Master of Science in Clinical/Counseling Psychology
The principal objective of the master of science clinical/counseling psychology program is to provide students with practical skills in counseling - through supervised training and experience - and a critical understanding of the relevant subject matter and the research evidence base. The program offers required course work designed to meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) as outlined by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. The program is a full-time, day-time program designed to be completed in two years.The program culminates with either a thesis or comprehensive examination.
Admission to the Program
In addition to the general requirements of the university, specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are:
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0;
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average in the major of 3.0 ("B");
- A baccalaureate degree in psychology; or
A baccalaureate degree in a major other than psychology, including a course of study judged, by the Psychology Department graduate admissions committee, to be satisfactory preparation for graduate study in psychology. - Submission to the department graduate admissions committee of a brief statement (one or two typewritten pages) of the student's preparation for graduate study, goals in a graduate training program and professional aspirations following receipt of the master's degree;
- Submission of three letters of recommendation from people who are in a position to make relevant comments on the student's likely success in a graduate psychology program. At least two of these letters should be from former professors who are familiar with the student's scholarly activities.
For students seeking admission in the M.S.Clinical/Counseling program, the following courses are required for classified status:
| Completion of the following prerequisite courses or their equivalent: | ||
| PSYC 1100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2210 | Psychological Statistics | 4 |
| PSYC 3311 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| PSYC 3385 | Personality Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYC 3386 | Introduction to Psychotherapy | |
| PSYC 3390 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
Students who meet the general requirements of the university for admission to graduate study, but who do not meet the Psychology Department's specific requirements for admission to classified status or who wish to take course work prior to winter quarter consideration of their application for classified status, may be admitted to the university in the unclassified postbaccalaureate status. Unclassified postbaccalaureate students may enroll, when space is available, in selected graduate courses, with the instructor's approval.
Advancement to Candidacy
In order to be advanced to candidacy, a student must have:
- Achieved classified status;
- Secured a graduate advisor to supervise the course of study;
- Completed, with the approval of the student's advisor, at least 30 semester units of graduate course work at this university, and achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.0 ("B") in those courses;
- Satisfied the Writing Requirement for Graduate Candidacy (WRGC);
- Filed an approved Advancement to Candidacy form which must have the approval of the student's advisor, the department chair or chair of the graduate program committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Requirements for Graduation
- Completed at least 60-68 semester units of course work (depending on the culminating option selected (Thesis or Comprehensive examination) in # 2 below) in graduate program with a grade point average of at least 3.0 ("B") and grades of "C" (2.0) or better in all courses in the program with at least 30 semester units completed at this university;
- One of the following:
- Completed and defended an original thesis. Students selecting the thesis option take three units of PSYC 6953 in preparation for the thesis.
OR - Successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Students selecting the comprehensive examination option take three units of PSYC 6123 in preparation for the examination;
- Completed and defended an original thesis. Students selecting the thesis option take three units of PSYC 6953 in preparation for the thesis.
- Received the approval of the student's graduate advisor;
- Any additional general requirements not cited above and listed in Graduate Degree and Program Requirements.
The comprehensive examination is designed to be integrative in nature and is offered during the spring semester only. Students who do not receive a passing grade may elect to:- Repeat the examination, one additional time only
OR - Complete PSYC 6974 Thesis.
Complete details regarding the comprehensive examination option are available from the Psychology Department.
- Repeat the examination, one additional time only
- The Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement is met upon successful completion of either PSYC 6974 or PSYC 6980.
Classified graduate students in the Master of Science in Clinical/Counseling Psychology program must complete their degree requirements within seven years of admission to the program. Students with classified status who fail to register for at least one course in the Psychology M.S. program each quarter will automatically be declassified.
Degree Requirements (60-68 units)
(Program Code: CCPY)
| PSYC 6618 | Community and Public Mental Health | 3 |
| PSYC 6619 | Community Disaster, Trauma and Resilience | 3 |
| PSYC 6633 | Professional Ethics & Law in Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 6636 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 6638 | Substance Abuse: Detection, Assessment and Treatment | 3 |
| PSYC 6640 | Advanced Methods in Psychological Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6654 | Advanced Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 6665 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYC 6667 | Family Processes | 3 |
| PSYC 6671 | Marriage and Family Therapy Skills I | 6 |
| PSYC 6672 | Marriage and Family Therapy Skills II | 6 |
| PSYC 6674 | Child Therapy | 3 |
| PSYC 6679 | Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSYC 6682 | Clinical Assessment | 3 |
| PSYC 6871 | Marriage and Family Therapy Practicum I | 3 |
| PSYC 6872 | Marriage and Family Therapy Practicum II | 3 |
| PSYC 6971 | Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology I | 2 |
| PSYC 6972 | Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology II | 1 |
| Culminating Experience (3-11) | 3-11 | |
| Total Units | 60-68 | |
Culminating Experience (3-11 Units)
The M.S. Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program offers two culminating experience options.
Comprehensive Examination Option (3 units)
Passage of written examination covering the areas of competence assessed on the California MFT license examinations.
| PSYC 6123 | Directed Readings | 3 |
| PSYC 6980 | Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| Total Units | 3 | |
Thesis Options (11 units)
Successful completion and defense of an original research project including a review of relevant literature, methodology, data analysis, and critique.
| PSYC 6641 | Analysis of Variance | 4 |
| or PSYC 6642 | Regression and Nonparametric Statistics | |
| PSYC 6953 | Advanced Independent Study | 3 |
| PSYC 6974 | Thesis | 4 |
| Total Units | 11 | |