Counseling

The Counselor Education Department offers a Master of Science in Counseling degree with three program areas within the field of counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; and School Counseling. These programs prepare students with the professional competencies necessary for entry-level direct services work in the field of counseling and provide a base for doctoral-level study. Students may also earn an emphasis area. Postgraduate students may enroll in the Play Therapy Preparation for Certification Program. Postgraduates may also enroll in Emphasis classes through the Center of Professional Development at the discretion of the instructor.

The distinctions between the three program areas in counseling are generally related to the work setting, the theory used in the setting, and the population served by the setting.  Marriage, Couple, and Family and Clinical Mental Health majors counsel individuals, couples, and families in a wide variety of settings, including government agencies, non-profits, and private practice. The specific distinctions between majors are described below:

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling majors are preparing to provide counseling services in a wide variety of settings including private practice and agency work. Their classes and internships provide education and experience utilizing a variety of theoretical approaches. Students are encouraged to enrich their skills through additional elective courses such as Play Therapy, Logotherapy, Addictions, Acceptance and Mindfulness Therapies, Trauma, Grief and Crisis Counseling, and Primary Care Behavioral Health.  
• Marriage, Couple, and Family students, by definition, have agreed to work primarily from a systems theory perspective. This perspective is taught in the specialty courses for Marriage, Couple, and Family and encompasses understanding individual issues within a family context. Most Marriage, Couple, and Family majors elect to work in private practice settings upon graduation. 
• School Counseling majors are prepared to work in K-12 public and private educational settings. (Higher education counseling is subsumed under the Clinical Mental Health Counseling major.) Students may elect to focus on one area, such as elementary, middle, or high school counseling. School Counseling majors are encouraged to take electives such as Play Therapy to further their skills in counseling children and adolescents. While school counselors typically work in schools, they may also work in agencies or in private practice. School Counseling majors are eligible to apply for both their school counseling credential through the Idaho Department of Education (IDOE) as well as their Licensed Professional Counselor license through Idaho Division Occupational and Professional Licenses (IDOPL).

Program Objectives 

• The Counselor Education Department seeks to educate academically prepared counselors.
• The Counselor Education Department aims to produce counselors who establish and maintain a strong connection to the profession.
• The Counselor Education Department aims to prepare skilled and relationally competent practitioners.
• The Counselor Education Department intends to produce multiculturally competent and socially minded practitioners.
• The Counselor Education Department aspires to prepare dispositionally appropriate counselors who are a good fit for the profession.

Student Learning Outcomes 

• Students will demonstrate the capacity to develop individual and group counseling relationships, collegial and supervisory relationships, peer relationships, and strong social skills for working within systems and within the broader community.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to comprehend, evaluate, and synthesize literature and research, as well as develop the capacity to conduct original research and utilize existing research in guiding clinical decision-making.
• Students will intentionally build an identity as a professional counselor through engagement in appropriate professional activities such as licensure, professional organization membership, attention to a larger professional identity, leadership roles, and mentoring.
• Students will be agents of social justice. With cultural humility, students will, compassionately and without judgment, show caring for people of all customs and cultures, and identify with and advocate for those in need locally and globally.

Description of Majors

The graduate program in counseling is designed upon the foundation of the Critical Social Conceptual Framework. This framework recognizes that counselors must exert their influence beyond the narrow confines of their settings in order to meet the broader needs of clients in a diverse society. Counselors must work with many distinct constituencies, such as mental health agencies, school personnel, parents, social workers, police officers, and community leaders to provide the best possible delivery of services.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Major

The Master in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program provides theory, skill-building, and supervised field experience to work as a professional counselor in a variety of clinical settings. The development of the research knowledge, theory, and skills necessary to provide ethical and professional counseling services to community members is enhanced by a rich selection of elective specialty courses that build upon the basic counseling skills, utilizing more advanced interventions. Clinical Mental Health Counseling students are also introduced to the intricacies of the funding of mental health agencies, inter-agency consultation, and the problems faced by those who need mental health assistance but have a limited ability to pay for the services. The development of sensitivity, compassion, and skills in dealing with diverse populations is expected of CMHC students, as well as the integration of relevant technology.

Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling (MCFC) Major

The main emphasis of the program is to provide theory, skill building, and field preparation for counseling children, couples, and families. While family and play therapy techniques are taught in the program, the heart of the program is a solid understanding of systems theory and research. Students learn to understand the individual child or adult as a part of a family system and they utilize this knowledge to assist couples, children, and families to develop healthy functioning. The focus of the instruction is the development of the person-of-the-counselor, and the development of research knowledge, theory, and skills pertaining to marriage and family counseling. 

School Counseling (SC) Major

The School Counseling program leads to the possibility of a State of Idaho Pupil Personnel Services Certificate with endorsement as a Standard School Counselor K-12. This counseling program area is designed to prepare the individual to plan and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program founded on a broad base of knowledge and practical skills and based upon the ASCA National Standards. Applicants need not be certified K-12 teachers. The development of the person-of-the-counselor as well as the acquisition of theory and skills necessary to succeed in a school environment are central to the program.  

Emphasis Area Descriptions

Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling students are required to enroll in an emphasis area or complete six credit hours of electives. Elective courses may be taken from multiple emphasis areas. Students may apply to more than one emphasis area, but the exit requirements must be fulfilled for each emphasis area, including demonstration of competencies (See the Counseling Student Handbook for more detail). Marriage, Couple, and Family students are welcome to complete an emphasis area, but it requires an additional six credits beyond graduation requirements.

The emphasis areas may include: 

• Acceptance and Mindfulness Informed Therapies
  This emphasis area prepares students to use acceptance and mindfulness approaches in clinical practice. The therapies explored in this emphasis area include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and other third-wave behavioral treatments. Due to its strong research backing, ACT will be the primary therapy taught in this emphasis. The three developmental aims of this emphasis area are to develop the person-of-the-counselor through embodied mindful practice, develop the knowledge of the counselor through the depth of theoretical understanding, and develop the skills of the counselor through clinical application. Upon completion of this emphasis area, a student will be prepared to address the broad spectrum of clinical presentations across the lifespan using these contextual, process, and behaviorally-based approaches to counseling. 
• Addictions Counseling
  Students pursuing an emphasis in Addictions Counseling are working toward the development of a greater depth of understanding in assessment and interventions related to addictions, particularly useful for comorbidity. Since comorbidity with drugs and alcohol is common in clinical settings, this is a very practical emphasis area. The coursework is aligned in such a way as to provide partial fulfillment of the educational criteria leading to eligibility for the Advanced Certified Alcohol/Drug Counselor (ACADC) credential in the State of Idaho. The Practicum/Internship requirement for the ACADC is 2000 hours; 1000 of these hours could be completed during the NNU Counselor Education Program.
• Logotherapy
  This emphasis area prepares students to use Viktor E. Frankl's Logotherapy in clinical practice. The required courses are designed to increase knowledge and skill in addressing spiritual and existential concerns of meaning in life, freedom and responsibility, uniqueness of the human condition, and death.  Upon completion of the curriculum in this emphasis area, students are eligible to apply for the Academic Associate credential from the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy.
• Play Therapy 
  In order to satisfy its mission to promote the value of play, play therapy, and credentialed play therapists, the Association of Play Therapy (APT) wishes to increase the availability of play therapy instruction at colleges and universities. This emphasis area provides part of the coursework needed to become a credentialed Play Therapist. Coursework includes essential elements and principles of play therapy, including history, theories, modalities, techniques, applications, and skills. Experiential components focus on basic play therapy skill development within the context of ethical and diversity-sensitive practice.
• Primary Care Behavioral Health
  Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) is an evidence-based model of Integrated Behavioral Health in primary care settings. PCBH aims to improve provider satisfaction, improve patient experience, reduce cost of care, and improve the health of the population. The model has been shown to be particularly useful in rural healthcare settings. The PCBH emphasis will prepare clinicians to work in the primary care setting as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHC). BHCs must be prepared to work with the youngest of children through the oldest adults and address the whole scope of behavioral health concerns which includes substance abuse, mental health, and lifestyle issues. BHCs do this work in the Primary Care setting using brief interventions as a part of the healthcare team. Through coursework and clinical experience, students will become competent in the following skills: brief intervention, pathway services, documentation, consultation, team performance, practice management, and administrative skills and knowledge. 
• Trauma, Grief, and Crisis
  The Trauma, Grief, and Crisis specialization prepares students with more clinical depth in the capacity to counsel individuals through trauma, complicated bereavement, and crisis. Students will study transpersonal and psychodynamic interventions specifically focused on the treatment of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, developmental wounds, and attachment disorders. This emphasis includes a strong focus on the theory and application of IFS (Internal Family Systems) Therapy, a powerful, evidence-based trauma-focused intervention.

