MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

Gabriel Ybarra, Ph.D., MACP Coordinator

The master of arts in counseling psychology (MACP) program is designed to prepare students to practice in the emerging professional roles of a master's level practitioner. The program emphasizes the development of counselor-client communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, and stresses the importance of supporting those skills with didactic and experiential training.

Within the MACP program the following objectives are proposed:

1. To strengthen scientific competency in research design, analysis, and evaluation in psychological counseling;
2. To increase knowledge and understanding of methods of evaluating individual psychological functions, such as intelligence and personality, with emphasis on their applications, validity, and limitations as applied in professional settings;
3. To develop communication skills that would enable the counselor to help the client(s) function more effectively;
4. To provide the counselor with the skills to meet the psychologically related educational and preventive needs of the client and the community.

Program:

The MACP internship consists of 60 credit hours of study in psychology. Included in the program are a practicum requirement and a thesis option. Upon completion of the MACP program, the academic requirements for a mental health counselor license will have been met.

 Download the MACP Student Handbook

Admission:

In addition to the basic university requirements for graduate admission, the following special requirements are necessary for admission consideration to the MACP program:

1. Scores on the GRE (verbal and quantitative sections);
2. A personal essay in which you:
   • Describe your motivations for wanting to become a professional in counseling psychology.
   • Briefly note the particular life events and experiences that play a role in your ambition to become professional in counseling psychology.
   • Describe your short-term and long-term professional goals.
   • Name a particular text or author in the psychological/mental health field that has influenced you the most and describe why.
3. A professional resume in which you include any work and/or volunteer experiences related to psychology, research activities, and any psychology related publications/presentations/posters at professional conferences.
4. Two letters of reference from professionals/academics which recommend the suitability of the applicant for graduate study and the profession of counseling psychology.
5. One of the following:
   • At least 9 semester hours in psychology from an approved institution, including the following courses: research methods or experimental psychology, personality theories or abnormal psychology, and an(upper-level) elective.
     (Note : Acceptable equivalents will be considered if requested in writing by the applicant; the course requirements may be satisfied by completing the course work at an approved college-level institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better or by earning a satisfactory score on the appropriate College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test or on the appropriate advanced placement program test).
   • A score at the 50th percentile or higher on the Psychology Test of the GRE.
6. The student may be required to have a personal interview prior to final admission.

For admission consideration, each student's complete application including receipt of all transcripts, GRE scores, autobiographical statement and letters of recommendation should be available to the coordinator of graduate studies before March 1.
For more information on the master of arts in counseling psychology program, call or write the psychology department. To request an information packet, click here to send an e-mail to the Graduate Studies Office. (Include your name and address, and indicate your interest in the MACP program).

Program of Study:

Major Required Courses

• PCO 6317C Individual Evaluation and Assessment (4 hours)
• PSY 6216 Research and Program Evaluation (3 hours)
• CLP 6166 Psychopathology (3 hours)
• PCO 6406C Counseling Theories and Practice (3 hours)
• PCO 6407C Group Theories (4 hours)
• PCO 6408C Fundamentals of Mental Health Counseling (3 hours)
• CLP 6459 Principles of Sex Therapy (3 hours)
• DEP 6055 Advanced Human Development (3 hours)
• PCO 6944A Practicum A (2 hours)
• PCO 6944 Internship (8 hours)
• PCO 6051 Counseling in Community Settings (3 hours)
• PCO 6869 Legal and Ethical Issues (3 hours)
• PCO 6311 Psychology of Substance Abuse/Addictions (3 hours)
• PCO 6939 Cognitive/Behavior Therapy (3 hours)
• PCO 6939 Marriage/Family Counseling (3 hours)
• PCO 6271 Social and Cultural Foundations(3 hours)
• PCO 6531 Career/Lifestyle Assessment (3 hours)

Total 57 hours

Elective Courses (One required)

• PPE 6466 Advanced Personality Theories (3 hours)
• SOP 6069 Advanced Social Psychology (3 hours)
• PSY 6910 Supervised Research (3 hours)
• CLP 6441C Individual Intelligence Testing (3 hours)
• CLP 6445C Individual Personality Testing (3 hours)
• PCO 6944B Practicum (3 hours)
• PCO 6931 Special Topics (1-3 hours)
  or
• PSY 6971A Thesis A (3 hours)
• PSY 6971B Thesis B (3 hours)

Total 3 or 4 or 6 hours

TOTAL PROGRAM: 60 or 61 or 63 hours

Residence Requirements:

A maximum of 6 hours from another graduate program will be accepted toward the student's course of study. All credit applicable to the degree taken at the university is considered resident study. Any student having once been admitted to the program and then wishing to take credit elsewhere to be applied to the degree program at UNF must have prior written approval.