Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.valdosta.edu.

Dr. Kate Warner, Head
Room 2104, Converse Hall

The Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy provides programs of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the undergraduate level, the department offers B.A. and B.S. degrees with a major in psychology.

At the graduate level, the department offers the M.S. degree with a concentration in clinical/counseling psychology or in industrial/organizational psychology. Graduates are prepared to perform services in mental health settings, businesses, community colleges, government or industries that require graduate training in psychology at the subdoctoral level.

The department also offers programs leading to the M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees with a major in school counseling. These programs train and endorse program graduates specifically for employment in the public school setting and community. Students in these programs are required to satisfy all Georgia Professional Standards Commission requirements for certification as a component part of the degree programs. These programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, and the College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The school counseling programs are approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Department faculty instruct courses and serve on doctoral committees for students enrolled in the College of Education doctoral programs. All department faculty hold the doctorate. Information concerning these programs, their admission requirements (which differ by degree program), continuing education, and other services offered by the department can be obtained by contacting the department.

Admission Requirements for the Master of Science Degrees

Regular Admission

To be considered for admission, the applicant must submit:

An appropriate undergraduate degree. Usually those holding either the B.S. or B.A. degree in psychology, or an undergraduate degree in a related field with a minimum of 15 semester hours in psychology, would meet this requirement. Specific prerequisite courses will be determined by the department admissions committee.
The applicant must have earned a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale, calculated on all work attempted in which letter grades were awarded, and must present a minimum score of 153 (62nd percentile) on the combined Verbal Reasoning section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a minimum score of 145 (32nd percentile) on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.
Three letters of recommendation from professionals (at least two of which should be from faculty, if possible) acquainted with the applicant’s academic or vocational background and interests. These letters must reflect the ability, interest, and motivation of the applicant to be successful in the program of study and the career field.
A written statement of no more than 250-500 words describing the applicant’s interest in this program and post-degree plans. This written statement must demonstrate articulation, writing skill, and goals consistent with the outcomes of the degree program.

Probationary Admission

For consideration for probationary admission, applicants should submit the three letters of recommendation (A-3) and the written statement (A-4) as set forth above, and meet one of the two following conditions. (NOTE: An applicant scoring below the necessary minimum of 400 on the Verbal scale of the GRE may receive probationary admission, if a score of 3.5 or better is obtained on the GRE analytic writing section.)

undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and scores of at least 145 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE and 141 on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.¹

undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or above and scores of at least 153 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE and 145 on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.¹

¹In addition to standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and GPA, the Admission Committee may consider the applicant’s TOEFL score (where appropriate) and disaggregated characteristics of academic transcripts (with special attention to grades in the last two years of the applicant’s undergraduate program and psychology coursework).

Departmental Requirements in Addition to University Admission Requirements

Admission to departmental programs requires 15 semester hours of undergraduate psychology courses appropriate to the graduate major.

Retention Policy

The university faculty has the duty and responsibility to provide the public with ethical and competent practitioners. To achieve these goals, the university adopts selective admissions, retention, and graduation policies. The delivery of psychological and counseling services, especially of a clinical nature, in schools, mental health settings, and organizations requires the practitioner to meet both academic and professional standards of competence. Accordingly, the faculty of the Department of Psychology and Counseling has adopted requirements that candidates must meet in order to graduate from one of the department’s graduate programs. These requirements include that candidates must demonstrate professionally appropriate behavior and may be terminated for academic and non-academic reasons. To read the complete policy, click here.

Academic progress is determined by grades earned in the program of study for which the candidate is currently enrolled, as well as performance on comprehensive examinations as required by the specific program. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward a graduate degree offered by the Department of Psychology and Counseling. Candidates will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C,” while credited toward the degree, will result in one deficiency point. A grade of “D” is two deficiency points; a grade of “F” or “WF” or “U” is three deficiency points. Candidates must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the departmental program of study to graduate. If a candidate wishes to withdraw from a class with a grade of “WP,” it is the candidate’s responsibility to initiate and complete the withdrawal process prior to the midterm deadline. “WP” grades do not affect academic deficiency points or grade point average.

