Master of Arts in Counseling

Students in the M.A. in Counseling program experience a unique blend of high-quality theoretical training and clinical experience in a holistic Christian atmosphere. Additionally, the program maintains a student-faculty ratio of less than 12:1, allowing for more direct interaction and engagement between faculty and students. The M.A. in Counseling offers concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. Students may also choose to earn both concentrations. Both concentrations are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Johnson University offers the MAC in a hybrid format based on its campus. This course format incorporates diverse teaching modalities, such as in-class discussion, experiential activities, and online learning. Options allow individuals to complete the program in 2.5-5 years. Typically, courses require students to be on campus in a Class Residency two weekends per term per course.

Practicum and internship courses provide additional flexibility, allowing students to choose on-campus and/or off-campus site placements.

MISSION AND PURPOSE STATEMENTS

The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences exists to develop passionate Christians, strategically trained and professionally competent to serve in their communities and throughout the world.

The primary purpose of the M.A. in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Concentration is to prepare students for work or advanced training with a professional therapeutic identity as they serve in diverse clinical settings.

The primary purpose of the M.A. in Counseling, School Counseling (SC) Concentration is to prepare students for work or advanced training with a professional school counselor identity as they serve diverse educational environments.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Spring: October 1
Fall: February 1

CORE GRADUATE FACULTY

Full-time faculty members hold credentials as Approved Supervisors with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) and/or Approved Clinical Supervisors with the Center for Credentialing Education.

Dr. Jonathan Benz
Dr. Sean Ridge

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT PLAN

Students are assessed and evaluated at specific points during progression through the program. Click here for an overview of the Individual Student Assessment Plan used by the graduate counseling program, which provides an overview of these multiple assessment points.

PROGRAM REPORTS

Vital Statistics Report
Comprehensive Assessment Report
Student Assessment Plan

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and objectives

SLO 1: Graduates will embrace a Christian worldview that compels them to respectfully and ethically engage clients both similar to and different from themselves.
1.1 Graduates demonstrate conduct consistent with professional standards and ethics
1.2 Graduates articulate a personal model of applied integration
1.3 Graduates develop culturally responsive strategies to engage clients in diverse settings

SLO 2: Graduates will synthesize a systemic approach, theoretical understanding, and helping skills to address human experience across the lifespan.
2.1 Graduates discover and apply the interrelationships among and between work, relationships, mental well-being, life roles, and other factors
2.2 Graduates discover and apply group dynamics, theories, and techniques
2.3 Graduates demonstrate basic helping skills and techniques
2.4 Graduates develop a systemic framework for understanding theories and developmental and non-normative factors that affect human growth and development

SLO 3: Graduates will demonstrate responsible use of research and assessment tools.
3.1 Graduates conduct appropriate assessment of clients using validated tools and procedures relevant to the context
3.2 Graduates evaluate counseling literature and effectively employ research to inform counseling practice

SLO 4-CMHC: Graduates will competently counsel, informed by knowledge and professional best practices.
4.1-CMHC: Graduates demonstrate a well-formed, systemically-oriented clinical mental health counselor identity
4.2-CMHC: Graduates conceptualize and plan treatment and interventions within a clinical setting
4.3-CMHC: Graduates employ a variety of counseling skills and modalities as they engage clients in counseling

SLO 5-SC: Graduates will competently counsel, informed by knowledge and professional best practices.
4.1- SC: Graduates demonstrate a well-formed school counselor identity
4.2- SC: Graduates conceptualize and plan lessons/interventions within a school counseling context
4.3- SC: Graduates employ a variety of counseling skills and modalities as they engage students in a school counseling setting

Please email for a full copy of the syllabus for any/all classes.

Concentrations

In addition to the core classes in the Master of Arts in Counseling, you will have the opportunity to choose a concentration and take the following classes. Students may choose to complete requirements for both concentrations. Students who do this need only complete one Practicum course, but otherwise must complete all coursework in both concentrations. Doing so results in a degree of 78 credit hours, and allows for pursuit of licensure as a Professional School Counselor and Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation.

