Degree Requirements

GPA

Students must successfully complete all BSU course work with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better.

Advancement To Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy is a major step in fulfilling the requirements for a master's degree. Students' records will be reviewed to determine eligibility for advancement to candidacy. Students must:

  1. Be fully admitted.
  2. Complete the first 12-18 credits of coursework with a GPA of at least 3.25. Should the required GPA not be attained, advancement to candidacy will be denied.
  3. Have taken at least one on-site course.
  4. Be recommended by their on-site faculty and at least two other faculty for:
    1. Suitability for the counseling career field.
    2. Sensitivity to interpersonal relationships.
    3. Adherence to the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association.
    (Note: Violation of confidentiality is cause for dismissal from the counseling program.)
  5. Remove all marks of Incomplete (I).

Students must be advanced to candidacy before enrolling in the capstone course (PSYC 861/COUN 861) or applying for practicum.

Capstone Course (PSYC 861/COUN 861)

Students must successfully demonstrate graduate skills in their area of study by completing a written comprehensive examination and professional paper. To qualify for this 16-week capstone course (PSYC 861/COUN 861) students must have:

  1. Completed at least 30 graduate credits of coursework, including COUN 608, COUN 610, PSYC 502, PSYC 714, PSYC 734, PSYC 780.
  2. Advanced to candidacy.
  3. Maintained a minimum GPA of 3.0.
  4. Removed all marks of Incomplete (I).

The capstone course will be offered in both Spring and Fall terms. The 16-week course will be divided into two parts with the comprehensive exam in the first four weeks (part one) and professional paper written in the remaining twelve weeks (part two). If students fail to complete either portion of the capstone course, they are eligible to retake that portion.

Students who fail for the second time to complete either portion of the capstone course may appeal in writing to the director, Graduate Programs for a final attempt. This appeal must be made within 30 days of notification of the second failure. Incompletes can only be given after satisfactory progress with 60 percent of course completion and will be rarely granted for the seminar paper portion of the capstone course. See chart for further details:

EXAM PAPER COURSE PASS/FAIL
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Fail Fail (retake paper)
Fail Pass Incomplete (retake exam)
Fail Drop Withdrawal (retake class)

Practicum and Internship

All students are required to complete a sequence of supervised clinical field work experiences, beginning with PSYC 836 (MA degree) or COUN 836 (MEd degree). The placement process begins in February prior to the fall term practicum. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the application by the deadline.

To be eligible for enrollment in this sequence, students must:

  1. Be advanced to candidacy.
  2. Have completed the following courses
    MA degree:
    PSYC 502, PSYC 734, PSYC 780, COUN 610, COUN 731, and COUN 732
    MEd degree:
    PSYC 502, PSYC 734, PSYC 780, COUN 610, COUN 731, and COUN 840
    Note: For a practicum in a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school, the following classes are also required: COUN 608, COUN 762, and PSYC 710. These classes must be completed by the end of Spring Session 1 for a placement in the following fall: PSYC 502, COUN 608, COUN 610, COUN 762, COUN 840, and PSYC 710.
  3. Have a GPA of 3.0 or better.
  4. Be recommended for practicum by a graduate counseling faculty member who can attest to the student's:
    1. Readiness for practicum.
    2. Sensitivity to interpersonal relationships.
    3. Adherence to the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association.
    (Note: Violation of confidentiality is cause for dismissal from the counseling program.)
  5. Submit a practicum application.
  6. Attend the practicum orientation session four months prior to enrolling in either COUN 836 or PSYC 836.
  7. Obtain liability insurance.

Please note: practicum/internship are open only to UMUC Europe degree-seeking students.

Students will be assisted in obtaining placement in approved practicum settings. While enrolled in practicum, students receive direct supervision and instruction from program faculty while engaged in supervised field placements.

Student counseling performance is evaluated by faculty to determine the appropriateness of extending the development and range of supervised counseling experiences for the duration of the two sessions. Students are required to complete a minimum of 300 total clock hours of supervised practicum experiences on-site and in the classroom.

Upon successful completion of practicum, MA students must enroll in PSYC 858 and MEd students must enroll in COUN 837 during the next two sessions and complete a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised internship experiences.

Graduation

Students must apply for graduation through the MyUMUC portal by the published deadlines. (See Diploma, Graduation, and Commencement section.)


UMUC Europe Graduate Catalog


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Last updated: 8 July 2011