Courses

*500 and 600 level courses are for the M.A.C.C. program.

MCC 500: Introduction to Counseling (3 Credits)
This course is required for all community counseling students, as an introduction to the basic counseling and communication skills necessary in the profession. Skills and techniques focusing on oral, written, and technological competencies in interpersonal relationships and community counseling agencies will be developed. This course will involve practicing the skills involved in relationship building, interviewing, role-playing, simulation, and micro-counseling. Writing professional reports and accessing relevant research via Internet and library resources for use in community counseling settings will also be addressed.

MCC 510: Human Development Across the Life Span (3 Credits)
This course will examine the theory and research of human development from conception to death from a social - psychobiological developmental perspective. Human development will be examined from both historic and contemporary perspectives including the physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, cultural, and social patterns that are woven by a unique combination of heredity and environment. The impact of addictive behavior across the life-span will be explored.

MCC 515: Psychopharmacology (3 Credits)
This course explores the many classifications, actions, reactions and interactions of psychotropic medications as they work in clinics, hospitals and agencies. Medications are often used adjunctively with counseling and it is important for the professional counselor to have the skills to be able to work with the attending psychiatrist or physician in monitoring the effectiveness of the prescribed medications.

MCC 520: Counseling Theories (3 Credits)
This course will examine the spectrum of traditional and contemporary theories in counseling ranging from traditional psychodynamic, humanistic, learning, behavioral theories to cognitive behavioral, spiritually based, creative arts, multiculturally sensitive and current approaches to counseling theories and techniques. Techniques and issues in counseling such as transference and counter transference, resistance, self-disclosure, active listening, the use of silence, confrontation and the value of metaphors are among those that will be examined. Students will be able to assess the appropriateness of the various interventions in dealing with clients with both mental health and addiction disorders.

MCC 525: Psychobiology for Addictions (3 Credits)
The pharmacological and physiological effects of alcohol and other drugs are investigated as well as the sociocultural determinants of alcoholism and drug abuse. The mechanisms of action of each drug and drug class, current theories relating to the etiology of abuse, addiction and major psychological disorders, rationales for drug treatment, uses and limitation of psychopharmacology in the overall management of clients will be discussed. Topics will include research methods, informational resources, social policy, and enforcement of drug laws.

MCC 530: Multicultural Issues in Counseling (3 Credits)
This course will explore the social and cultural contexts of helping relationships. The ways that culture and ethnicity interact with human behavior will be examined. Theories related to cultural identity, age, gender, sexual orientation, family values, coping, attributions, attitude formation, social power, addictions, spiritual values, and socioeconomic conditions as they relate to impact counseling with diverse groups will be examined. Current research regarding issues such as client/counselor match will be analyzed. Ethical guidelines for counseling diverse groups provided by the American Counseling Association and similar professional organizations will be studied. Students will participate in experiential exercises and analyze case studies to apply theories and concepts to “real world” situations.

MCC 535: Counseling Children and Adolescents (3 Credits)
This course will focus on unique counseling theories and techniques applicable to counseling early childhood and preschool children and their families. Play therapy, puppet therapy, doll therapy, creative arts therapy, in vivo therapy and other therapy modalities will be explored. This course will focus on unique counseling theories and techniques applicable to working with adolescent youth, exploring issues of identity, peer acceptance, conformity and deviation, sexuality, experimentation with substances, youth culture and issues of youth in contemporary society.

MCC 540: Addiction and Society (3 Credits)
This course will analyze the behavioral, pharmacological, historical, social, legal and clinical perspectives that surround the use, abuse and addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Current methodologies will be examined as to their effectiveness in both the prevention and treatment of addictive disorders. Other addictions and related high-risk behaviors will be analyzed from an addiction model of behavior.

MCC 545 - Family Therapy Concepts and Methods (3 Credits)
A study of established systems of contemporary family therapy. Each approach will be examined in terms of leading figures, theoretical formulations, normal family development, impact of addiction on the family system, development of addiction and behavior disorders, goals of therapy, conditions for change, techniques, and evaluations of theory and results. Role playing will involve both system specific and core techniques.

MCC 550: Practicum - 100 hours (3 Credits)
Students will spend 100 hours assigned to a placement observing and being exposed to activities in a professional counseling venue over the course of a semester. Supervised practicum experiences must include a minimum of 40 hours of direct service with clients, including individual and group counseling, weekly supervision of at least one hour of an individual or triadic nature under the supervision of a faculty member and an average of 1.5 hours per week of group supervision that is provided by a faculty member, and an evaluation of the student’s performance throughout the practicum including a formal final evaluation after practicum completion.

MCC 560 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide the counselor in training with an understanding of the major ethical and legal issues involved in the practice of mental health and addictions counseling. The ethical code of the American Counseling Association and the Pennsylvania Certification Board will be explored. Legal issues involved with mental health and addictions counseling will also be addressed. The case study format will be used to develop and practice the process of ethical decision making in counseling situations.

MCC 600: Advanced Clinical Practice with Individuals (3 Credits)
Students in this course will compare and contrast various intervention theories and counseling models in working with individuals with both mental health and addiction disorders. Students will examine the unique dynamics of the therapeutic/interpersonal counseling relationship and how change is effected by that interaction. Students will learn how to do clinical assessments for diagnostics, develop treatment plans, establish goals and objectives and evaluate outcomes as they apply to clinical practice with individuals in community counseling care settings.

MCC 605: Counseling Special Populations (3 Credits)
This course explores the increasingly diverse needs of distinct emergent groups in today’s society. Counselors will be working with people from these groups and must have the skills and knowledge to be professional and effective. These groups include, but are not limited to: homosexuals; ethnic, cultural and religious minorities; physically challenged individuals; and mentally challenged individuals. Counselors will be exposed to developing their multicultural competencies.

