course provides philosophical, sociological and psychological principles and concepts related to guidance and counseling and the helping professions.
5355. Materials and Techniques for Career, Vocational and Occupational Education. 3(3-0)
This course is a core course that meets state and professional licensing degree requirements for LPCs. It focuses on theories and techniques of developing, classifying, analyzing and disseminating vocational and career information. This graduate course prepares students to demonstrate professional knowledge and skills necessary to help individuals develop life-career plans with a focus on the interaction of work and life roles. The curriculum meets the CACREP standards and introduces students to theories and methods of career counseling. It also introduces and familiarizes students with career assessment instruments and provides opportunities for discussions of current issues in the field of career counseling.
5357. Field Practicum for Counselors. 3(3-0)
This course provides supervised practice in the application of counseling strategies and techniques in environmental settings appropriate to the professional interests of the counselor trainee. May be repeated subsequent semester to a total of 9 semester hours. Prerequisite: 12 semester hours of graduate work in counseling.
5358. School Counseling and Guidance and Techniques. 3(3-0)
This course is designed to give special attention to the particular personal, social and academic counseling needs of elementary age children.
5360. Community/Rural Mental Health Counseling. 3(3-0)
This is a specialized online course designed to address the unique needs of counseling rural communities and populations. Attention will be given to the uniqueness of rural counseling and communities, ethical considerations, working with existing educational and community entities, multicultural issues and challenges, and the various roles of the rural community counselor.
5362. Professional Counseling Leadership & Advocacy in Rural. 3(3-0)
This is a specialized online course designed to address the challenges of Counseling Leadership and Advocacy within a rural community context. Attention will be given to the changing role of the professional counselor (particularly within the rural settings). Key considerations of multicultural issues, ethical and legal practices, the uniqueness of rural clientele, and contemporary issues for Counseling Leadership and Advocacy will be covered in this course.
5364. Crisis Counseling. 3(3-0)
This course will present crisis counseling approaches and effective techniques. Students will gain knowledge and skills on assessing crisis situations, facilitating crisis interventions, and providing coping strategies to stabilize clients. Critical issues related to disasters, family violence, and trauma will be explored and discussed to enhance students’ knowledge in dealing with crisis intervention.
5366. Internship I - Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 3(3-0)
This is the first of two courses designed to provide an internship experience to meet certification and licensing requirements. This internship must provide opportunities for direct counseling experiences. Supervision is provided to assist the student in managing cases, improving counseling skills, and dealing with professional issues.
5368. Internship II - Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 3(3-0)
This is the second of two courses designed to provide an internship experience to meet certification and licensing requirements. This internship must provide opportunities for direct counseling experiences. Supervision is provided to assist the student in managing cases, improving counseling skills, and dealing with professional issues.