Location:

Lacey, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Counseling & Therapy

Program Overview

Program Description:

The MAC program at Saint Martin's University offers cutting-edge coursework is designed to provide hands-on, but theory-based, classes that meet or exceed state requirements to become a LMHC or a LMFT. The program is designed with convenient scheduling - most required MAC classes are scheduled only one evening per week to take into account that students work and have social and family lives. You can tailor the MAC Program, including classes and even major assignments, to meet your own unique personal and professional interests and needs. Highlights of the program include quality instruction with a low student/teacher ratio, collaborative learning and student initiative, an interesting and application-oriented selection of courses, and flexibility of course scheduling to accommodate working or commuting students. One of the highlights of the MAC Program is the quality of instruction. The student/teacher ratio (15 to 1 on average) enables the faculty members to be particularly responsive to individual needs. A second highlight of the program is its well designed combination of required courses, generous electives, and off-campus internship training. The courses were selected to emphasize breadth of knowledge and address issues most useful to future clinicians. In addition, the academic portion of the program meets or exceeds all educational requirements necessary for Washington State licensure as a Mental Health Counselor and most of the requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. The MAC Program provides students with the opportunity to acquire or increase knowledge and competence in the areas of assessment, therapy, and consultation while developing well-rounded individuals who have a solid foundation in counseling psychology. By the end of your graduate studies, you will have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and values necessary for practice as a mental health professional. The program provides broad knowledge of traditional psychology with an emphasis on the structural and societal influences on individual and family dysfunction. An important part of this knowledge base is an appreciation for human diversity and a commitment to equal access by all citizens to the helping services. An emphasis is placed on the ability to understand research information and learn to communicate with a solid academic writing style. The program also presents students with a multi-theoretical, multi-leveled approach to problem solving and/or clinical practice. A current trend among mental health providers is a theoretical eclecticism. A responsible approach to eclectic therapy assumes, however, a broad knowledge of existing theoretical approaches to clinical psychology. As a MAC graduate student, you will acquire depth in at least one theoretical approach while being able to draw on various theoretical skills to guide your work. Although the MAC Program offers specific coursework in a variety of clinical approaches (such as systems, cognitive, etc.), depth in any one modality necessarily has to give way to breadth. As a result, formal coursework is designed primarily to whet the appetite; you will experience depth in the two-semester internship experience. One of the first requirements of professionals working in the area of mental health is a strong adherence to established standards of ethical conduct. Hence, you will learn professional codes of ethical conduct. Graduates of the MAC Program are expected to be committed to personal responsibility for ethical conduct and the quality of their practice. Master's level counselors do not practice in a vacuum. They form one cog in an elaborate machine of helping professionals. The ability to mobilize other resources and interact with other providers is an important skill. You will form cooperative relationships with professionals in other fields and become aware of various professional organizations with which you may need to interact. This all begins in the classroom and you will be expected to be involved in collaborative learning, form supportive relationships with other MAC students, and participate constructively and enthusiastically in class discussions.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Saint Martin's University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Financial Aid:

Yes

Requirements:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university is required of candidates for admission into the MAC Program. More specifically, an undergraduate major in psychology is highly desirable. However, a psychology major is not essential. A minor in psychology is usually expected as the minimum academic background. The MAC program does not require GRE scores for admission.

International Requirements:

Proof of minimum English proficiency. Minimum test scores are: TOEFL: 79ibt/213cbt/550pbt, IELTS: 6.5 on the academic version. For students who do not meet the minimum English proficiency, the university offers an ESL program.