Clinical Mental Health Concentration

This concentration provides a professional mental health counseling education and experience. Graduates are eligible to pursue professional licensure in most states. In Tennessee, graduates with this degree may pursue licensure as Professional Counselors with the Mental Health Service Provider designation. The program consists of 63 credit hours. Upon graduation, students will have completed 1,000 hours of clinical contact.

Contemporary Trends in Marriage & Family Therapy/CMHC
This course will explore and critique current trends in clinical mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy. Topics will include theoretical orientation as it relates to treatment processes, contemporary clinical treatments, and program evaluation and appropriate use of outcome data.

Couples & Marital Therapy
This course will engage students in both diagnosis/assessment and treatment processes related to treatment of couples and marriages. Particular attention is given to dysfunctional relationship patterns as well as mental health disorders within a relationship dyad. Special topics to be highlighted include premarital counseling, human sexuality and treatment of sexual dysfunctions, dyadic interventions from multiple theoretical orientations, and divorce and remarriage.

Adult Assessment, Diagnosis, & Treatment
This course surveys major contemporary theories of psychopathology and how these relate to the dysfunction of individuals, couples, families, and groups. Students will integrate the DSM into a comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and treatment process that includes the development and implementation of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Clinical Practicum
This introductory course provides the student with practical experience in selected client care responsibilities with an orientation to wellness and prevention and in a broad range of roles performed by the professional counselor. This 250 clinical hour practicum requires 40 direct client service hours and provides the intern with a transitional clinical/counseling experience by engaging in supervised day-to-day professional clinical practice.

Clinical Internship
This course provides the student with practical experience in selected client care responsibilities in a broad range of roles performed by the professional counselor. This internship provides the intern with a transitional clinical/counseling experience by engaging in supervised day-to-day professional clinical practice.

School Counseling Concentration

This concentration provides a professional school counseling education and experience. Graduates of the program are eligible for licensure in Tennessee as Licensed Professional School Counselors. Students experience a unique blend of quality theoretical training and professional experience in a holistic Christian atmosphere. The program consists of 60 credit hours. Upon graduation, students will have completed over 600 hours of practicum and internship experience in both primary and secondary schools.

Foundations in School Counseling
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to school counseling. Students will understand the history, philosophy, trends, and professional practice issues related to school counseling. Students will study the requirements of administering a comprehensive school counseling program (PreK-12), including needs assessment, program goals, resource identification, and program evaluation.

Contemporary Trends in School Counseling
Students explore and critique historical trends and how these impact contemporary professional school counseling. Topics will include program evaluation and data accountability as well as special topics as they relate to the practice of professional school counseling.

School Counseling Practicum
This field experience is designed to provide graduate-level school counseling students opportunities to use and apply the theoretical knowledge, concepts, and skills acquired in their training. Practicum is a 100-clock-hour supervised field experience that includes a minimum of 40 hours of direct service. Students practice individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, advocacy, consultation, collaboration, and coordination.

School Counseling Internship
This 300-clock-hour field experience is designed to provide graduate-level school counseling students opportunities to use and apply the theoretical knowledge, concepts, and skills acquired in their training. Students must have completed the prerequisite practicum 5830. Internship I is the completion of the first 300 hours of a 600-clock-hour supervised field experience which includes a minimum of 120 hours of direct service of the 300. Students practice and lead individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, advocacy, consultation, collaboration, and coordination.

Choose one of the following electives:

Teaching in the Christian School
This course focuses on historical and philosophical foundations for the Christian school. During the course, three main components are addressed: historical perspectives and contributions to Christian education, theology and philosophy of Christian education, and biblical integration in Christian education.

Classroom Management for Regular and Special Populations
This course explores two areas of significant and potential difficulty for the beginning teacher: effective classroom management and successful organization of the inclusive classroom. In this course, students will study management theory and teacher style and will study a variety of strategies for developing a plan for classroom management based on Christian principles. They will also seek to understand the special needs of the mainstreamed child and ways to meet these needs within an effective inclusive setting.

Diversity & Special Education
This course continues the study of holistic education with special emphasis on diversity and special education in schools today.