Curricular Requirements, Experiences and Objectives

The Counseling Program fully endorses the standards adopted by the Council for
Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP). The following list of the eight common core areas as established by CACREP, and the National Board of Certified Counselors, is addressed by courses that produce the identified knowledge and skill. The courses Western offers follows each competence area. Although the courses specified are targeted to offer the student information and skill relating to the identified standard, this is not meant to imply the standard will not be addressed in other courses. Course content may extend beyond stated standards. Therefore, with an understanding that the Counseling Program attempts to offer each student a grasp of the profession of counseling that is holistic in nature, the following is a breakdown of the core knowledge and skill areas subsumed under the designation Community Counselor or School Counselor.

  1. PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY: Studies that provide an understanding of
    professional roles and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional
    organizations and associations; professional history and trends; ethical and legal
    standards; professional preparation standards; professional credentialing; and
    technological competence and computer literacy:
    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:

    ED 585 Introduction to School & Community Counseling
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles & Techniques
    EPY 603 Group Work Foundation: Theory and Practice
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery & Consultation
    EPY 610 Practicum in School Counseling
    EPY 611 Practicum in Community Counseling
    EPY 612/613 Internship in School Counseling
    EPY 614/615 Internship in Community Counseling

  2. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY: Studies that provide an
    understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues and trends in a multicultural
    and diverse society related to such factors as culture, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender,
    sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family values, religious
    and spiritual values, socioeconomic status and unique characteristics of individuals, couples,
    families, ethnic groups and communities:
    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:

    ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    ED 585 Introduction to School & Community Counseling
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles & Techniques
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery & Consultation
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling
    EPY 621 Drug and Alcohol Counseling

  3. HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: Studies that provide an
    understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels:

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:
    ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    ED 585 Introduction to School & Community Counseling
    ED 586 Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles & Techniques
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools: Clinical Skills
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community: Clinical Skills
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel: Services, Philosophy & Organization
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling

  4. CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Studies that provide an understanding
    of career development theories; occupational and educational information sources and
    systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance, and education; lifestyle and career
    decision-making; and career development program planning, resources, and evaluation:

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery & Consultation

  5. HELPING RELATIONSHIPS: Studies that provide an understanding of philosophic
    bases of helping process; counseling theories and their applications, systems perspective,
    helping skills; consultation theories and their applications; helper self-understanding and self-
    development; and facilitation of client or consultee change:

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following: ED 572 Career Education and Development
    ED 585 Introduction to School & Community Counseling
    ED 586 Theories of Counseling
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles&
    Techniques
    EPY 603 Group Work Foundation: Theory and Practice
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the School: Clinical Skills
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community: Clinical Skills
    EPY 606 Adv. Group Work: Theory and Practice
    EPY 610 Practicum in School Counseling
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling

  6. GROUP WORK: Studies that provide an understanding of group development, dynamics,
    and counseling theories; group leadership styles; group counseling methods and skills,
    and other group approaches; and professional preparation standards for group leaders:

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:

    EPY 603 Group Work Foundation: Theory & Practice
    EPY 606 Adv. Group Work: Theory & Practice
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling

  7. ASSESSMENT: Studies that provide an understanding of group and individual education
    and psychometric theories and approach to appraisal; data and information gathering
    methods; validity and reliability; psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals;
    and use of appraisal results in helping processes.

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following:
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    EPY 600 Assessment for Counselors
    EPY 601 Fundamentals of Statistics and Research Design
    EPY 610 Practicum in School Counseling
    EPY 611 Practicum in Community Counseling
    EPY 612/613 Internship in School Counseling
    EPY 614/615 Internship in School Counseling

  8. RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION: Studies that provide an understanding of types
    of research; basic statistics; research?report development; research implementation;
    program evaluation; needs assessment; the importance and use of research in counseling;
    and ethical and legal considerations.