Gifted In-Field Endorsement

Counseling

COUN 7010. Comprehensive Developmental School Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7800. Development of school counseling programs that establish the school counseling program as an integral component of the academic mission of the school, ensure equitable access to school counseling for all students, identify the knowledge and skills that all students acquire as a result of P-12 school counseling programs, and ensure that the comprehensive school counseling program is delivered in a systematic fashion to all students.

COUN 7020. Expressive Arts in Counseling. 3 Hours.

An examination of the history, rationale, and practice of expressive arts in counseling. The course will enhance student knowledge and skill in expressive arts techniques, with a focus on multicultural perspectives for a variety of populations. Students will also learn how to incorporate expressive arts into various counseling theoretical orientations.

COUN 7400. Counseling Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate Program in Department. Introduction to major theoretical approaches to counseling and development. Theories of personality and the causes of mental illness and emotional distress will be reviewed as frameworks for intervention. Specific case examples will illustrate applications of theory to professional practices.

COUN 7420. Counseling Children and Adolescents. 3 Hours.

Also offered as PSYC 7420. Prerequisite: SCHC 7400. Theories, methdos, and techniques of psychotherapy with children. Emphasis will be placed on a multidimensional view of intervention with children, fiving attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, affective, organic, educational, social, and environmental issues.

COUN 7430. Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling. 3 Hours.

An examination of the professional, ethical, and legal concerns of school and clinical counselors with an emphasis on ethical and legal standards of practice.

COUN 7450. Group Counseling. 3 Hours.

Aso offered as PSYC 7450. Prerequisite: SCHC 7400. Group dynamics and their importance in the counseling process and counseling outcome are studied. Emphasis is given to the application of various counseling and psychotherapeutic approaches within the group setting.

COUN 7470. Counseling Culturally Diverse Populations. 3 Hours.

Also offered as PSYC 7470. Prerequisite: COUN 7400. Survey of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural and diverse society. Emphasis placed on a knowledge base related to theory, techniques and skills utilized in working with culturally diverse populations.

COUN 7800. Orientation to Counseling as a Profession. 3 Hours.

An orientation to the field of counseling. The assumptions, theories, strategies, applications, and ethical and legal considerations related to development in counseling are studied. The core requirements and multicultural competencies necessary to becoming a counselor, the various employment opportunities and settings in the counseling profession, and the roles and functions of counselors in these settings are emphasized. Threaded throughout the course will be the concept of the counselor as social change agent and advocate for clients, the community, and the counseling profession.

COUN 7820. Career Counseling. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the theories of career choice and to human development processes which influence career choice. Emphasis is placed on the nature and use of educational and occupational information in assisting individuals to explore the world of work and develop meaningful career plans. The course includes lab experiences consisting of administering scoring and interpreting career inventories. Students also learn about computer-assisted career development including the Georgia Career Information System. Open as an elective to all graduate majors.

COUN 7830. Consultation and Advocacy in School Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7010. Emphasis is placed on skills and competencies in the areas of consultation and advocacy that allow the student to function effectively as a counsultant in the school system and as an advocate for all students.

COUN 7850. Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 3 Hours.

An introduction and historical overview of the clinical mental health counseling profession. Roles and functions of clinical mental health counselors across various settings and services will be explored. Current trends, professional issues, ethical codes, preparations standards, and licensing processes will be examined.

COUN 7890. Issues in Mental Health Counseling. 3 Hours.

An examination of selected issues related to clinical mental health counseling including but not limited to the following: preparation standards related to clinical mental health counseling, advocacy and consultation, crisis intervention, private practice, spitituality in counseling, treatment planning, and family counseling.

COUN 7900. Counseling Skills and Techniques. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7400. Advanced course in counseling and psychotherapeutic approaches emphasizing skill development. Extensive role playing in dyads and groups will be critiqued. Basic attending, empathy, and relationship skills will be emphasized as well as specific techniques such as desensitization, contracting, and role reversal.

COUN 7930. College and Career Development. 3 Hours.