The Preparation for Play Therapy Certification Program

The Preparation for Play Therapy Certification Program is designed for practicing professionals who would like the opportunity to become RPTs (Registered Play Therapists), which requires specialized course content as well as supervised practicum and internship in play therapy training.  This preparation program in play therapy offers 15 credit hours of play therapy education, training, and clinical supervision experiences. This program is appropriate for master students and for practicing professionals working with children in various fields, such as rehabilitation counselors, addictions counselors, school-certified counselors, licensed professional counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed psychologists. The program prepares the student for the application process for certification by the Association for Play Therapy. In addition, once RPT requirements have been completed, with additional coursework and supervised clinical hours, these clinicians could apply to become Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors (RPT-S), the highest level of certification in the field. 

Requirements: 

Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor Preparation Program (RPT-S) 

The Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor Preparation Program is a one credit hour post-graduate preparation course in play therapy supervision beyond the required coursework to become a Registered Play Therapist. Additional clinical hours and play therapy specific supervision must also be completed before applying for certification to the Association for Play Therapy. This certification preparation course meets the required seat work and leads to the ability to apply for the Association for Play Therapy credential, RPT-S. Admission into the RPT or RPT-S certification program requires an application process.

Utilization of Play Therapy Emphasis Courses

NNU students currently enrolled in the master's program Play Therapy Emphasis area are allowed to utilize six credits of play-specific emphasis area courses toward the post-master's certification preparation program.

Counselor Education Department Conceptual Model

The Counselor Education required curricular and non-curricular experiences are designed to reflect CACREP and NCATE standards, and the conceptual model for the program. The conceptual model has five themes which are translated into student learning outcomes (SLOs), and measured in a broad variety of ways. To graduate from the Counselor Education Program students must show proficiency in each of these areas. The four themes defined below, the Outcomes and the measurement of the outcomes are explained to students in new student orientation. Please see Student Handbook for more information.

• Relational Knowing (relates to the University Value of Community)
  Relational knowing is defined as the capacity of the student to develop individual and group counseling relationships, collegial and supervisory relationships, peer relationships, and strong social skills for working within systems and within the broader community.
• Critical Analysis (relates to the University Value of Truth)
  Critical analysis is defined as the capacity to comprehend, evaluate, and synthesize literature and research, as well as the development of the capacity to conduct original research and to utilize existing research in guiding clinical decision-making.
• Professional Identity and Engagement (relates to the University Value of Transformation)
  Professional identity and engagement refer to the intentional building of an identity as a professional counselor, including engagement in appropriate professional activities and making contributions to the field of counseling.
• Social Responsiveness (relates to the University Value of Service)
  NNU Counselor Education students will be agents of social justice. Compassionately and without judgment, they will show caring for people of all customs and cultures, and identify with and advocate for those in need locally and globally. Social responsiveness is defined as cultural self-awareness, diverse social awareness and intentional advocacy within appropriate social contexts.
• Dispositions
  Disposition refers to the fit between the individual and the graduate program (including the capacity for critical thinking), and between the individual and the profession of counseling, encompassing the student's personification of the characteristics of professional helpers as well as the broader characteristics associated with spiritually grounded, mature, emotionally healthy adults.

Admission Requirements

1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the baccalaureate program. [Note: The GRE is required for applicants with a cumulative GPA below 3.0. Applicants above a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA may submit GRE scores to supplement their application files, but the GRE is not required.]
3. An appropriate fit between the applicant and the program, as determined by references, transcripts, a program interview, a resume, a biographical background, writing samples, and observation of applicants in group and mock counseling experiences. 
4. Strong evidence of a fit between the applicant and the non-academic dispositions determined by program faculty to be important for success in the program and in the field of counseling.
5. Upon acceptance into the Counselor Education Master's Program, students are required to undergo fingerprinting and a background check. This process will be at the expense of the student and must take place before officially starting the program. Any non-disclosure or falsification of information on application documents may be cause for removal from the program.

Note: If English is not the student's native language, proficiency must be demonstrated through earning an appropriate score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum scores accepted: 550 (paper score); 213 (electronic score); 85 (internet-based test IBT) with writing and speaking no less than a score of 22, and no score under 20.

