Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MA-CC): San Francisco

The Clinical Counseling Program MA Program

Clinical Counseling is a master’s level mental health profession that applies counseling and psychotherapeutic techniques to identify and remediate cognitive, mental, and emotional issues, including personal growth, adjustment to disability, psychosocial and environmental problems, and crisis intervention. The MA Clinical Counseling Program incorporates the educational requirements set out by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) 2009 Standards. Graduates are positioned to pursue the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) license, recently adopted by the State of California.

Students develop practitioner skills in diagnosis, treatment planning, and psychological interventions with individuals and groups. The program uses academic, experiential, research-based clinical practice approaches and direct community service learning in coursework and field placements. Integrating a strengths-based and resilience perspective, the program fosters critical consciousness and reflective thinking as students learn counseling and consultation skills found to be effective with a variety of mental health issues. Students gain multicultural competence and a strong foundation in social justice advocacy to empower the clients and communities they will serve.

The goals of the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Program are to prepare highly competent professional counselors to work in multicultural communities, with individuals, groups, and social systems, to (1) promote mental health and well-being, (2) conduct appropriate and accurate assessments, and (3) apply critical thinking, reflective self-evaluation, and commitment to life-long learning in order to make decisions in service provision consistent with the Social Justice Advocacy Competencies.

Student Learning Outcomes

The following learning outcomes integrate the eight CACREP 2009 common core areas and the Professional Practice Competencies of A(lliant)-IMPACT.

1. Professional Identity. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the counseling profession, the role and function of counselors in multiple settings, legal-ethical decision making and professional organizations.

2. Social and Cultural Diversity. Students will demonstrate the following: an understanding of and sensitivity to issues of diversities in multiple settings including gender, race, ethnicity, mental and physical ability, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation and international contexts; ability to articulate processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and domination; an understanding of counselors’ roles in eliminating bias and discrimination.

3. Human Growth and Development. Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize theories of human growth and development in multiple settings to address the needs of clients in appropriate and relevant contexts across the lifespan.

4. Career Development. Students will demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to address lifespan multicultural career issues including career choice and decision making and related life factors in multiple settings.

5. Helping Relationships. Students will demonstrate the following: an understanding of different aspects of the theory and practice of counseling and consultation; a strengths-based orientation to wellness, prevention, and resilience; an understanding of the principles of the diagnostic process; and the ability to collaborate with other mental health professionals in a multicultural society across multiple settings.

6. Group Work. Students will demonstrate an understanding of theory and practice of group counseling and the ability to conduct group work in a multicultural society across multiple settings.

7. Assessment. Students will demonstrate an understanding of assessment, including standardized and nonstandardized assessment, in a multicultural society across multiple settings.

8. Research and Program Evaluation. Students will demonstrate an understanding of basic research methodology, being an effective consumer of research, and having skills to understand and contribute to program evaluation.

General Requirements

The curriculum incorporates the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards for training in this specialization. In accordance with California State Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements, http://www.bbs.ca.gov/lpcc_program/lpcc_is_traditional_path.shtml, students registering for the Fall 2011 cohort will be eligible for 48 semester-unit MA degree. Students registering on or after August 1, 2012 will complete a 60-unit MA program.

48-unit program starting Fall 2011
Students who begin graduate study before August 1, 2012 and complete it by 2018 will be eligible a 48-unit minimum program of study.

*This requirement can be taken in addition to OR as part of the qualifying degree.

60-unit program starting Fall 2012
Students who begin graduate study after August 1, 2012 or who begin study before 2012 and do not complete it by 2018 will be required to meet a 60-unit minimum program of study

Practica
Students conduct a minimum of 700 hours of direct and indirect supervised clinical experience counseling individuals, families or groups. Clinical Counseling students will utilize resources of the CSPP Psychological Service Center (PSC) and other field practica in the surrounding communities in order to gain the supervised training necessary.

Comprehensive Examination
Students will be required to pass a comprehensive examination prior to completing their degree program.

Self-growth experiences, reflection and self-disclosure
Faculty, staff and supervisors have professional, ethical obligations to evaluate and ensure the interpersonal competence of trainees. Students will at times be required to participate in learning activities that require different levels of self-disclosure. This can include, but is not limited to, exploration of the potential impact of one’s beliefs and values on one’s disposition toward the backgrounds and histories of a community, clients, peers, faculty, and supervisors.

MA Project
As part of the social justice advocacy training, students will engage in a two-semester collaborative community project in the Research Methods and Masters Project courses This will culminate with each student submitting a grant proposal to support community mental health services.

Recommended Optional Training
Clinical Counseling students are encouraged to participate in the five-week CSPP Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program at Alliant International University’s Mexico City campus during the summer between Year 1 and 2. Students can also opt to take courses towards the Certificate in Latin American Family Therapy. The certificate program focuses on assisting clinicians to develop general multicultural and international competencies, an increased understanding of the historical and cultural influences impacting Latin American clients, and the ability to identify best practice procedures for assessing and addressing issues in Latin American mental health. Courses in this program will count towards the required Clinical Counseling courses.