MCC 610: Advanced Clinical Practice with Groups (3 Credits)
Students will learn to apply group theories and techniques of counseling as they work with an increasingly diverse constellation of groups (both formally and informally constructed groups) in contemporary society. From group theory they will survey Yalom, Corey, Carroll and others. Students will learn how to conduct assessment of families and groups for the purposes of diagnosing problems and dysfunctions, developing intervention strategies and evaluating the outcomes.

MCC 615: Relapse and Recovery (3 Credits)
This course examines the psychological, biological and environmental perspective of the primary factors that contribute to the systematic onset and eventual occurrence of relapse. Through extensive research in journals and other professional publications as well as interviews with treatment professionals and people in recovery, relapse will be examined as both an event and a process that for some individuals may be a predictable part of a sustained and life long recovery from addictions.

MCC 620: Research Methods and Program Evaluation (3 Credits)
Students will survey research methods in the behavioral sciences so that they can critically evaluate research that is published in the field. Students will be able to differentiate different research methodologies in the behavioral sciences and will develop an applied knowledge of basic descriptive statistics through basic inferential statistics using correlation analyses and ANOVA. Students will be required to do a research project. (Prerequisite – undergraduate course in statistics or quantitative methods of research)

MCC 625: Spirituality and the Healing Process (3 Credits)
The spiritual dimension of recovery from addictive diseases is examined in depth. Topics include: dynamics of the 12-Step Fellowships (A.A., N.A., Al-Anon, etc.), religious conversion, religiously oriented programs, spiritual development and the use of clergy in working with clients coping with addiction problems. Spiritual values and approaches will be examined from a clinical perspective considering meetings, partial programs and inpatient recovery facilities.

MCC 630: Appraisal, Tests and Measurements (3 Credits)
Students will learn to evaluate the reliability, validity, standardization methods and test construction of instruments used in the treatment of mental health and addictive disorders. In addition, students will learn to discern the appropriateness of objective and projective tests and measurements of tests to meet specific client needs. Students will practice administration; scoring and interpretation of tests appropriate for use by Master level clinicians.

MCC 640: Psychopathology (3 Credits)
This course will examine special theories and practices in the complex area of assessing, diagnosing and treating individuals and families where mental health and addiction problems exist and influence one another. This course will survey mental disorders as classified by the latest version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostics and Statistics Manual. Students will develop a professional operational knowledge of all forms of mental disorders and be able to distinguish Mood and Affective Disorders, differentiate Organic Disorders from Personality Disorders, Phase of Life Disorders and normal developmental issues, and identify psychopathology and addictive patterns.

MCC 650: Career Counseling (3 Credits)
This course will survey the theories (including but not limited to Hoppock, Hoyt, Herr and Kramer among others) and research on vocational development as well as methods to assess vocational choice. In addition, students will explore the psychosocial, mental health life-style implications of vocational choice and look at the various personality, skills and interests, and attitudinal variables that go into healthy careerdecision making. Students will survey the various vocational development career assessment instruments (aptitude, skills and interest inventories and vocational personality instruments), research databases and technology for vocational decision-making.

MCC 655: Program Management and Clinical Supervision (3 Credits)
This course will provide an understanding of the various types of management and supervisory styles used in community counseling settings. Specific emphasis will be placed on the development of skills that serve as a catalyst to employee professional growth and assist the counselor to define and maintain counselor/client boundaries. The course will examine program/agency administration to include strategic planning, financing and marketing,
and program policies and procedures.

MCC 670: Internship I - 300 hours (3 Credits)
Students will practice professional counseling in a venue where professional community counseling takes place under the supervision of a faculty member and licensed professional counselor. Students will be required to have a minimum of 300 hours direct client contact, with weekly supervision of 1 hour in an individual, dyadic or triadic format by an on-site licensed supervisor, with an average 1.5 hours per week group supervision performed by a licensed faculty member. The internship experience must provide students with the opportunity to: assess and treat clients, follow client progress, keep records, have access to appropriate supervision, attend staff meetings, participate in service training and other professional activities. Students must present their work using audio or videotape work for formal professional critique by supervisors and other interns. A formal evaluation for fitness to practice will be made upon completion of the internship experience.

MCC 680: Internship II - 300 hours (3 Credits)
Students will continue to practice professional counseling in a venue where professional counseling takes place under the supervision of a faculty member and licensed professional counselor. Students will be required to have a minimum of 300 hours direct client contact, with weekly supervision of 1 hour in an individual, dyadic or triadic format by an on-site licensed supervisor, with an average 1.5 hours per week group supervision performed by a licensed faculty member. The internship experience must provide students with the opportunity to: assess and treat clients, follow client progress, keep records, have access to appropriate supervision, attend staff meetings, participate in service training and other professional activities. Students must present their work using audio or videotape work for formal professional critique by supervisors and other interns. Each student will be required to develop a major paper focusing on an integration and reflection of practice and theory, including a research project relating to their practice setting. A formal evaluation for fitness to practice will be made upon completion of the internship experience.

MCC 685: Advanced Clinical Internship - 400 hours plus weekly one hour seminar (3 Credits)
Designed to offer students advanced diagnostic and therapeutic skills in effective treatment interventions with the supervision of a licensed practitioner. Students will understand and critically analyze both the theoretical constructs and practical skills that are effective when therapeutically engaged with individuals, families or groups. Students will be required to have a minimum of 400 hours of direct client contact, with weekly supervision of 1 hour in an individual, dyadic or triadic format. Students must present their work using audio or videotape work for formal professional critique by supervisors and other interns. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to function independently as a licensed practitioner. (Required for specialization in Mental Health)

Updated: December 12, 2006

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