Application Process

The applicant will submit the following to the Graduate Admissions Office:

1. Completed application form.
2. A $50 nonrefundable application fee.
3. Official sealed transcripts from the institution where the student received a baccalaureate degree, plus any official transcripts that show graduate work.
4. Two professional references (use reference forms in the Counseling program Application Packet). The references should be from faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic ability or professional supervisors or colleagues. No personal references, please.
5. A two-page written paper covering the applicant's personal and professional biographical background.  
6. A two-page written paper with the applicant's definition of counseling and what the applicant believes he or she offers as a professional to this field in terms of personal qualities and professional experiences.
7. A current resume.

After the file is complete, eligible applicants are invited to interview for the program. The interview is designed to assist the faculty in determining the fit between the student and the program/profession. Based upon available research and literature in counseling, the program seeks to admit students who best reflect key dispositions and characteristics of effective counselors in the field.

NNU Courses Prior to Admission

Counseling applicants may complete a maximum of six credit hours at NNU prior to admission into the counseling program. Applicants will not be allowed to register in courses beyond six credit hours unless they have been officially admitted into the Counselor Education program. Students who choose to take courses prior to being admitted will not be guaranteed, either directly or implied, admission to the program. Courses available prior to admission into the program are the following:

• COUN6511 The Profession of Counseling (2)
• COUN6512 Ethical and Legal Issues (3)
• COUN6515 Multicultural Counseling and Societal Issues (3)

Enrollment Status

Continuous Enrollment - Those students who have completed all coursework but have not completed non-academic requirements must be continuously enrolled in a minimum of one credit hour of the student's choice. Similarly, those students who have completed all requirements except Internship field hours must enroll in an additional credit in Internship until the required hours have been completed.

Active Status - A student who has been admitted to the Counselor Education program and enrolled in at least one course in three consecutive semesters is considered to be on active status. Full time status for Counseling students is nine credit hours. Six credit hours is the definition of full-time status for Financial Aid; however, students who take three credit hours are eligible to apply for loans.

Inactive Status - Admitted students who have not taken a graduate course for academic credit for three consecutive semesters will be moved to inactive status. Individuals on inactive status must reapply to the program. Department faculty may ask the individual to reapply and meet all of the admission requirements. This policy does not apply to students who are not enrolled due to disciplinary reasons.

Academic Standing

Academic Appeals
Please refer to the university's policy on academic appeals stated earlier in this catalog. 

Academic Standing and Academic Probation Policy
Counseling students must maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average to remain active in the graduate program. In addition, students must earn a grade of B or higher in Pre-Practicum, Practicum in Counseling, Internship, and their specialty area courses in order to graduate from the program. A student must receive no grades of C- or lower. (Students must retake a course in order to raise their grades.) Grades of C- or lower do not count toward a graduate degree in counseling. Though a student must maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average to graduate from the program, all student learning outcomes (SLOs) must be met at the level of proficiency as well. A 3.0 GPA and completion of all requirements is inadequate for graduation unless all SLOs have been achieved.

Students who earn lower than a B- (2.70) in two courses will be placed on academic probation. Any student who is on probation will work closely with his or her adviser to create a plan for removing the probationary status. This plan prioritizes addressing and correcting the grade or situation for which the student was put on probationary status. Students whose semester GPA is below 3.0 for two semesters may be subject to dismissal from the graduate counseling program. Students who fail any course will be allowed to repeat that course one time. Students who do not pass the course on the second attempt may be academically dismissed from the program.  Appeal of this action may be made through the formal appeal process described in this document.

Student Progress and Retention Reviews and Dismissal Policy
There are retention screens, assessments, and progress reviews throughout the program designed to assess the student's progress in meeting a level of proficiency on each of the student learning outcomes (SLOs). The assessment of SLOs is designed to assist the student in his or her growth and development and to provide faculty with systematic opportunities to consider the fit between the student and the program/profession.

