Counseling: Core Courses
The following eight core courses are prerequisites for the following advanced counseling courses.

CNCO 6317 Critical Evaluation of Research in Counseling
This course provides an understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation. Students will be exposed to the importance of research and opportunitites and difficulties in conducting research in the counseling profession.
Studies in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:
• basic research methods, including qualitative, quantitative, single-case designs, action
  esearch, and outcome-based research (quasi-experimental and experimental designs);
• use of technology and statistical methods in conducting research and program
  evaluation;
• principles, models and applications of needs assessment and program evaluation and
  use of findings to effect program modifications;
• ethical and legal considerations in research and use of human subjects.

CNCO 6351 Counseling Skills and Techniques
This course is designed to train students in skills necessary to establish and maintain an effective helping relationship. Basic methods,
skills and techniques of counseling such as paraphrasing, reflecting, clarification and summarizing will be taught using both
lecture and experiential means. Students will have the opportunity to practice these and many other basic skills through role plays,
videotaping and supervised counseling sessions.
Outcome:
• Demonstrate skills necessary to helping relationships.

CNCO 6352 Counseling Theories
An introduction to selected theories of counseling and psychotherapy including: psychoanalysis with Freud and other neo-
Freudians including Alfred Adler’s individual psychology, person-centered, gestalt, rational-emotive, reality, behavioral and brief
psychotherapies.
Outcome:
• Demonstrate knowledge of selected theories of counseling and psychology.

CNCO 6355 Counseling Diverse Populations
This course in multicultural counseling will focus on developing theories and strategies that match the individual and cultural background of the client, as well as expanding counseling to include the multiple helping roles of family, community and cultural groups. The course will serve as an introduction to the literature, concepts, and skills required to counsel people from populations considered diverse. Course work will emphasize factors of diversity such as ethnicity, gender, social identification, physically challenged (e.g., hearing impaired, learning disabled, etc.) and the appropriate counseling interventions for working with such populations. Cultural identity development theory also will be covered in this course.

CNCO 6356 Human Growth and Development
Covers sequential stages of the life cycle, from infancy through the aging process; explores the philosophical, physiological, intellectual, emotional and sociological and stages of human growth and development throughout the life span.
Outcomes:
• Describe developmental changes, which occur throughout the entire life cycle.
• Describe the impact of the “nature/nurture” argument on social and psycho logical
  development.
• Develop ability to integrate and apply knowledge and theories of human development
  to counseling situations.

CNCO 6363 Legal and Ethical Issues for Health Care Professionals
An examination of the laws, regulations and ethical issues affecting health care professionals in the state of Texas; case studies, fundamental legal procedures, health care law and practical preventative measures that health care professionals should take to avoid civil and criminal liability are also addressed. This course is designed to allow health care professionals to explore a wide range of legal and ethical issues that they will encounter in present day practice. Issues concerning end of life, extraordinary care, euthanasia, abortion, advanced genetic testing and treatment techniques together with professional organization code of ethics and standards of preparation that health care professionals should meet and maintain also are included.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the laws, regulations and legal reporting.
• Describe framework affecting health care laws.
• Describe practical preventative measures health care professionals must use.

CNSL 6354 Abnormal Human Behavior
This course presents various approaches to understanding abnormal behavior and experience, patterns of mental disorders, their etiology and how persons suffering from disorders can be helped.
Outcomes:
• Understand abnormal behavior and experience, patterns of mental disorders, etiology
  and diagnosis of mental disorders.
• Describe methods used to treat various mental disorders.

CNCO 6364 Introduction to System Theories in Counceling
After an overview of the systems approach to family dynamic, this course focuses on the many ways in which families experience stress and dysfunction in the roles of their members. Therapeutic applications cover the wide range of interventions with individuals, dyads and entire families, integrating intergenerational emphases, the impact of divorce and emerging family forms.
Outcomes:
• Understand the developmental life cycle of families from single adulthood to
  marriage, parenthood, retirement and death.
• Understand and explain diverse family life cycle paths and cultures.
• Demonstrate awareness of theories of family function and therapy.
• Understand and demonstrate interventions for family disruption and dysfunction such
  as divorce, abuse, medical and psychiatric illness.

