Counseling, MA
Administrative Unit - Department of Counseling
This degree is administered by the Office of Graduate Studies through the faculty of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling, College of Education.
Objectives
Graduates of the UT Permian Basin Counseling program will acquire knowledge in the areas of ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling, as well as social and cultural foundations, human growth and development, career development, helping relationships, group work, appraisal, and research and program evaluation. Graduates will also obtain a strong understanding of diversity issues and be able to address the needs of a progressively growing diverse population.
Program Mission
The mission of the University of Texas Permian Basin's Counseling Department is to prepare competent professional counselors who demonstrate the counseling identity, knowledge, skills, and discipline necessary to support a culturally diverse society.
Competencies
Upon completion of the Counseling MA program, graduates will be able to:
- Professional Orientation and Ethics:
Integrate core principles of professional counseling to guide ethical competent, and contextually attuned counseling practice.
- Social and Cultural Diversity:
Integrate theory and research of social and cultural identities, systemic inequities, and contextual experiences to deliver culturally responsive counseling practice.
- Human Growth and Development:
Interpret and integrate principles of lifespan development to inform developmentally appropriate counseling practice.
- Career Development:
Evaluate an apply major theories, models, and practices of career development to address vocational needs across divers counseling contexts.
- Counseling and Helping Relationships:
Demonstrate effective counseling skills and therapeutic relationship-building strategies grounded in established principles an counseling practice.
- Group Counseling:
Integrate foundational theories and principles of group counseling and group work to support the effective design and facilitation of group counseling practice.
- Assessment and Testing:
Evaluate and integrate foundational principles of assessment and diagnostic process to support accurate, ethical , and evidence-based decision-making in counseling practice.
- Research and Program Evaluations:
Integrate foundational principles of research methodology and program evaluation to enhance evidence-informed practice and strengthen counseling outcomes.
UT Permian Basin Counseling Programs
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The counseling program provides coursework leading to state-level credentials as a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Competencies
Upon completion of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, graduates will be able to:
- Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Competency:
Conduct comprehensive clinical evaluations and diagnoses to guide evidence-informed treatment and prevention strategies across the continuum of mental heal care.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Advocacy:
Collaborate with interdisciplinary providers and legal/policy systems to support and advocate for individuals with mental, behavior, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Ethical Practice and Counseling Systems Management:
Intergrade essential knowledge of service delivery systems, regulatory requirements, and practice management to support ethical , compliant, and effective counseling practice.
Professional School Counseling - Certified School Counselor
The counseling program provides coursework leading to state-level certification as a Professional School Counselor. Students must have taught for two years before being eligible to pursue this specialization.
Competencies
Upon completion of the School Counseling program, graduates will be able to:
- Comprehensive School Counseling Program Design
Design comprehensive PK–12 school counseling programs.
- Leadership, Advocacy, and Collaboration:
Lead equitable schoolwide initiatives through advocacy, leadership, and collaborations.
- Data-Informed and Responsive Interventions:
Implement data-informed, evidence-based, culturally sustaining, and trauma-responsive PK-12 interventions.
Deficiency Program
Individuals who already hold a master's degree in counseling from CACREP-accredited program who do not meet all the requirements for licensure or certification may pursue the Professional Counselor Licensure Endorsement of School Counselor Certification Endorsement Tracks. These tracks require participants to meet the substantial equivalent of all current requirements in our CACREP accredited degree tracks, and the coursework is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Admission Requirements
Regular Admission Status
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours leading towards baccalaureate degree.
- Personal Statement: Submit a statement of approximately 600 words describing your reason for pursuing graduate study at UT Permian Basin, your personal and academic background, relevant experience, and your professional goals.
- Three letters of recommendation in support of student. (Evidence of honorable discharge following military service may be used in place of one letter of recommendation.)
Conditional Admission Status
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA between 2.9-2.5 in the last 60 credit hours leading towards baccalaureate degree.
- Personal Statement: Submit a statement of approximately 600 words describing your reason for pursuing graduate study at UT Permian Basin, your personal and academic background, relevant experience, and your professional goals.
