Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology

The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology prepares students for careers as counselors within the field of mental health and leads to eligibility to obtain licensure as a mental health counselor and to practice within that scope of practice. Students planning to practice in other states will need to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure in that state, as state scope of practice and licensing requirements vary. This two-year graduate program emphasizes a whole-person approach to wellness and healing that is grounded in the biopsychosocial model of health psychology.

Program Goals

• Whole Person Health and Wellness: Students will be knowledgeable about human growth and development and able to support the optimal development of others through the lifespan. With a focus on intentional self-care practices, students will support the wellness and whole person health of those they serve.
• Ethical and Professional Practice: Students will understand their roles and responsibilities as professionals in mental health counseling, grounded in the practice of ethical decision making.
• Culturally Responsive Practice: Students will cultivate the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to inform culturally responsive practices in working with those different than themselves across a wide range of social identities and systems.
• Scientifically Informed Treatment and Assessment: Students will be skilled in the practice of mental health counseling with both individuals and groups, including the development of the therapeutic relationship, assessment, and clinical interventions; students will critically assess scientific research to inform these clinical skills through the scientific method.

Expected Program Outcomes

The educational objectives of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology are focused on the education and training of our graduates. Consistent with the operationalized curriculum standards of the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (2017), by completion of the degree program each student:

• demonstrates knowledge and application of ethical concepts and awareness of legal issues regarding professional activities with individuals, groups, and organizations.
• exhibits behavior and comportment that reflect awareness of professional identity and the values and attitudes of counseling and psychology.
• demonstrates knowledge of individual and group theories of counseling consistent with program orientation and goals supporting whole-person health.
• applies evidence-based intervention and prevention strategies designed to promote the health of individuals, groups, and organizations.
• demonstrates the awareness, knowledge and skills consistent with cultural humility and a commitment to providing culturally responsive care for all communities.
• demonstrates knowledge and ethical applications of the diagnostic and treatment planning processes and their effects on treatment across cultural communities.
• identifies and applies ethical and culturally responsive strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and test results.
• develops an understanding of research methods and techniques of data collection and program evaluation.
• demonstrates knowledge of career counseling and career development throughout the lifespan.
•  develops an understanding of biological, systemic, and environmental factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior, and applies theories of individual and family development across the lifespan.
• demonstrates knowledge of the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that promote the health of individuals, groups, and organizations, and the skills in advocacy and practice to address extant barriers.
• develops reflective practice and self-assessment through clinical supervision, conducted with self-awareness and appropriate self-care.

Admissions

For general information on the admissions process, refer to the Admissions section in this catalog. Exceptional candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview.  

Prerequisites

Entering students must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate degree and an introduction to psychology course with a 3.0 or better in the last seven years.  

Admission to Clinical Training

To enroll in the Clinic Experience series, students must have successfully completed all prerequisites based on the requirements outlined and must have met the criteria for professional competence and ethical behavior. Students are also required to pass a national criminal background check (see the Academic Policy and Procedure Manual for more information) and must show proof of completion of the clinical preparation checklist prior to the first scheduled clinic experience.  

Clinical Training

The core of the program’s clinical training takes place at Bastyr Center for Natural Health, Kenmore campus or Bastyr University Clinic, San Diego campus. Bastyr Center for Natural Health and Bastyr University Clinic are comprehensive, multidisciplinary clinics providing quality training for students in all of the University’s programs. The clinical training program begins in the first year and is comprised of two rotations. Clinical entrance requirements include the following (details can be found in Student Clinician Handbook): completed PS5800 Clinical Preparation; completed TB screening; received hepatitis B vaccination or titer or waiver; completed online HIPAA, BBP, and safety training; submitted confidentiality form, Washington or California state patrol check, and national background check; and have proof of current CPR (Basic Life Support) training. The criminal background check will be conducted prior to enrolling in clinical shifts. For more information, see Felony Conviction Disclosure and Background Checks in the Academic Policy and Procedure Manual, in the Student Policies and Procedures section of MyBU on SharePoint. These requirements will be explained during PS5800 Clinical Preparation. Documentation of completion of these requirements will be submitted in PS5800.

Exit Exam

Successful completion of a clinical competency exit examination is a requirement for students in the final year of the MACP. This examination tests the minimal knowledge and skills required to perform mental health counseling with diverse clients. The examination does not cover the whole curriculum and cannot substitute for any part of regular course requirements. Students are eligible to take the exit exam if they are in good academic standing, have completed or are concurrently registered for all required (non-elective) courses by the end of the term in which the exam is scheduled, and are making satisfactory progress in the practicum.  

Graduation Requirements

MACP students must complete a minimum of 93 credits and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. MACP students must complete their degree within five years following matriculation into the program. A graduation requirement of the MACP program is that students must complete 750 hours of supervised counseling work (including hours in counseling classes such as clinical experience, clinic shift, external practica, or other approved courses). In addition to the didactic and clinical experience, MACP students are required to complete 10 hours of individual counseling or therapy sessions during the first year of the program and before Clinic Experience 1. Counselors must be licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, or mental health counselors. The Bastyr University teaching clinics may not be used to meet this personal growth requirement. Documentation of these hours is required. Students must successfully complete their exit exam.