M.A. in Counseling via DL????

Discussion in 'Nursing and medical-related degrees' started by Hammerstein, May 21, 2002.

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  1. Hammerstein

    Hammerstein New Member

    Dear All,

    I am interested in learning about opportunities to earn a MA in Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Community Counseling, Family Counseling, or some similar degree through DL. I am not interested in guidance counseling for schools. I prefer the program to:

    1) be run entirely on-line, but I might be willing to spend some brief time in-residence

    2) help me achieve state certification, although I realize the program may only fulfill part of the requirements that vary from state to state

    3) be RA

    4) be from a school that has a brick and mortar campus, although I am open to other possibilities

    I am aware of programs at both Seton Hall and Liberty. Are you aware of others? Are any of you enrolled in these or other programs?

    Looking forward to your advice.

    Hammerstein72
     
  2. Howard

    Howard New Member

    1. I seriously doubt that you will find a MA in Counseling or Psychology that is completely online or external. Most states require the programs to have some type of internship or other face-to-face involvement. Liberty, to the best of my knowledge is external, but not online. Liberty is accepted for certification in all 50 states. http://www.liberty.edu

    2. Capella University, not brick and mortal, still offers programs in professional counseling through human services or clinical or counseling psychology through the psychology department. Capella's web page will tell you if they are accepted for certification in your state. http://www.capella.edu

    3. Ft. Hayes State may have such a program. I am not sure of their web address. You would have to ask them if they meet certification in your state.

    IMHO you need to decide whether or not you wish to go on to a PhD and if the degree you are obtaining will get you into the program of your choice. Plan ahead.

    Also, what do you plan to do with the degree. There are many more options for the Masters in Clinical Psych than in Counseling or Counseling Psychology.

    Good Luck.
     
  3. Holly

    Holly New Member

    YES YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!

    Yes you can do this through Southern Christian University.

    The website is www.southernchristian.edu

    I am in my second semester. They are one of 2 programs that was given major doses of funding to set up a state of the art distance learning system totally online. The other school was Florida State University. It is awesome! Everything is done online and you can watch your classes livestream on audio. There are 2 programs...the MA in Professional Counseing and the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy. Now there is a brand new PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy as well which only requires you attending the campus live for one week. The Masters requires NO on campus time. The Marriage and Family program is candidacy eligible for AAMFT accrediation. The program is not accredited by CACREP but neither is Liberty or capella. The bottom line is that if you want state certification this is the place to go. It is a 60 hour program which is what you need for the state. I love it. The faculty and admin are awesome!!!! Go to the website and email for questions. Marvin Cox will email you back. He is terrific. This is the best program. I love it! Email me for more info if you like. [email protected]
     
  4. simon

    simon New Member

    Re: YES YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!

     
  5. Holly

    Holly New Member

    Clarification

    I'm sorry you found my post confusing. I wanted to get the info out there for this poster but I was in a rush. FSU does not offer an online counseling degree. I was referring to the "way" in which they deliver their courses online in the same way as SCU (as far as I am aware) although in a different subject area. As a matter of fact I believe there are other schools receiving funding for this other than SCU and FSU but to clarify here is an excerpt from the SCU website.

    Southern Christian University (SCU) is partnering with the U. S. Department of Education and 14 other higher educational institutions and consortia to develop models designed to help enhance access to federal student aid for distance education-based programs and test new models of financial aid delivery to students participating in distance learning programs. Combined, these outcomes will help ensure that the programs offered via distance learning are of high quality and maintain the integrity of the federal student financial aid programs.

    Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry Degrees. SCU has been providing distance-learning programs since 1993. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, SCU's distance learning programs and services are delivered to students over the Internet and include the use of the latest streaming video and audio systems for course lectures.

    Course lectures are broadcast through a video server and received on the student's computer through the Real Player software program in real-time (at the same time of the lecture) and on demand (at the student's convenience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Coupled with the use of these latest technologies, SCU uses a comprehensive approach to distance learning that ensures that students have regular contact with course faculty via e-mail and telephone as well as through electronic discussion groups with students in each class. Course notes, assignments, and handouts are distributed and received through an easy-to-use student interface through the student's Internet browser. Also, course quizzes and exams are conducted on-line in a secure mode that ensures confidentially of the student's answers and grades. Likewise, students are given an opportunity to
    evaluate their faculty and each course through an on-line system completed anonymously at the end of each course. Dr. Rex Turner, Jr., President of SCU, believes that this comprehensive approach to distance learning is unique to SCU.


