Counseling, Family, and Human Services (MEd)

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Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Professionalism and Ethical Conduct: Students will develop an understanding of professional conduct and ethical standards and will demonstrate an ability to effectively apply their knowledge in clinical practice.
• Scientific Inquiry and Critical Evaluation: Students will develop an ability to critically evaluate the research literature and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between research results and clinical decision-making.
• Theoretical Foundations: Students will gain an understanding of the core theoretical assertions of couples and family therapy and will critically assess their own systems-oriented theory of change.
• Social Context and Diversity: Students will develop attitudes that value human diversity, will practice culturally sensitive analysis and critical self-awareness when counseling diverse populations, and will demonstrate cultural competence in all professional activities.
• Clinical Application: Students will develop an understanding of the unique systemically oriented assessment and intervention competencies, will apply them effectively in practice, and will critically evaluate their own practice.

Objectives: 

Professionalism and Ethical Conduct: Students will develop an understanding of professional conduct and ethical standards and will demonstrate an ability to effectively apply their knowledge in clinical practice.

Objectives:

• Students will gain knowledge of couples and family therapy legal, ethical and professional standards and will demonstrate an ability to apply decision-making protocols and strategies in clinical and research contexts.
• Students will investigate and clarify their beliefs and values regarding clinical practice and ethical decision making.
• Students will collaborate effectively with a variety of professionals, including for instance physicians, psychologists, social workers, family law specialists, teachers, school counselors, members of the legal system and clergy.

Scientific Inquiry and Critical Evaluation: Students will develop an ability to critically evaluate the research literature and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between research results and clinical decision-making.

Objectives:

• Students will develop an understanding of core principles of quantitative and qualitative research methodology and will demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate the merits of a given study.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues associated with research, with particular emphasis on research with human subjects and social justice.
• Students will be able to describe their procedures for incorporating empirically supported and evidence-based literature in practice and will demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate this literature from a systemic framework.

Theoretical Foundations: Students will gain an understanding of the core theoretical assertions of couples and family therapy and will critically assess their own systems-oriented theory of change.

Objectives:

• Students will develop an understanding of systemic epistemologies and core systemic constructs.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to apply systemic constructs in diverse settings and with diverse populations, with particular emphasis on clinical assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation of practice.
• Students will understand the distinction between eclecticism and theoretical integration and will demonstrate an ability to create a coherent theory of change that integrates systems theory, communications theory, and the evidence-based, common factors and trans-theoretical literatures.

Social Context and Diversity: Students will develop attitudes that value human diversity, will practice culturally sensitive analysis and critical self-awareness when counseling diverse populations, and will demonstrate cultural competence in all professional activities.

Objectives:

• Students will adopt a practice framework that incorporates critical consciousness, self-awareness, and knowledge of the relationship between diverse life experiences, human development, and the role of diversity in resolving conflict.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate the role of social context in understanding and resolving human conflict, including issues such as social class, power, privilege, oppression, sexism, and injustice.
• Students will thoughtfully incorporate their knowledge of social context and diversity when conducting a clinical assessment, constructing interventions, and evaluating practice.