The Counselor Education Program prepares students to address the counseling and human development needs of a pluralistic society. The program recruits and retains students who reflect the broad range of diversity found in New Mexico. Students graduate with knowledge and skills in core competency areas that include: professional identity, ethics, social and cultural foundations, human growth and development, career development, helping relationships, group work, assessment, and research and program evaluation.
The Counselor Education Program features an integration of theory, research, practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration. It is intended to prepare counselors who are informed, who will be sensitive to the diversity and uniqueness of individuals, families, and communities, and will value and promote the dignity, potential and well-being of all people. The program prepares professional counselors and counselor educators to respond to a world with challenging and pressing social problems.
Faculty members are committed to integrating teaching, scholarship, research, clinical practice and service, while promoting a climate of social justice, systemic change and advocacy. The faculty’s goal is to infuse multicultural and diversity training in all aspects of academic and clinical course work in order to prepare multiculturally competent counselors and counselor educators. From the beginning of the graduate course of study, classroom education is combined with on-site training. These experiences provide the opportunity for students to work in and with various educational settings and community agencies.
Courses
COUN 513.
Career Counseling.
(3)
A practical and theoretical foundation for understanding the relationship of personal and career development theories to counseling practice. Includes vocational choice theory, lifestyle choices, occupational and educational information, decision making processes and career exploration techniques.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 514.
Supervision of Counseling Services.
(3)
Includes principles and techniques involved in developing and supervising counseling and guidance services in a variety of settings, including colleges and universities, public schools and various community agencies.
Restriction: admitted to doctoral Counselor Education program.
COUN 515.
Testing and Assessment in Counseling.
(3)
Aimed at helping counselors evaluate, administer and interpret psychological tests. Includes history, ethics, sources of information, study of test manuals and the development of skill in test interpretation.
Prerequisite: (EDPY 500 or EDPY 505) and (EDPY 502 or EDPY 511).
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 517.
Theories of Counseling.
(3)
Examination and analysis of major counseling and psychotherapy theories and their application. Consideration of philosophical bases and ethical implications. Treatment strategies and goals of each theory.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 518.
Group Counseling.
(3)
An introductory course in group counseling. Topics include group organization, types of groups, stages of group development, communication, group roles, feedback, diagnosing and problems in the group process.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 519.
Practicum in Group Counseling.
(3 to a maximum of 6 ?)
An experience in working directly with clients in a group setting with supervision provided by program faculty.
Prerequisite: 522 and 590
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
COUN 520.
Foundations of Counseling.
(3)
Designed to acquaint students with the professional field of counseling. A variety of didactic and experiential approaches are utilized. Includes lectures, group discussion, guest speakers, videos and service-learning experiences.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 521.
Community Agency Counseling.
(3)
An introduction and orientation to the community model. Roles, responsibilities and functions of the community mental health counselor are examined. Knowledge and strategies designed to create systemic changes in clients’ social environment are presented.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 530.
COUN 522.
Communication Skills in Counseling.
(3)
Designed to introduce the student to basic communication skills fundamental to the interviewing process. Skills will be approached with a practical application to the counseling setting.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 530 and 584 and 610.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 525.
Experiential Counseling.
(3)
Emphasizes experiential activities in counseling. This course presents an approach which incorporates academic cognitive skills, group counseling skills and experiential skills. It combines cognitive behavioral, group and humanistic counseling methods in experiential learning.
COUN 530.
Dynamics of Human Behavior.
(3)
An examination of major theories of personality and human behavior. The course provides an overview of personality and behavioral theory including clinical, philosophical, historical and developmental issues.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 541.
Counseling Children and Adolescents.
(3)
This course addresses the developmental issues and psychological concerns of infants, elementary school-aged children and adolescents and provides knowledge about appropriate therapeutic interventions for this population.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 530 and (FS 503 or EDPY 503).
COUN 545.
School Counseling.
(3)
School counseling as a profession is addressed. Roles and responsibilities of school counselors at various educational levels are described. Professional, ethical, legal, multicultural and family issues as they impact school counselor role are included.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 530.
COUN 560.
Family Counseling.
(3)
An introduction to history and practice of counseling with families. A number of leading experts in the field will be studied with respect to their theoretical approach to the subject as well as their techniques.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 530 and FS 517
COUN 576.
Diagnosis of Mental Disorders.
(3)
A comprehensive overview of physiological aspects of behavior which may impact the counseling process. Emphasis will be placed on psychopathology and diagnosis in accordance with the DSM and ICD.
Prerequisite: 520 and 530 and 517 and 518
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 581.
Sexuality in Counseling and Psychotherapy.
(3)
Broadly based examination of psychological, biological and social aspects of sexuality with emphasis on the professional’s own values, attitudes and knowledge in working with clients with sexual concerns and problems.
COUN 584.
Multicultural Issues in the Helping Professions.
(3)
Provides fundamentals in multicultural competence useful in human service and educational settings. Working effectively with multicultural families requires self awareness, knowledge of information specific to various cultures and the development of skills for successful interaction.
Prerequisite: Two from 517, 518, 520, 530.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 590.
Practicum in Counseling.
(3)
An experience providing counseling services to diverse clients in an on-campus setting where supervision is provided by program faculty and doctoral students under faculty supervision.
Prerequisite: 517 and 518 and 520 and 522 and 530 and 584 and 610.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
COUN 591.
Problems.
(1-3 to a maximum of 6 ?)
COUN 593.
Topics.
(1-3, no limit ?)
Various current topics in counseling and counseling psychology are offered. Contact the department office for information about topics courses planned for the near future.
COUN 595.
Internship .
(3 to a maximum of 6 ?)
Students provide counseling services to diverse clients in either a school or community agency setting. Supervision is provided by experienced counselors in the field setting with coordination by program faculty. Attendance at a weekly seminar on campus is required.
Prerequisite: 590.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
COUN 610.
Professional Issues and Ethics.
(3)
Contemporary issues, trends and ethical considerations in counseling are reviewed and critiqued. Provides an overview of the helping profession, professional roles, organizations, ethical and professional preparation standards, credentialing, licensure and public policy issues.
Prerequisite: Two from 517, 518, 520, 530.
Restriction: admitted to graduate Counselor Education program.
COUN 620.
Seminar in Counseling.
(3)
Doctoral seminars in topics such as professional issues, teaching and consultation are offered for advanced graduate students.
COUN 621.
Advanced Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy.
(3)
An in-depth comparison and contrast of major theories of counseling and psychotherapy. Theories representative of existential, psychoanalytic and behavioral viewpoints are considered.
COUN 630.
Advanced Practicum in Counseling.
(3-6 to a maximum of 6 ?)
Offered on CR/NC basis only.
COUN 696.
Internship.
(3-6 to a maximum of 12 ?)
Offered on CR/NC basis only.
COUN 699.
Dissertation.
(3-12, no limit ?)
Offered on CR/NC basis only.
