American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC.

Neukrug, E. (2003). World of the Counselor. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Neukrug, E. (2003). World of the Counselor Workbook. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Sperry, L., Carlson, J., and Kjos, D. (2002). Becoming an Effective Therapist. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. [Chs. 1-3 of this text, which is also used in PSYC 734, PSYC 714 and GUCO 610, will be covered in this class.]

The objectives of this course are for students to gain an information base and demonstrate competence in:

1. The historical antecedents and current definitions of the counseling profession.
2. The standards of counseling as a regulated profession including awareness of professional issues, ethics, and credentialing.
3. The theories and basic counseling and interpersonal skills of communication associated with the counseling relationship.
4. An understanding and appreciation of various populations with whom counselors work and a multicultural and diversity focus in counseling skills and advocacy.
5. Familiarity with appropriate assessment procedures, community resources and intervention strategies and skills, and awareness of the specialty areas of counseling and their various settings.
6. An awareness of future trends, particularly the expanded role of technology, and emerging concepts and theories in counseling.
7. Enhanced self-awareness of personal strengths, interests, and abilities.

Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:

A 90 – 100 Points
B 80 – 89 Points
C 70 – 79 Points
F 69 Points and Below

Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade "F" is used to designate academic failure. "FN" is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs.

Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society.

In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to complete the following:

I. Theoretical Orientation Paper...................25 points

II. Special Population Report and Presentation.....20 points

III. Skill-Building/Class Participation............20 points

IV. Self-Examination Paper.........................10 points

V. Final Exam......................................25 points

Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the onsite classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an eight-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most ten-week graduate distance education courses require at least ten hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.

Participate in classroom discussions and skill-building exercises: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner. In this class, there will be skill-building exercises that require working in small groups.

Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Resubmission of coursework from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment. APA style is mandatory for all graduate counseling course work. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level work.

Orally/visually present prepared material:You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In an onsite course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material. In an online class, this means creating a visual/textual presentation for your instructor and classmates.

This course contains a high degree of experiential activity. One of the major assumptions of professional counseling is that effective counseling takes place in a safe environment where self-examination is possible. Students will be provided with opportunities for self-exploration along with opportunities to develop counseling skills that foster and encourage self-exploration within others. To accomplish this, a safe climate for self-disclosure must be created and maintained; respect for personal privacy rights is paramount. A graduate class in counseling is not counseling and, should personal issues arise during the class that are beyond the scope of the course, students will be encouraged to seek non-university professional assistance. The limits of confidentiality will be discussed in the first class meeting and students will be asked to honor the confidentiality of their fellow students.

I. Theoretical Orientation Paper (8-12 pages) - Compare and contrast two theoretical orientations to counseling with regards to the advantages and disadvantages of each in explaining and treating abnormal/symptomatic behavior. Based on your research, select the orientation that you feel is the best fit for you and provide your reasoning. The paper is due the last Saturday of class. The paper must include an APA-style reference page. 25 Points

II. Special Population Report and Presentation – A list of potential client populations will be distributed during the first class meeting and students will be encouraged to select a population that they might encounter in practice. Students will research the specials needs of the population and provide a 6-10 page written report and a classroom presentation of approximately 15 minutes. Students are to cite (APA) a minimum of three articles to complete this assignment. The report must include an APA-style reference page. The presentation will take place on the last day of class. 20 Points

III. Skill-Building/Class Participation – In addition to students being prepared to discuss the assigned readings, students will be given opportunities to learn, develop, and refine basic counseling skills. Numerous assignments will be made for the purpose of discussion. Many of these assignments will come from Neukrug's workbook and will include in-class simulations of counseling. Completion of these tasks and participation in both settings will be necessary for receiving credit for the exercises. 20 Points

IV. Self-Examination Paper – Students will write an essay paper in class on the last day consisting of their self-interests, aptitude, and motivation to continue with the academic, professional, and personal preparation necessary to become a professional counselor. 10 Points

V. Final Exam (Take-home) – At the end of the third weekend, students will be given several vignettes to which they will apply different theoretical approaches that have been discussed in class. All in-text citations and the reference page must follow APA format. 25 Points

Students are expected to attend every weekend class. Should unavoidable circumstances make absences necessary, it is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor and to propose appropriate alternatives to make up the lost opportunities and the loss of classroom time.

Complete one or more written examination(s):The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary for successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used in this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam.

Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.

The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."

Course Withdrawal: The last day to withdraw from a DE course is Friday before the last full week of the course. The last day to withdraw from an on-site course is the last business day before the last class meeting.

Students with disabilities should contct:

Director of Student Services
UMUC-Europe, UNIT 29216
APO AE 09102
Or:  Im Bosseldorn 30, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
Phone: +49-6221-378-299
Email: edstudent_svc@ed.umuc.edu

Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:

Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities

Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center.