- Three letters of recommendation in support of student. (Evidence of honorable discharge following military service may be used in place of one letter of recommendation.)
- OTHER EVIDENCE: At least one of the following:
- Written explanation describing the circumstances that contributed to their low GPA, and steps to be taken and resources in place that will contribute to the applicant's academic success in graduate school and the counseling program.
- The University of Texas Permian Basin takes a holistic approach in the admission of applicants to graduate programs as authorized by section 51.842 of the Texas Education Code. This section authorized graduate programs to consider certain academic, socioeconomic, family, geographic, and other factors relating to an applicant's background in making an admission decision for admission into the graduate program.
- ADDITIONAL: Written explanation describing extenuating circumstances that contributed to low GPA. Personal Interview (telephone or face-to-face).
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization
Students completing the program with a specialization is clinical mental health counseling will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles, functions, credentialing, and identity of professional counselors including professional standards as described by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the American Counseling Association.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of ethical standards and an ability to exercise ethical reasoning in all matters relative to professional practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of policies, laws, legislation, and other issues relevant to professional counselors.
- Demonstrate a commitment to becoming a collaborative and contributing member of the counseling profession.
- The student will demonstrate appropriate case conceptualization and employ effective intervention strategies that integrate theory, client assessment information, diagnosis, and accepted professional counseling skills.
- Demonstrate appropriate counseling skills, and employ effective, evidence-based, and culturally responsive therapy interventions for individuals, children, couples, families, and groups.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic statistics and research methodology, and integrate this knowledge into professional practice.
- Examine the relationship between self-awareness and professional effectiveness as it relates to cultural attitudes, personal well-ness and the unique dispositions essential to the practice of counseling.
- Articulate the professional roles including the theme of advocacy, social justice, and interdisciplinary professional collaboration, including as a member of an emergency management response team.
School Counseling Program Objectives
Students completing the program with a specialization is professional school counseling will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the role and function of the professional school counselor, including professional standards and behaviors as described in Texas Education Agency's Comprehensive and Developmental Guidance and Counseling Programs and the American School Counselor Association's National standards for School Counselors.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of ethical and legal standards, an ability to exercise ethical, moral reasoning, and an awareness of policies, laws and legislation in all matters relative to school counseling and educational systems.
- Demonstrate a commitment to becoming a collaborative and contributing member of the school counseling profession and as part of an member of an emergency management response team.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic statistics, research methodology and use assessment data in order to develop, implement, and maintain a data-driven comprehensive school counseling program.
- Examine the relationship between self-awareness and professional effectiveness as a relates to cultural attitudes, personal well-ness and the unique dispositions essential to the practice of counseling.
- Articulate the professional roles including the themes of advocacy, social justice, and interdisciplinary professional collaboration, including as a member of an emergency management response team.
- Demonstrate the competencies required to work with all students K-12 individually or in groups to address their personal, social, academic, and career concerns.
- Students will demonstrate consultative and coordinating competencies required to work with parents, educators, other professionals, including and community stakeholders collaboratively to address the developmental needs of all students.
- Demonstrate appropriate counseling skills, and employ effective, evidence-based, and culturally responsive therapy interventions for individuals, children, couples, families, and groups.
- The student will demonstrate appropriate case conceptualization and employ effective intervention strategies that integrate theory, client assessment information, diagnosis, and accepted professional counseling skills.
Required Core Coursework
Required Clinical Coursework
School Counseling Specialization
Those completing the program with a specialization in School Counseling will demonstrate:
- Competencies required to work with all students K-12 individually or in groups to address their personal, social, academic, and career concerns.
- Consultative and coordinating competencies required to work with parents, educators, other professionals, and community stakeholders collaboratively to address the developmental needs of all students.
- Knowledge of the role and function of the professional school counselor, including competencies necessary to conduct research and use assessment in order to development, implement, and maintain a comprehensive developmental guidance program.
- Knowledge of Texas Education Agency's Comprehensive and Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program and the American School Counselor Association's National Standards for School Counselors.
Required Core Coursework
Required Clinical Coursework