ACADEMICS: MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING
Master of Arts in Counseling Degree
Purpose: Although state laws may differ, the M.A. in Counseling degree is designed to meet professional and academic requirements for licensure in Tennessee as a marriage and family therapist and professional counselor. This program is designed primarily for students whose life’s work may be best served by course work developing clinical skills in counseling from a Christian context.
Emphasis: This professional degree emphasizes clinical-skill development for effective counseling ministry in both church and community settings.
Time Frame: The degree consists of 66 semester hours of graduate study. Students normally complete this degree in seven semesters.
Residency: At least 24 hours must be taken on the Graduate School of Religion campus.
Admission
Undergraduate GPA: A student whose under-graduate grade point average is between 2.70 and 3.00 may be admitted on probation to the M.A. in Counseling program. Probation will be removed upon successfully completing 18 semester hours of graduate courses with a grade point average of 3.00.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Twelve semester hours of undergraduate Bible or related courses are required as prerequisites for the M.A. in counseling degree. Students in this program who have not fulfilled these prerequisites may satisfy them by taking Bible courses for undergraduate credit. Students also have the option of taking 5000 and 5200 on the graduate level to fulfill this requirement.
Interview: Applicants must schedule an evaluation interview with counseling department faculty.
Essay: Applicants must submit an entrance essay regarding their career goals and pursuit of counseling education.
Scholarship Assistance: Scholarships are available for students enrolled in the M.A. in Counseling program.
Transfer Credit: Up to 30 semester hours of graduate credit from another degree program from an acceptable institution with equivalent course work may be applied toward course-work requirements, subject to approval of the counseling department.
PROGRAM: 66 HOURS
- CORE: (60 hours)
5290 Counseling Issues in Biblical Texts (3)
5550 Ethics and Character Development (3)
5730 Counseling Skills (3)
5732 Foundations of Counseling (3)
5740 Theories of Personality and Counseling (3)
5741 Psychopathology and Family Dysfunction (3)
5742 Treatment Planning and Clinical Interventions (3)
5751 Theories of Marital and Family Therapy (3)
5752 Marital Therapy (3)
5753 Family Therapy (3)
5754 Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy (3)
5755 Addiction and Violence in Families (3)
5757 Families in Context (3)
5760 Family Development and Parenting (3)
5770 Research in Counseling (3)
5771 Counseling Ethics and Professional Issues (3)
5772 Testing and Assessment (3)
5773 Career Counseling (3)
5774 Multicultural Counseling (3)
5780 Group Counseling (3) - Internship/Practicum: (6 hours)
- 5790 Practicum in Counseling
- 5791 Internship in Counseling
- 5793 Internship in Counseling (Additional requirement for some states)
NOTE: Foundations of Counseling (5732) and Research in Counseling (5770) must be taken within the first calendar year and passed with a grade of C or better. If a lower grade is earned, the class must be retaken the next available semester until an acceptable grade is received.
NOTE: Students may substitute 5230 for 5290. Students who have taken Greek Readings (5320) may substitute 5321 for 5290.
Additional Requirements
Level of Scholarship: A grade point average of 3.00 is required for the M.A. in counseling. Only nine hours of C are permitted for the M.A. in counseling degree, and these must be balanced by an equal number of hours of A credit.
Personal Development: All students are encouraged to pursue their own personal development and self-awareness by obtaining counseling as they academically prepare themselves in this degree program. Periodic assessments of students will be conducted, and students may be required to pursue personal counseling in order to remain in the program.
Assessment: A formal midprogram assessment will be conducted when a student reaches 33 hours of course-work credit. A counseling faculty interview with the student will be conducted. The student will be responsible for any testing fees that might be involved.
Degree Candidacy: The student should apply for candidacy to the degree during the first week of November of the academic year in which he/she hopes to graduate by filling out a Request for Degree form and returning it to the dean’s office. The student is responsible for notifying the registrar if, after applying, he or she is unable to complete graduation requirements.
Statute of Limitation: All degree requirements must be completed within a 10-year period from time of entry into the program. Students who have the M.Div. may transfer up to 30 hours of equivalent course work to the M.A. in counseling degree; students with our M.A. or M.A.C.M. may transfer up to 27 hours into this program. Such transfer students have 10 years to complete the degree from the point they enter the M.A. in Counseling program. If one goes beyond the time limit, one may obtain a time extension of one year for each additional three-hour course successfully completed in one’s area of concentration with the approval of his/her adviser.
Probation: After the completion of 12 semester hours and thereafter, students with grades below a 3.00 average will be placed on academic probation. To remove probation, a student must achieve a 3.00 overall average during the next 18 hours of study.
