The curriculum for the Master of Arts in counseling is designed as a developmental model wherein students begin as novice counselors and progress to become professional counselors by advancing through the program. There is a core set of courses taken by all students (30 credits) and an additional set of courses for each of the specific tracks: clinical mental health counseling (30 credits), school counseling (30 credits), and marriage, couple, and family counseling (30 credits). Through completion of the program, students will be academically prepared to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or a certified school counselor in Pennsylvania as well as many other states.
The CAGS is designed for students who have earned a master’s degree in an appropriate counseling-related field and who desire to take continuing education course work, often to meet the state requirements for PA licensure or certification. The particular courses (a minimum of 12 credits) for students in the CAGS program will be tailored to the specific needs of each student. Students pursuing the CAGS with field experience must take one on-campus intensive course, while a CAGS that does not include field experience can be completed entirely online.
Syllabi for all courses are posted on the Graduate Counseling Canvas site about one month before the class begins.