Master of Arts - Counseling Psychology

Curriculum - MA in Counseling Psychology

The curriculum table that follows lists the tentative schedule of courses each quarter:

Year I

Year 2

Total Requirements

Expected Learning Outcomes

The educational objectives of the M.A. in Counseling Psychology are focused on the education and training of our graduates. We support our graduates in becoming:  

• Learners who are keenly aware of and invested in themselves as instruments, and as such able to create and follow robust plans of self-care utilizing mind-body-spirit techniques and components, as well as a curiosity and openness about the recognition that graduate school is a profound growth experience, and involves ongoing development and care of the self.
• Skilled in the ethical and professional practice of mental health counseling, including a thorough understanding of one’s roles, responsibilities and the practice of ethical decision making.
• Competent in working across cultural differences, including the cultivation of the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to work with those different than oneself across a wide range of social identities.
• Knowledgeable about human growth and development, including theories of both individuals and groups that support optimal development across the lifespan. Proponents of the knowledge that wellness and wholeness are about more than alleviation of pain and suffering, and are deeply rooted in Love, Joy, Self-Actualization and a life truly worth living.
• Skilled in the practice of mental health counseling with both individuals and groups, including the development of the therapeutic relationship, assessment, and clinical interventions, all informed by theory and research.
• Able to access and critically assess published research in counseling and psychology based on an understanding of statistics and research design.
• Qualified to pass national and state counseling exams.

Curriculum and course changes in the 2012-13 Bastyr University Catalog are applicable to students entering during the 2012-13 academic year. Please refer to the appropriate catalog if interested in curriculum and courses required for any other entering year.

Clinical Training - MACP

As a student pursuing the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP), you also will have the opportunity to put the scientific theories and counseling skills learned in the classroom into practice with supervised clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health.

This real-world experience prepares you to become a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), with guidance through this process by experienced mental health professionals from Bastyr's clinical faculty.

Your rotation at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health begins during the summer term of your first year in the program, when you will be given the opportunity to practice your basic counseling and assessment skills as you assist and support clients with mental health issues.

Diverse Patient Population

With an average of 35,000 patient visits annually, Bastyr Center offers a valuable opportunity for you to interact with a culturally diverse client population. Through this clinical experience, you'll learn to recognize health conditions and assist and support clients in dealing with multiple psychological disorders.

This clinical training at Bastyr Center, combined with the external work experience required of MACP students, will provide a foundation for effective clinical practice in your future career.

Patient Contacts/Training Hours

• One quarter of clinical training at Bastyr Center under the direct supervision of Bastyr clinical faculty. 
• This clinical training helps prepare you for a carefully chosen nine-month practicum at a community agency working 16 to 20 hours a week, with 40 percent of your time working in direct contact with clients.
• Practicum examples include Sound Mental Health, Monarch Children's Justice and Advocacy Center and Compass Health.