In keeping with CACREP accreditation standards, Counselor Education department faculty engage in a systematic and ongoing developmental review of student progress through the program, beginning with admissions and ending with graduation. The three areas of student progress which are considered include academic performance, professional development, and personal development. Reviews are based on the department's student learning objectives. Some student learning objectives relate to the dispositions of students, which include personal growth and professional behavior. There are particular points in the program where all students are reviewed; however, any student demonstrating challenges in academic, professional or personal development may be subject to review at any point in the program. Professional or personal development includes, but is not limited to, such areas as lack of professional progress, impairment, burnout, or unprofessional behavior. Dispositions are reflected in the student learning outcomes for the Counselor Education Program. Because of the nature of the field of counseling, students may be subject to faculty interventions for non-academic reasons, even if their academic work is excellent. Examples of faculty/departmental action in these situations include but are not limited to:

1. Facilitating the transition of the student out of the field of counseling into a field more appropriate for his or her gifts.
2. Suspension from the program.
3. Dismissal from the program.
4. Delayed entry into clinical courses.
5. Student-designed contracts.
6. Students who are unable to secure a satisfactory field site placement for reasons relating to their inappropriateness or their lack of readiness for placement may be subject to discontinuance from the program.
7. Graduate counseling students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior that reflects a commitment to the ethics of the counseling profession (see ACA Code of Ethics). Behavior contrary to these ethics will be cause for review of the student's status in the program. Examples of unprofessional conduct that would warrant such a review include oral and written statements that are derogatory toward students, faculty, and other persons involved in a student's education. Any form of discrimination or disrespect shown to persons on the basis of age, class, color, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation is contrary to the purposes and values of counseling and will result in a review of the student's status.
8. In instances where there is concern that the student's past or present functioning might interfere with professional counseling responsibilities, the student may be requested to seek professional counseling. Depending on the severity of the issues, the student may be subject to discontinuance from the Master of Science in Counseling program.
9. Lack of proficiency in any of the SLOs may constitute action from the faculty, which may lead to program dismissal, delayed graduation, or other action, despite acceptable grades.

Plan of Study

Within 12 credit hours after admission, students are advised to meet with their academic advisor to review the Plan of Study.

Transfer of Credit

A maximum of 12 semester credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another CACREP accredited institution, upon review. Transferring credits from an institution that is not CACREP accredited will be reviewed on an individual basis. All transfer credits must have received at least a "B" letter grade and be approved by the program chair. Credits must have been earned within five years preceding the date of admission.

Requirements for the Master of Science in Counseling Degree

1. Credits must be earned in courses numbered 6000 or above. Continuing Education courses and audits do not apply toward the degree. All coursework applied to the degree must have received a letter grade.
2. The candidate must complete course requirements as specified in the student's plan of study for the program area the student has designated.
3. The degree must be completed within six years following the candidate's admission to the program.
4. Direct service field placement hours are required for graduation.  The number of hours accrued in the practicum and internship are commensurate with CACREP requirements and Idaho licensure law.
5. In order to complete the program, students must have earned a 3.0 grade point average. In addition, a grade of B or higher must be earned in Pre-Practicum, Practicum in Counseling, Internship, and their specialty area courses, in order for a student to graduate from the program. Grades of C- or lower will not count toward the graduate degree.  (See Counseling Program Academic Standing Policy)
6. The student must have passed all student learning outcomes at the proficient level or above. Failure to do so may lead to dismissal, suspension, delayed graduation, remediation or other faculty action.
7. The candidate must perform satisfactorily on the Counselor Education Department exit criteria, which align with the University Values and Counselor Education Conceptual Model.  Exit requirements include: successful completion of the orientation course; a passing score on the comprehensive examination to be taken prior to degree completion date; participation in a minimum of eight sessions of individual counseling; participation in a counseling group approved by the program prior or concurrent to enrollment in Practicum;  3 years of attendance at the state, regional, or national level in ACA, AMHCA, or ASCA affiliated conferences or other conferences specifically approved in advance of the conference by the faculty advisor; a minimum of two academic years of ACA or ASCA membership, and other requirements described in the Counseling Student Handbook and Policy Manual.
8. The candidate must apply for graduation one full semester prior to anticipated degree completion. Deadlines: June 1 for Fall; October 15 for Spring; and January 15 for Summer.

Department Recommendation for Certification and/or Licensure

NNU Counselor Education faculty reserve the right not to recommend for pupil personnel/school counseling certification any student who in their professional judgment is poorly suited to assisting children or to counseling in a school environment even if that student has successfully completed the academic degree requirements. NNU Counselor Education faculty reserve the right not to recommend graduates for state licensure. NNU Counselor Education faculty will not recommend students for positions for which the student is unqualified.

Required Courses

The required courses for the three program areas are shown in the table below. CMHC denotes the required courses for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program area; the MCFC column shows the required courses for the Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program area; and the SC column refers to the required courses for the School Counseling program area. The numbers in the chart are the semester credit hours for each required course.

**Includes clock hours in the field