Advanced Counseling Courses

CNSL 6353 Group Counseling
This course provides an overview of group dynamics and group processes with an emphasis on group counseling. This includes exploration
of group counseling models, group leadership skills and techniques, including planning, facilitating and application of counseling
theories to group work.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate awareness of group dynamics and group processes with an emphasis on
  group counseling.
• Demonstrate knowledge of group processing models and group leadership skills
  and techniques.

CNSL 6357 Drugs: Therapy and Abuse
Provides comprehensive information on the applications and actions of psychotropic drugs, both in therapy and in the etiology and treatment of drug use disorders. Students learn specific interventions, counseling and psychotherapy techniques that focus on psychotropic drugs as both adjunctive therapeutic agents and as causes and symptoms of other disorders.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate awareness of the applications and actions of psychotropic drugs in
  therapy and in the etiology and treatment of drug use disorders.

CNSL 6361 Assessment Techniques
Principles, concepts and procedures of systematic assessment of client needs; covers standard tests of general intelligence, special abilities and achievement, including administration, scoring and interpretation of these instruments.
Outcomes:
• Understand and explain principles, concepts and procedures of systematic
  assessment in counseling.
• Demonstrate ability to administer and interpret standardized tests used to assess
  clients in the counseling setting.

CNSL 6362 Career Development and Planning
A study of trends in the world of work, career development theories and practical applications, career education and sources and uses of occupational, educational and social information. Emphasis is on developing skills for assisting individuals and groups in career development and planning.
Outcomes:
• Describe the most prominent career theorists and their strengths and weaknesses.
• Administer and interpret a battery of career assessment instruments.
• Develop a career portfolio reflecting own goals, skills, knowledge and experience.
• Research potential positions and increase career options.

CNSL 6364 Family Dynamics, Dysfunctions and Therapy
After an overview of the systems approach to family dynamic, this course focuses on the many ways in which families experience stress and dysfunction in the roles of their members. Therapeutic applications cover the wide range of interventions with individuals, dyads and entire families, integrating intergenerational emphases, the impact of divorce and emerging family forms.
Outcomes:
• Understand the developmental life cycle of families from single adulthood to
  marriage, parenthood, retirement and death.
• Understand and explain diverse family life cycle paths and cultures.
• Demonstrate awareness of theories of family function and therapy.
• Understand and demonstrate interventions for family disruption and dysfunction such
  as divorce, abuse, medical and psychiatric illness.

CNSL 6365 Introduction to Assessment in Marriage and Family Therapy
This course is designed to introduce students to assessment and diagnostics of couples and family functioning. Students will simulate couples and family counseling situations to assess client needs from a systemic perspective. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353, 6354, 6361, 6364; CNEL 6331. CNSL 6366 Advanced Assessment in Marriage and Family Therapy. A continuation of CNSL 6365 with advanced assessment, diagnostic and intervention techniques that prepares students to plan and implement treatment programs for individuals, couples and families from a systemic perspective. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353, 6354, 6361, and 6364 and 6365.

CNSL 6368 Counseling Practicum I
Includes instruction in advanced counseling methods and techniques, development of a personal theory of counseling, and counseling practice with supervision. Students may document 150 or more of the 300 required practicum hours of work in a supervised field setting. Students are required to plan their practicum experiences during the last two trimesters and obtain approval from the director of the MAC program before registering. This course is graded on a pass/no pass basis.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate advanced counseling methods and techniques.
• Develop a personal theory of counseling and counseling practice.

CNSL 6369 Counseling Practicum II
A supervised professional field-based experience, primarily in the provision of direct counseling services. Students serve under the direct supervision of a licensed mental health professional and must document the remainder of the 300 practicum hours, with 100 of those hours in the provision of direct counseling services with clients. Emphasis is on the transition from student to professional counselor. Students must obtain approval from program director before registering. This course is graded on a pass/no pass basis. Prerequisites: CNSL 6368.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate appropriate strategies and interventions that integrate theory, ethics,
  client assessment information and professional counseling skills.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the client-counselor relationship.