Examination of the college and career development and planning process with a focus on current career counseling interventions at the P-12 and college levels. This course explores current issues facing counselors in the college and career advising process as well as career counseling for special student populations.

COUN 7950. Assessment in Counseling. 3 Hours.

A comprehensive introduction to assessment in counseling including basic assessment principles and specific assessment methods (i.g., initial assessments, intelligence testing, achievement/sptitude assessment, personality appraisal, and behavioral assessment). This course places an emphasis on selecting, administering, scoring and communicating.

COUN 7981. School Counseling Practicum I. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7900.

COUN 7991. School Counseling Internship I. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7981 and Graduate Standing.

COUN 7992. School Counseling Internship II. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: COUN 7981 and Graduate Standing.

Marriage and Family Therapy

MFTH 6700. Family Sociology. 3 Hours.

The social context of contemporary issues facing families. Including family history, cross-cultural issues, and research and theory regarding changing gender roles, family violence and abuse, divorce, single-parenting, work families, sexual orientation, non-traditional families, and other relevant issues.

MFTH 6800. Relational Theory, Practice, and Ethics. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the basic epistemological theories and practices in marriage and family therapy, history of the field and current developments, and the ethics and values associated with a systemic orientation to change. Implications for practice are emphasized.

MFTH 6900. Foundations of Family Therapy. 3 Hours.

Introduction to postmodern theory and social constructionism. The course will focus on understanding human interaction, meaning making, and problem resolution through both relational and narrative lenses. Students will explore the relationship between meaning, language, stories, and cultural discourses.

MFTH 6990. Supervisor's Training in Marriage and Family Therapy. 3 Hours.

Limited to graduate students who already hold the master's degree and are pursuing the status of "Supervisor in Train- ing" through the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (Graded on S/U basis). Offered on an individual basis, readings of supervision, supervision styles, systemic family therapy, and ethics for supervision will be explored.

MFTH 7050. Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: MFTH 6800. An in-depth study of the skills, sensitivities, and theoretical ideas needed by family therapists to encounter otherness and navigate the interface between professional responsibilities, ethics, social justice, and the social and political context of treatment. Implications for practice are emphasized.

MFTH 7101. Family Systems Theories. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: MFTH 6800. An in-depth study of family systems theory. Emphasis on the major schools of thought included in a systems analysis of the family and current issues and ideas within family systems discourse.

MFTH 7102. Interventions in MFT. 3 Hours.

Pre or co-requisite: MFTH 7101. A review of the various intervention techniques employed by the major theoretical approaches to MFT. Emphasis on skill development, video and role-play demonstrations, and linking practice to theory and appropriate treatment goals.

MFTH 7103. Advanced Theories Seminar. 1 Hour.

Prerequisite: MFTH 7102. A series of seminars that allow students to develop in depth understanding of at least two theoretical approaches to MFT. Examples of offerings include structural/strategic, experiential, family of origin, narrative/constructivism, feminist, solution-oriented. May be repeated.

MFTH 7200. Research in Marriage and Family Therapy. 3 Hours.

An examination of the various concepts and theories used in marriage and family therapy research. Outcome research will be emphasized. Students will be expected to complete a major project demonstrating their ability to perform research in family therapy.

MFTH 7350. Legal Issues in MFT. 1 Hour.

Prerequisite; MFTH 6800. Legal responsibilities and liabilities in the practice of family therapy. Addresses issues such as limits to confidentiality, therapist liability, and client privilege. Includes working with the legal system and relevant aspects of family law.

MFTH 7400. Psychopathology & Pharmacology in MFT. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: MFTH 6800. Legal responsibilities and liabilities in the practice of family therapy. Addresses issues such as limits to confidentiality, therapist liability, and client privilege. Includes working with the legal system and relevant aspects of family law.

MFTH 7500. Development in the Family System. 3 Hours.

Human growth and development within the family system. Includes theories of individual development, developmental tasks over the family life cycle, normative and non-normative change, processes of divorce and remarriage, and social, economic, and ethnic influences on the family life cycle. Implications for practice are emphasized.

MFTH 7510. Human Sexuality and Gender. 3 Hours.

