COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHLOGY Essay, Research Paper

.COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology offers Master’s Degree Programs in Counseling and Educational Psychology and Doctoral Degree Programs in Educational Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Degrees offered Master of Arts (Plan A only), Master of Education (Plan B only), Doctor of Philosophy. Specializations Counseling: Community and School Counseling Psychology Educational Psychology.

The objectives of the master’s in counseling program are to increase students’ knowledge of human development, personality, psychopathology, psychological research, and ethical and legal issues; increase students’ skills in individual, group, and family counseling; and prepare students for work as professional counselors in community and/or school settings.

The doctoral program in Counseling Psychology is based on a scientist-practitioner model for training professional psychologists. Students acquire a solid foundation of knowledge in the cognitive, affective, individual, and social bases of human behavior. Through course work in research design, measurement, and statistics, students develop the skills needed to critically evaluate psychological research and to conduct their own independent research. Training in diagnosis, assessment, psychotherapy, consultation, practica, internship, and ethics provides students with the necessary professional skills to practice as competent and ethical counseling psychologists. Supervised practica and internship experiences are available through the university’s Counseling Center and at a variety of community sites. Graduates are prepared to practice as psychologists, professors, consultants, administrators, and researchers.

The objectives of the Educational Psychology master’s and doctoral programs are to provide knowledge and skills in the principal content areas of basic and applied psychology as required for the preparation of psychologists for work in diverse settings, such as private and public schools, colleges and universities, research centers, and business and industry.

Applicants to all graduate programs in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology should have graduated with, or be about to graduate with, a bachelor’s or a master’s degree from an accredited institution appropriate to their chosen field of graduate study. Students applying to a doctoral program without a master’s degree, must complete an appropriate master’s degree as part of their doctoral program requirements.

The Master of Education (M.Ed) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degree programs in counseling require a minimum of 48 credit hours and successful completion of a comprehensive examination. Students must also complete an internship in a clinical or educational setting. Students pursuing the Master of Arts degree must also complete thesis requirements.

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in educational psychology both require a minimum of 30 credit hours and successful completion of a comprehensive examination. Students pursuing a Master of Arts degree must also complete thesis requirements.

The counseling psychology program consists of 27 credits of course work in psychological foundations, 45 credits of course work in the counseling psychology professional core, a minimum of 6 terms of clinical practicum, a 1-credit independent research project and a 12-credit dissertation, and an approved 2000-hour clinical internship. Students who have completed relevant graduate course work prior to entry into the program may have some of their requirements waived if the previous course work is equivalent to the courses currently required by the program.

Students must also pass a qualifying examination which is taken near the end of their course work in the program. The first component of the exam involves developing a Portfolio which primarily assesses the development of clinical skills. The second component is a written exam which primarily assesses knowledge of the field of counseling psychology. Students must pass both components of the qualifying examination and have their dissertation proposals accepted before they can apply for an internship. To be advanced to candidacy, students must pass the doctoral qualifying examination, have their dissertation proposal accepted, and complete all program course work and the Graduate School’s residency requirements.

Doctoral students must complete a graduate course core consisting of a minimum of 60 credit hours of psychological foundations, methodology, and applied educational psychology. A minor of 12 credits is required and may be taken within the 60 credit hour core. Graduate credits completed prior to admission to the Educational Psychology doctoral program may be accepted as fulfilling some of the core area requirements. A qualifying examination and 12 credits of dissertation are required.

Licensure in psychology is granted by the Wisconsin Psychology Examining Board. A doctoral degree in psychology is only one of the requirements for licensure in psychology. Students are encouraged to contact the Psychology Licensure Boards in the state(s) where they intend to practice for additional requirements.