Program Mission The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited Professional Counseling Program at William Paterson University seeks to prepare, educate, and mentor ethical and competent professional counselors who are knowledgeable in issues of diversity and life span development. The program further seeks to enhance development of self-awareness, skills in advocating for clients/students and the profession, consultation and collaboration skills, and clinical practice in a diverse and technological society. Program Objectives To provide professional counselors with a knowledge base that encompasses the eight core curriculum areas as delineated by CACREP and the State of New Jersey To encourage professional counselors to develop a broad understanding of multicultural issues and to be competent to advocate for and meet the needs of clients/students from diverse backgrounds To prepare professional counselors who are able to provide competent and effective direct services to clients/students across the life span in clinical mental health and school settings To prepare professional counselors to be competent and ethical consultants in community, mental health, and school settings To prepare professional counselors who exhibit sound ethical decision making in their counseling practice To prepare professional counselors to utilize and participate in current research in the counseling field To prepare professional counselors to conceptualize client/student issues from a holistic, bio-psychosocial perspective To prepare professional counselors who exhibit professional dispositions appropriate for the counseling profession. Program Learning Outcomes (Program learning outcomes are demonstrated by the program’s critical assessments) The counselor trainee will demonstrate a knowledge base that encompasses the eight core curriculum areas as delineated by CACREP and the State of New Jersey as evidenced by performance on the pre-internship benchmark exam and the student portfolio The counselor trainee will demonstrate a broad understanding of multicultural issues and the ability to advocate for and meet the needs of clients/students from diverse backgrounds as evidenced by student portfolio and evaluation of the counselor trainee’s performance in Practicum and Internship The counselor trainee will demonstrate the ability to provide competent and effective direct services to clients/students across the life span in mental health and school settings as evidenced by evaluation of the counselor trainee’s performance in Foundations and Techniques of Counseling (CSP 6010), Practicum (CSP 6300 for School Concentration or CSP 6320 for Clinical Mental Health concentration) and Internship I and II (CSP 6860 and CSP 6870 The counselor trainee will demonstrate the ability to provide competent and ethical consulting services in community, mental health, and school settings as evidenced by comprehensive program development project The counselor trainee will demonstrate the ability to make sound ethical decisions as evidenced by student portfolio and evaluation of counselor trainee’s performance in Practicum and Internship evaluations The counselor trainee will demonstrate the ability to utilize and participate in current research in the counseling field as evidenced by student portfolio and comprehensive program development project The counselor trainee will demonstrate the ability to conceptualize client/student issues from a holistic and bio-psychosocial perspective as evidenced by the student portfolio and pre-internship benchmark exam The counselor trainee will exhibit professional dispositions appropriate for the counseling profession as evidenced by evaluation of the counselor trainee’s performance in Practicum and Internship
