☰ In This Section

Counseling Program Details

Master of Arts

In Bethel’s M.A. in Counseling program, you’ll gain expertise in clinical mental health counseling so that you're ready to serve clients in diverse settings. Our program is accredited for Clinical Mental Health Counseling by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Face to Face

Evening

You'll meet during the evening on campus.

Location: St. Paul

Start Dates: Fall 2024

Total Credits

60

Finish in as Few as

33 months

Courses

  • Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (COUN600)

    Exploration of the history and current practice of mental health counseling. Examination of professional identity, practice issues, professional organizations and standards, and working with systems. Evaluation of the issues of serving diverse communities and access to service.

    3 credits

  • Family Systems (COUN605)

    Exploration of family systems and the major family therapy theories including their application to case conceptualization, clinical treatment planning and clinical intervention methods. Examination of the relationship between theory and practice and critiquing models in light of current research perspectives, including gender and diversity concerns.

    3 credits

  • Counseling Microskills (COUN610)

    Development of core counseling skills and attitudes that promote effective counseling. Identification of counselor characteristics and behaviors that impact the counseling process. Application of basic counseling skills including ethical and cultural senstive strategies for creating and maintaining therapeutic relationships.

    3 credits

  • Worldview and Integration of Faith and Spirituality in Counseling (COUN615)

    Examination of different worldviews and their impact on the counseling process. Evaluation of the impact of religious beliefs and spirituality upon clients, counselors and the therapeutic process. Examination of one's own worldview. Integration of religious beliefs and spirituality within the counseling process.

    3 credits

  • Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice (COUN620)

    Demonstration of knowledge of theories and models of multicultural counseling. Examination of heritage, attitudes and beliefs upon view of others. Application of social justice ethical principles. Evaluation of power and privilege. Examination of personal cultural identity. Integration of ethical and culturally sensitive counseling strategies.

    3 credits

  • Theories and Techniques of Group Counseling (COUN625)

    A study of the theories, techniques, history, and principles related to group practice in counseling. Emphasis is on development of group facilitation skills. Ethical concerns, multicultural adaptations, and spiritual integration in group dynamics are addressed.

    3 credits

  • Addictions Counseling (COUN630)

    Demonstration of knowledge of addiction counseling and its various forms. Demonstration of understanding of the etiology of addiction, symptoms, assessments, and diagnoses including co-occurring disorders. Examination of neurological factors and the role of psychopharmacology in addiction counseling. Evaluation of evidence-based treatment approaches. Examination of legal and ethical issues and gender and culturally responsible counseling strategies specific to addictions counseling.

    3 credits

  • Lifespan Development (COUN635)

    Demonstration of knowledge of human development and aging issues. Examination of developmental theory assumptions. Examination of biological, cultural, social and spiritual factors. Evaluation of crisis and trauma. Integration of cultural and developmental factors in clinical practice.

    3 credits

  • Psychopathology and Diagnosis (COUN640)

    Demonstration of knowledge of diagnostic categories of the DSM-5 and ICD. Examination of the history and etiology of psychopathologies. Demonstration of ability to extract important diagnostic information in the diagnostic process. Evaluation of client’s context to formulate diagnosis. Analysis of diagnosis to understand clinical issues. Examination of ethical issues of diagnoses and treatment.

    3 credits

  • Individual and Family Assessment (COUN645)

    Examination of assessment throughout the counseling process. Current and historical context of assessment and testing in counseling. Emphasis on administration, scoring, and interpretation of instruments for assessment and diagnosis of personality and psychopathology; psychometric properties; ethical use of instruments; factors affecting reliability and validity; and synthesizing data. Ethical and cultural relevant strategies for assessment are addressed.

    3 credits

    Corequisite Course: COUN650

  • Theories and Techniques of Counseling (COUN650)

    Demonstration of knowledge of the major theories and models of counseling and consultation. Demonstration of theoretical applications including case conceptualization, clinical treatment planning, and clinical intervention methods. Evaluation of counseling models from theological and contemporary counseling research including gender and diversity concerns. Examination of counseling problems from different theoretical perspectives. Examination of evidence based treatment approaches.

    3 credits

  • Professional Orientation and Ethics (COUN655)

    Demonstration of knowledge of the legal and professional structures of the counseling profession. Demonstration of knowledge of ethical standards, codes of ethics, and MN state licensure. Application of ethical decision making steps. Examination of current professional issues. Examination of cultural and spiritual considerations of ethical issues in the clinical context.

    3 credits

  • Research Methods and Evaluation (COUN660)

    Evaluation of research designs applicable to professional counseling. Evaluation of effectiveness research in clinical practice. Development of research skills with emphasis on critiquing published research and using effectiveness research in clinical decision making. Application of ethical and culturally relevant strategies for research.

    3 credits

  • Clinical Assessment and Intervention (COUN665)

    Demonstration of knowledge of crisis intervention models. Application of crisis intervention skills to clinical scenarios. Examination of ethical and culturally responsible strategies with clients in crisis. Application of intake and mental health assessments to clinical scenarios. Specific focus on treatment planning and crisis intervention models including suicidal clients, child abuse and neglect, and IPV.

    3 credits

  • Theories and Techniques of Career Counseling (COUN670)

    Examination of major career development theories and their application to practice. Specific topics include career assessments, gender and cultural implications and career decision-making. Emphasis on practical skills to support client career decisions and development.