The cultural, social, physical, psychological, and interpersonal aspects of human sexuality and gender. Includes gender role socialization and the development of gendered identities, sexual functioning and attraction, sexual orientation, and problems related to sex and gender.

MFTH 7550. Family Stress and Crisis. 3 Hours.

Understanding normative and catastrophic stress, trauma, and crisis across the lifespan from a family systems perspective. Focus on approaches to preventions and intervention with families, agencies, and communities.

MFTH 7600. Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy. 6 Hours.

Prerequisite: MFTH 7102 and approval of the MFT Faculty. Co-requisite: MFTH 7350. Supervised experience in the practice of marriage and family therapy. Includes practice and live supervision at the MFT Training Clinic as well as experience in community placements. Requires a minimum of 20 hours per week. Must be taken three successive semesters for a total of 500 hours of direct client contact.

MFTH 7601. Treatment Issues in Family Therapy. 3 Hours.

A review of the predominant treatment modalities used by family therapists when treating families in crisis. Emphasis will be placed on intervention issues surrounding family violence, sexual coercion, and the role of the conflict.

MFTH 7602. Couples and Sex Therapy. 3 Hours.

A review of those theories, specific therapies, and research studies applied to couples with an emphasis on the marital dyad.

MFTH 7650. Special Topics in MFT. 1-3 Hours.

A rotating series of seminars addressing important contemporary issues in the field of marriage and family therapy. Examples of topics include working with children, working with adolescents, spirituality, family violence, and substance abuse. May be repeated for credit.

MFTH 7700. Assessment in Marriage and Family Therapy.. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: MFTH 7101 and MFTH 7500. How to assess family processes within a developmental context. Models for assessing family functioning and use of individual and family assessment instruments will be included.

MFTH 7880. Professional Ethics Seminar. 1 Hour.

Addresses professional issues in the workplace. Includes marketing oneself, politics of the workplace, professional licensure and clinical membership, working in interdisciplinary teams, professional wellness, and the ethics, values, and decision-making associated with current practice issues.

MFTH 7980. Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy. 1-5 Hours.

Prerequisite: MFTH 7600. Supervised experience in the practice of marriage and family therapy in a community placement. Requires enough direct contact hours additional to practicum to total 500 before graduating.

MFTH 7990. Directed Study in Family Therapy. 1-3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Specialized study in an area of Marriage and Family Therapy under the direction of a faculty member.

Psychology

PSYC 5400. Abnormal Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. The nature and etiology of the various of behavior disorder, mental deficiency, and other deviations. Critical evaluation of current theories.

PSYC 5500. Statistical Methods in Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Uni- variate and bivariate statistical methods for research in the behavioral sciences.

PSYC 5700. Rehabilitation Psychology. 3 Hours.

The course focuses on biological, personality, cognitive, and social effects of disabilities on adult development. Em- phasis is placed on sensory and motor disabilities and the roles played by vocational rehabilitation programs, indepen- dent living initiatives, and the community integration move- ment on rehabilitation. Implications of theory, research, and program implementation on rehabilitation outcomes are made.

PSYC 5800. Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Theory and application of psychological principles to in- dustrial and organizational settings.

PSYC 6500. Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Approval of advisor and instructor.

PSYC 6610. Counseling Gifted/Talented Children and Youth. 3 Hours.

An overview of issues relevant to the counseling and guidance of gifted and talented children and youth. Issues include, but are not limited to, conceptions of giftedness, motivation, self-image, relationships, career planning, counseling needs, intervention methods, and programs designed to fulfill the needs of this population.

PSYC 7000. Methods in School Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate Program in the Department. An introduction to the modern role of school psychologists to include response to intervention strategies and current special education law. Historical, current, and future status of psychological services in the schools will be explored. Professional, ethical, and cultural issues will be presented for discussion with particular attention to recent developments in federal and state laws that affect the delivery of services in the school.

PSYC 7010. Learning and Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100. This course assists the in-service educator (teacher, administrator, coach, curriculum supervisor, etc.) to understand the learning and assessment as they apply in educational settings.

