The master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling at Mississippi College prepares students for careers as family-focused practitioners.
The Marriage and Family Counseling master’s degree program will equip you with the skills needed to help couples and families navigate common challenges as well as more complex relationship issues that occur within the family system.
The Marriage and Family Counseling program (M.S.) prepares professionals who work with individuals, couples, and families in healthcare, agency, and church settings. Marriage and Family Counselors use the systems perspective to construct innovative and effective treatment approaches.
The mission of the Marriage and Family Counseling Program is to help students acquire core competencies, as well as specialized knowledge and skill, necessary to perform effectively as marriage and family counselors. Completion of the program will assist graduates in making application for licensure as a professional counselor (LPC), as well as National Counseling Certification.
The program wishes to recruit students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate character, maturity, scholarship, leadership, church/community involvement, and interest in the counseling profession. Students participating in the Marriage and Family Counseling Program receive training in the theories, models, and techniques of professional counseling with specialized preparation in work with couples and families, and other members of the behavioral healthcare and ministry teams in church, agency, hospital, and other marriage and family treatment settings. Students are expected to complete supervised clinical training in approved sites.
Tier I – Pre-practicum (courses must be taken prior to Practicum)
Tier II – Pre-Internship I (courses must be taken prior to Internship I)
Tier III – Pre-Internship II (courses must be taken prior to Internship II)
Tier IV – Pre-graduation (courses must be taken prior to graduation)
CC - Core Courses: (courses must be taken prior CPCE)
|
Tier |
CC |
|
TITLE |
HOURS |
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6501 |
Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Counseling |
3 |
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6502 |
Theories of Personality and Counseling (cross-listed with PSY 6502) |
3 |
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6506 |
Multicultural Counseling (cross-listed with PSY 6506) |
3 |
|
Tier I |
COU 6670 |
Foundations, Contextual Dimensions, and Knowledge and Skills of Marriage and Family Counseling |
3 |
|
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6515 |
Lifespan Development (cross-listed with PSY 6515) |
3 |
|
Prerequisites for COU 6503: COU 6501, 6502, 6506, 6670, 6515 |
||||
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6661 |
Use and Interpretation of Tests (cross-listed with PSY 6661) |
3 |
|
Tier I |
CC |
COU 6503 |
Helping Relationships (Methods and Techniques in Counseling) |
3 |
|
Tier II |
CC |
COU 6662 |
Techniques of Group Counseling |
3 |
|
Tier II |
COU 6663 |
Practicum in Counseling and Therapy (requires completion of 18 hours in practicum prerequisites including COU 6503 Helping Relationships) |
CR/NC |
|
|
Tier II |
CC |
COU 6504 |
Research-Methods and Procedures (cross-listed with PSY 6504) |
3 |
|
Tier II/III |
COU 6536 |
Psychopathology III – Assessment & Treatment |
3 |
|
|
Tier III |
CC |
COU 6665 |
Lifestyle and Career Counseling |
3 |
|
Tier III |
COU 6817 |
Crisis Counseling (cross-listed as PSY 6817) |
3 |
|
|
Tier III |
COU 6701 |
Internship in Counseling I |
CR/NC
|
|
|
Tier IV |
COU 6702 |
Internship in Counseling II |
CR/NC |
|
|
Tier IV |
COU 6999*** |
Comprehensive Exam |
CR/NC |
|
|
Can be taken during any semester prior to graduation |
||||
|
COU 6666 |
Introduction to Marriage and Family Counseling |
3 |
||
|
COU 6667 |
Addictions Counseling |
3 |
||
|
COU 6808 |
Family Dynamics and Counseling |
3 |
||
|
|
|
COU 6807 |
Couple Dynamics and Counseling |
3 |
|
|
|
SPECIALIZED COURSEWORK: 3 SEMESTER HRS |
TITLE |
HOURS |
|
|
|
Elective |
In consultation with advisor (electives may vary each semester) |
3 |
***COU 6999 is the exit exam course. This is not a physical or on-line class; however, you must enroll in COU 6999 and successfully complete this comprehensive exam (Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam; CPCE) 1-2 semesters prior to your expected graduation semester.
For the most up-to-date list of courses and requirements, please consult Mississippi College’s course catalog.
Our master’s program in Marriage and Family Counseling wishes to recruit students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate character, maturity, scholarship, leadership, church/community involvement and interest in the counseling profession. Applicants must have a GPA above 3.0 in their prior undergraduate work from an accredited college or university and meet the general admissions requirements for becoming a Mississippi College graduate student. Applicants must also complete a successful interview process before being admitted into the program.
While prospective students may apply year-round, application deadlines for the upcoming semesters are:
Consult the detailed admissions requirements for further information on applying to our M.S. in Marriage and Family Counseling.
Please contact Mississippi College Graduate Admissions if you have any questions about the application process.