    Courses addressing this area would include, but not be limited to, the following: EPY 600 Assessment for Counselors
    EPY 601 Fundamentals of Statistics and Research Design
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery & Consultation

Curricular Experiences for Community Counseling Program
In addition to the common core curricular experiences in Section II.J, curricular
Experiences and demonstrated knowledge and skill in each of the areas below are required.
  1. FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY COUNSELING:
    Courses addressing this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 585 Introduction to Community & School Counseling
    ED 586 Theories of Counseling
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles
    & Techniques
    EPY 603 Group Work Foundation: Theory & Practice
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community: Clinical Skills
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery & Consultation

  2. CONTEXTUAL DIMENSIONS OF COMMUNITY COUNSELING
    Courses addressing this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 586 Theories of Counseling
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community: Clinical Skills
    EPY 608 Community Counseling: Management, Delivery and Consultation
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling
    EPY 621 Drug and Alcohol Counseling

  3. KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS FOR THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY COUNSELING
    Studies in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 585 Introduction to Community & School Counseling
    ED 586 Theories of Counseling
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 600 Assessment for Counselors
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span Principles
    & Techniques
    EPY 605 Individual Counseling in the Community: Clinical Skills
    EPY 606 Advanced Group Work: Theory & Practice
    EPY 608 Community Counseling Management, Delivery & Consultation

  4. CLINICAL INSTRUCTION
    EPY 611 Practicum in Community Counseling
    EPY 614/615 Internship in Community Counseling

Curricular Experiences for School Counseling Program
In addition to the common core curricular experiences in Section II J., curricular
experiences and demonstrated knowledge and skill in each of the areas below are required

  1. FOUNDATIONS OF SCHOOL COUNSELING
    Courses addressing the environmental studies for school counseling include but are not limited to the following:
    ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
    ED 585 Introduction to School & Community Counseling
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 506 Introduction to Special Education
    EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles
    & Techniques
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy& Organization
    EPY 610 Practicum in School Counseling
    EPY 612/613 Internship in School Counseling

  2. CONTEXTUAL DIMENSIONS OF SCHOOL COUNSELING
    Studies that provide an understanding of the coordination of counseling program components as they relate to the total school community include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
    EPY 405 Introduction to Special Education
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools Clinical Skills
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization
    EPY 620 Marriage and Family Counseling
    EPY 621 Drug & Alcohol Counseling

  3. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS
  1. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION
    Studies in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 572 Career Education and Development
    EPY 600 Assessment for Counselors
    EPY 601 Fundamentals of Statistics & Research Design
    EPY 602 Interviewing &Consultation Across the Life Span Principles
    & Techniques
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools: Clinical Skills
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services Philosophy and Organization

  2. COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE
    Studies in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
    EPY 405 Introduction to Special Education
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools: Clinical Skills
    EPY 606 Advanced Group Work: Theory and Practice
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services Philosophy and Organization

  3. CONSULTATION
    Studies in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the School: Clinical Skills
    EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy and Organization

  4. CLINICAL INSTRUCTION
    EPY 606 Advanced Group Work: Theory and Practice
    EPY 610 Practicum in School Counseling
    EPY 612/613 Internship in School Counseling

CT State Department of Education Objectives for School Counselors
The school counselor master's and certification programs prepare the student to
work as a school counselor at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.
Clinical instruction hours, Practicum and Internship, must include experiences on
all three levels: elementary middle and high school. And at least one clinical experience must
be in an urban setting.

The student is prepared to deliver comprehensive developmental counseling service
which include teaching students a guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive
services and systems support. Students will demonstrate knowledge, skill and understanding
gained from study and experience based on the following objectives covered in the identified
courses:

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHY OF
DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING:
EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services
EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools
EPY 610 Practicum
EPY 612/613 Internship

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY PSYCHOLOGICAL A SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY AS IT RELATES TO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues
ED 585 Theories of Counseling
ED 587 Counseling Diverse Populations
EPY 602 Interviewing and Consultation Across the Life Span EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND GROUP COUNSELING PROCEDURES
ED 572 Career Education and Development

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING PROCEDURES
EPY 604 Individual Counseling in the Schools
EPY 603 Group Work Foundation
EPY 606 Advanced Group

UNDERSTAND ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES TO TOTAL SCHOOL PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY
EPY 607 Pupil Personnel Services: Philosophy &
Organization

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY PUPIL APPRAISAL AND EVALUATION TECHNIQUES
EPY 600 Assessment for Counselors
EPY 601 Fundamentals of Statistics & Research Design

UNDERSTAND AND APPLY SCHOOL-BASED CONSULTATION THEORY AND PRACTICE
ED 586 Theories of Counseling
EPY 602 Interviewing & Consultation Across the Life Span: Principles and Techniques