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Introduction/Overview
The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling program prepares candidates to succeed as a counselor in diverse educational, community, private, and non-profit settings. This is a 60-semester hour program designed for those who intend to pursue Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) certification. This M.A. program meets the requirements of section 4999.40 of the California Business and Professions Code (BPC) and contains the LPCC course content as specified in BPC section 4999.33. Graduates of the M.A. in Counseling program are eligible to apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APPC) status. As an APCC, graduates then complete 3,000 hours of clinical work and pass two national exams (covering mental health and law and ethics) to receive LPCC status. Candidates enrolled in this 60-semester hours program have the option to pursue the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential in School Counseling. Courses in this program are delivered in-person on the LMU campus.
Program Outcomes
As a result of this training, students will:
- Apply effective counseling strategies to meet the diverse academic, social, emotional, and career needs of clients
- Counsel clients individually using appropriate theoretical approaches to address academic readiness, language proficiency, cultural background, and individual development
- Counsel clients in group settings using group facilitation skills derived from appropriate theoretical approaches to address academic readiness, language proficiency, cultural background, and individual development
- Evaluate clients using suitable/pertinent assessment measures based on the purpose of measuring instrument and identified counseling need
- Implement prevention and intervention strategies for diverse clients based on scientific research and program evaluations
- Consult effectively with clients, their families, and support systems; with peers and colleagues; and with appropriate clinical staff in order to improve client functioning
- Exemplify the main dimensions of personal growth and dispositions central to successful counseling, including self-awareness, self-care, and self-reflection
- Exhibit and defend the ethical codes related to the specific field of counseling within which one works (e.g., ACA Code of Ethics, LPCC ethical codes)
- Demonstrate advanced intervention techniques in the areas of addictions, trauma, community psychology, and human sexuality to address the diverse needs of clinical populations