    I would encourage you to visit the SCU website if you are interested. Their program is CACREP equivalent. Not accredited by CACREP but again I don't know of an online counseling program that is CACREP accredited. It is however RA accredited and most states want CACREP or CACREP equivalent. Liberty also is CACREP equivalent but they do not livestream classes and they require on campus visits which are highly expensive.

    SCU does have an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy which IS candidacy ELIGIBLE for accreditation by the AAMFT (assoc. of marriage and family therapists). If all goes smoothly and it will (because SCU has put HIGH priority on being accredited by AAMFT) then they should be accredited by AAMFT in 2 years. At this time you can surely expect a rush of DL learners to this program which feeds straight into a PhD. This is the path I am taking. I started out in their Prof. Couns. track but I have found the Family Systems perspective to be so intriguing that I am switching to Family Therapy. The school is putting much time and effort into building their Family Therapy program and you can look to them being the only online AAMFT accredited program in the next few years unless another school gains this distinction.

    I will tell you that their admissions requirements are EASY at this stage of the game. BA degree (no specific major required), GRE scores (but they don't care what they are) a few recommendations and you're in the door. However they are gaining more and more recognition and they will become more competitive once more people come knocking. I saw this happen firsthand with Liberty. Also when the gain AAMFT accreditation again this will send more people t heir way. Once you get in the program though that is where EASY ends...this program is the real deal. No grades being handed out. I am working for my grades and I am learning far more than I did as an undergrad. I love the school as you can tell! Again if that was confusing let me know! Good luck!

    Holly
     
  6. Howard

    Howard New Member

    Holly,
    How does the price per credit hour of Liberty and SCU compare?

    Also, I am not sure --- Simon might join in here -- as a LPC you can do anything that LMFT can do but I am not sure with a LMFT that you can do what a LPC can do. Might want to check this.
     
  7. Holly

    Holly New Member

    Well.......

    I'm not sure exactly what the price per hour is at this time. I'd have to check but I'd say it's about the same give or take a few bucks! They are both expensive programs. The only real difference between Liberty and SCU is that they also offer the additional classes needed to get your dual licensure as a LMFT. As far as what you can do....an LPC could do marriage counseling and an LMFT can do indiv. counseling. It's not so much about how many people are in the room but more about which perspective they are using in their counseling. The Counseling track comes more from a psych perspective whereas the Family Therapy approach is the "systems" perspective. They look not just at the individual but how the whole family and generations have worked in their life. They may do invididual counseling but they do it from a systems perspective. I like the systems perspective it is very interesting. We are studying Bowen Theory right now? Anyone studied that?

    As far as the law goes you have to fuflill their criteria and supervision hours (they are slightly diff. for each) in order to get the license. However you could be hired to work in an agency or wherever with either degree. Both have essentially the same coursework with the exception of maybe 3 classes. At SCU I will be going through the Family Therapy dept. but I will be taking the classes to get dual licensure. So my degree will say Marriage and Family Therapy but I will get both the LPC and LMFT license. Hope that helps!
     
  8. simon

    simon New Member

    The primary factor to keep in mind is that although one may obtain licensure in both tracks, it is essential that they provide counseling services within the boundaries of their scope of practice and expertise. In other words, although licensed in two distinct areas, the licensed practitioner needs to assure that their internship and practicums prepares them to provide the counseling interventions relative to each track and that their coursework adequately addresses both specializations.

    If one is licensed as a marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselor they cannot provide counseling services to every client that requests their services. As an example, if a prospective client requests career counseling and the counselor was not trained in this area, he/she is practicing outside the boundaries of their scope of practice and expertise.

    The bottomline is that if one does provide counseling interventions in an area that is beyond their scope, they are vulnerable to allegations of malpractice from dissatisfied clients. In addition, it is a direct violation of professional counseling associations and state boards of licensure.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 22, 2002
  9. Hammerstein

    Hammerstein New Member

    Awesome Replies!

    Wow!

    Thank you for all the great information. I feel like I'm really learning tons here.

    Thank you very much.

    --Hammerstein (the original poster)
     
  10. ejkvck

    ejkvck New Member

    It is my understanding that when and if Southern's
    MA Family Therapy program gets the AAMFT status, that
    MA program will be for the on campus students. However
    the school is also creating a special residency option
    where you will log into the class as it is being taught, thus
    marking you taking the class as a resident student.
    The catch here is that you have to be online when the
    class is actually being taught.
     

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