MS in Counseling Mission & Program Objectives

Counseling Master’s Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Counseling program is to prepare highly skilled counselors who are knowledgeable in human development and counseling theory. Students are prepared for careers as professional clinical mental health providers, school counselors, or addiction counselors. The program allows students the opportunity to discover their passions and prepare students to have strong counseling skills, writing skills, and sense of professionalism. The Counseling program primarily serves residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota with the versatility to understand other cultures and worldviews.

MSUM Counseling Master’s Program Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement for Faculty and Students

The MSUM Counseling Master’s Program is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and training multiculturally competent and socially just counselors. The program is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse students and faculty.

The program integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our curriculum to ensure that we are training culturally competent counselors who are committed to social justice. Throughout the students’ practicum and internship experiences they are working with diverse clients.

The program faculty are committed to integrating multicultural and social justice pedagogy into their classroom practices. They continue to do this by conducting current research in diversity, equity, and inclusion specific to counselor education. Faculty utilize a variety of evidence-based teaching strategies into their coursework to increase multicultural and social justice competencies.

Counseling Master’s Program Objectives

Foundations

Students will demonstrate an understanding of their own beginning counselor identity, professional competencies and scope of practice.

Ethics

Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of ethical standards and decision-making models through the use of ethical case studies.

Social Cultural

Students will demonstrate an understanding of issues related to diversity and privilege in counseling as it pertains to their experience and that of the clients and students that they will serve.

Human Growth and Development

Students will demonstrate an understanding in applying theory and research in the needs of others at all development levels, and assist in their emotional growth and development.

Career

Students will demonstrate an understanding and application of the career development process over the life span, career decision making and various assessment and sources of information used to provide career counseling.

Helping Relationships

Students will demonstrate their ability to use intentional counseling skills while maintaining an empathic, nonjudgmental, and professional disposition.

Theories

Students will display knowledge in a variety of counseling theories and can effectively integrate and apply theoretical techniques.

Group Work

Students will display knowledge and understanding of theories and principles of group dynamics and can facilitate group process using knowledge of methods and skills in a direct group experience.

Assessment

Students will demonstrate knowledge of a variety of assessment methods, skills, including individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.

Research

Students will demonstrate an ability to critique and use research methods, statistical analysis, and program evaluation to understand how to advance the counseling profession.

Trauma Informed

Students will demonstrate their ability to provide trauma informed care as part of a Compassionate Community in their work with clients and students.