PSYC 7020. Principles of Learning and Classroom Management. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100 or PSYC 5500. Designed to aid the in-service educator in predicting, understanding, and controlling the fundamental principles of learning and human development as they apply to schools. The emphasis is on studying the variables shown to affect students and educators in the teaching/learning process with particular attention to classroom management and current research findings.

PSYC 7030. Measurement and Evaluation. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100, or PSYC 3500, or PSYC 5500. An overview of issues related to assessment, measurement, and evaluation in educational and school counseling settings, including supervised experience in instrument selection, use, and outcomes analysis.

PSYC 7040. Adult Learning and Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100 or PSYC 3500 or PSYC 5500. Course is designed to aid the in-service educator in predicting, understanding, and controlling the fundamental principles of learning and assessment as they apply in the education and training of adults.

PSYC 7100. Intellectual Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology. A combination of lectures and supervised practical experiences on conducting psychological evalua- tions. Primary emphasis on the administration, scoring and interpretation of traditional and process oriented intellec- tual measures. Additional training on clinical interview and report writing skills as well as functional mastering of selected psychometric instruments.

PSYC 7110. Personality Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology. An introduction to the theory, administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality assessment instruments, with primary emphasis on objective measures. The course is designed to familiarize students with projective and objective assessment instruments and to enhance development of clinical interviewing skills. Students will administer several personality assessment batteries and produce final reports based on their scoring and interpretation.

PSYC 7120. Academic and Behavioral Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisites: A previous graduate assessment course and permission of instructor. Advanced intensive study of the administration and interpretation of individual academic and behavioral assessment instruments with attention to multimethod, multisource, and multisetting methodologies; emphasis on the measurement of change within individuals and system levels of intervention.

PSYC 7130. Infant and Preschool Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing, permission of instructor, and prior coursework in measurement, evaluation, and child development. Training on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of instruments assessing cognitive, visual- motor ability, and adaptive behavior of infants, toddlers, and preschool-ages children.

PSYC 7200. Psychopathology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology or Permission of the Instructor. Overview of formal psychopathology classification systems across the life span with emphasis on the integration of multivariate, empirical approaches, and medical and psychological models. The course is designed to familiarize students with evolving information such as criteria, co-morbidity rates, and issues of differential diagnosis accrued from the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the developmental psychopathology literature. Case studies are used to illustrate diagnostic issues.

PSYC 7400. Counseling Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate Program in Department. Introduction to major theoretical approaches to counseling and psychotherapy. Theories of personality and the causes of mental illness and emotional distress will be reviewed as frameworks for intervention. Specific case examples will illustrate applications of theory to professional practice.

PSYC 7420. Child Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7200 or PSYC 7400. Theories, methods, and techniques of psychotherapy with children. Emphasis will be placed on a multidimensional view of intervention with children, giving attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, affective, organic, educational, social, and environmental issues.

PSYC 7450. Group Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7400. Group dynamics and their importance in the counseling process and counseling outcome is studied. Emphasis is given to the application of various counseling and psychotherapeutic approaches within the group setting.

PSYC 7470. Counseling Culturally Diverse Populations. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7400. Survey of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural and diverse society. Emphasis placed on a knowledge base related to theory, techniques and skills utilized in working with culturally diverse populations.

PSYC 7500. Consultation Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to be an introduction to consultation and collaboration. Effective development of indirect intervention strategies employed by human service workers will be reviewed in this course.

PSYC 7600. Personnel Selection. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. This course address- es personnel selection from predictors to criterion measures of job performance; measurement issues; job and task analysis; and the legal and social context for the process.

PSYC 7610. Performance Appraisal. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Methods, theory, and applications in the measurement of work performance as related to administrative, developmental, and feedback functions.

PSYC 7670. Social Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Integration of classic and contemporary theories, research, and application relating groups, organizations, culture, and society to individual behavior.

PSYC 7690. Professional Issues in I/O Psychology. 3 Hours.

Pre-requisites: Permission of Instructor. Theory and application related to career development within the field of I/O psychology. Developing competencies across applied, academic, and service related sectors is emphasized.

PSYC 7791. School Psychology Practicum. 1 Hour.