    3 credits

  • Child and Adolescent Counseling (COUN675)

    Overview of the major theories and techniques for working with children and adolescents in counseling. Topics include: behavioral interventions, expressive therapy interventions, communication with school and outside services, legal and ethical issues specific to children and adolescents, and multicultural practice implications. Specific focus on the family system and its engagement in the counseling process.

    3 credits

  • Neuroscience, Counseling, and Trauma (COUN680)

    Identification of biological and neurological mechanisms of mental health. Demonstration of knowledge of crisis and trauma impact on brain and individual functioning. Identification of evidence based trauma treatment strategies. Examination of ethical, cultural, and religious/spiritually responsive strategies for trauma treatment. Application of trauma interventions.

    3 credits

  • Practicum (COUN780)

    Demonstration of professional counseling competencies in initial supervised counseling experience at a community placement site. Demonstration of professional and ethical behavior including administration skills and self-evaluation. Application of theoretical constructs to clinical cases. Implementation of individual and group supervision feedback. Completion of 100 hours of experience at a practicum site including 40 hours of direct client contact hours.

    2 credits

  • Internship I (COUN781)

    Demonstration of professional counseling competencies in supervised counseling internship experience at a community placement site. Demonstration of professional and ethical behavior including administration skills and self-evaluation. Application of theoretical constructs to clinical cases. Implementation of individual and group supervision feedback. Completion of 300 hours of experience at a practicum site including 120 hours of direct client contact hours.

    4 credits

  • Internship II (COUN790)

    Advanced supervised counseling internship provides students the continued opportunity to gain professional and clinical experience providing mental health services to the community. 300 hours of experience at an internship site including a minimum of 120 direct client contact hours. Individual and group weekly supervision is required. Completion of course signified the completion of program clinical training requirements

    4 credits

Program Plan of Study

The M.A. in Counseling degree at Bethel is a 60 semester-credit program offered over 33 months. The Program Plan of Study shows the required courses by year. The final year of the program includes a 12-month clinical practicum/internship course sequence.

This program fulfills the educational requirements for licensure in the state of Minnesota. To obtain this license, you’ll need to complete and meet all requirements of the LPC/LPCC applications, pass a national exam, and complete additional supervision and clinical hours required by the state. While our program prepares you for the national exam, we cannot guarantee you’ll pass the exam. If you want to obtain a professional license in a state other than Minnesota, note that each state has its own licensure requirements. As a CACREP accredited program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, the M.A. in Counseling Program does fulfill the educational requirements for counseling licensure in almost all states. 

Methods of Instruction

The M.A. in Counseling program incorporates a variety of instructional methods including role plays, group discussions, experiential activities, group and individual projects, papers, journal writing, presentations, and lectures to demonstrate knowledge and practice skills.

Practicum and Internships

The program has a 12-month clinical training series beginning in the second summer and continuing throughout the end of the program. With support and assistance from the clinical director, students will secure a site in an area of interest, where they will work directly with clients under supervision to serve the mental health needs of the community. The clinical series is made up of three courses: Practicum (summer), Internship I (fall) and Internship II (spring).

Program Mission

The M.A. in Counseling Program is informed by an understanding of Christian faith and mental health.  We are committed to training graduate-level clinicians to be instruments of change that reflect a compassionate presence to the diverse and changing communities they will serve. Graduate students are trained in the knowledge and skills of effective counseling and ethical practice in order to seek social justice and offer hope as they serve others with integrity and humility.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the M.A. in Counseling program at Bethel University will:

  • Develop a professional identity as a clinical mental health counselor within the broader counseling profession. 
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the counseling core curriculum and specialty area of clinical mental health counseling. 
  • Apply evidence-based practice research to the delivery and evaluation of effective counseling. 
  • Demonstrate ethical responsiveness and ethical decision making in counseling practice. 
  • Develop cultural sensitivity, responsiveness, and a social justice advocacy mindset as a professional counselor.
  • Develop professional sensitivity and responsiveness to religious and spiritual diversity throughout the counseling process. 
  • Demonstrate competencies as a professional counselor in a clinical mental health setting.  

 

2022-2023 Vital Statistics Report

Enrollment as of Spring 2023 67
Graduates (Spring 2023) 24
Completion Rate (% graduated in expected timeframe) 100%
Licensure/Certification exam pass rate* 90%
Job Placement Rate (within 6 months of graduation) 100%

*27 out of 30 of our graduates have taken the exam and passed.

2021-2022 Vital Statistics Report

Enrollment as of Spring 2022 72
Graduates (Spring 2022) 17
Completion Rate (% graduated in expected timeframe) 100%
Licensure/Certification exam pass rate 90%
Job Placement Rate (within 6 months of graduation) 100%

 

2020-2021 Vital Statistics Report

Enrollment as of Spring 2021 64
Graduates (Spring 2021) 18
Completion Rate (% graduated in expected timeframe) 100%
Licensure/Certification exam pass rate 90%
Job Placement Rate (within 6 months of graduation) 100%

 

2019-2020 Vital Statistics Report*

Enrollment as of Spring 2020 63
Graduates (Spring 2020) 23
Completion Rate (% graduated in expected timeframe) 100%
Licensure/Certification exam pass rate 86%
Job Placement Rate (within 6 months of graduation) 100%

*First graduating class of M.A. in Counseling program

 

Annual Assessment Report

The M.A. in Counseling program completes a comprehensive program assessment and publishes an annual report.