CNSL 6370 Practicum III: Marriage and Family
Students in the LMFT concentration and in the LPC and LMFT combined concentration will complete a third trimester of Marriage and Family practicum, which requires an additional 150 hours of supervised field placement work. Students must document their completion of the 450-clock hour practicum under the supervision of a mental health professional. Students pursuing the LMFT Concentration will continue to work with individuals, couples and families from a systemic perspective. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6369 and 6366 (concurrently).

Advanced Counseling Electives

CNSL 6331 Techniques in Marriage and Family Therapy
This course will be limited to students enrolled in the LMFT or combined LPC/LMFT tracks. This course will be focused exclusively on building and practicing marriage and family therapy skills using different models. The focus of the course will be on experiential clinical work and will require students to present clinical cases based on couples and family work in their practica. Prerequisites: All CNCO courses, and CNSL 6365. This course may be taken concurrently with CNSL 6366 or CNSL 6370 Counseling Practicum III.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate knowledge necessary to understand and assess dysfunctional
  family styles.
• Demonstrate reasonable, ethical and effective planning of intervention strategies for
  counseling dysfunctional families.
• Demonstrate technical competency in the basic skills necessary to counsel
  dysfunctional families.

CNEL 6332 Techniques in Child and Adolescent Counseling
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of appropriate assessments and therapeutic techniques specifically for counseling children and adolescents. Students will learn the interaction between developmental needs of each of these age groups and the counseling techniques appropriate to those needs. Various therapeutic modalities will be discussed, demonstrated and practiced. Specific topics for counseling these age groups will be discussed, including childhood depression, ADD, adolescent suicide risk and substance abuse. Techniques for consulting with and involving parents also will be described. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353, 6354 and 6364.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate ability to assess and diagnose child and adolescent disorders.
• Demonstrate ability to integrate theory and strategy in treating children and adolescents.
• Demonstrate ability to provide appropriate counseling skills and techniques with
  children and adolescents.

CNEL 6333 Advanced Group Counseling
This course expands on the basic group counseling skills and techniques with an emphasis on combining theory and practice through both didactic and experiential explorations of group planning, group leadership skills, and development and maintenance of group process. Group composition, group stages and the tasks and skills of group members and leaders will be examined. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353 and 6354.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate an understanding of theory and practice in group counseling.
• Demonstrate appropriate types of interventions in group counseling.
• Demonstrate awareness of appropriate group roles and leadership roles in group
  counseling.
• Demonstrate effective group leadership in group counseling.

CNEL 6334 Brief Therapy
This course will provide an overview of the various theories and approaches to brief therapy. The applied portion of the course will concentrate on ways of working with clients that are common to all brief therapies, including framing, pattern, paradoxical, metaphorical, solution-oriented and family interventions. Particular emphasis will be given to the first session in brief therapy. The experiential component of the course will include demonstration and practice with brief techniques. The course also will examine ethical issues in brief therapy. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353, 6354 and 6364.
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate understanding of the various theoretical approaches to brief therapy.
• Demonstrate ability to plan strategies of intervention using brief therapy approaches.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the skills and techniques of brief therapy in the counseling
  setting.

CNEL 6335 Special Topics/Settings
This course is designed to allow exploration of current and contemporary topics and settings in counseling. Among the possible topics and settings to be considered are the following: geriatric counseling; crisis management and intervention counseling; health psychology; substance abuse and chemical dependency; death, dying and grief therapy; suicide; anger management; stress management; family violence and abuse; spirituality in counseling; and criminal/forensic psychology. Prerequisites: All core (CNCO) courses; CNSL 6353, 6354 and 6364. May be repeated when topics vary.
Outcome:
• Specific outcomes will be related to course topic chosen.

LPC students can also take CNSL 6365 and CNSL 6366 if they have met the prerequisites.