Nov 07, 2024  
2023/2024 University Catalog 
    
2023/2024 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Early Childhood and Family Clinical Counseling, M.S.


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Major (08233) Academic Plan Code (330808MSS)

The M.S. in Early Childhood and Family Clinical Counseling degree program is designed to prepare students who wish to pursue California LPCC licensure. This program specifically focuses on promoting early childhood mental health through early childhood and family counseling. This famly focus is particularly critical for counseling of infants, toddlers, and young children. 

Students must complete, in consultation with an adviser, an official program of study that includes 60 units of 500-, 600-, and 700-numbered required and elective courses (up to 15 units can be taken from 500-level courses with the approval of the adviser). The 60 units program of study is aligned with the state licensure requirements that include 13 core content areas (39 units), advanced coursework (15 units), and 280 hours of supervised clinical experience (6 units). Students must maintain a B average throughout the program and pass relevant qualifying/clinical examination to complete the Master of Science degree.

To fulfill the educational requirements to qualify for state licensure in LPCC as published by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences laws and regulations related to the practice of marriage and family therapy, licensed social work, licensed educational psychologists, and licensed professional clinical counselors (Senate Bill 788), students must complete an additional 27 units selected from the following courses as they are aligned with the core content areas as delineated in the requirements:

Counseling and Psychotherapeutic Theories and Techniques


Career Development Theories and Techniques


Group Counseling Theories and Techniques


Assessment, Appraisal, and Testing


Multicultural Counseling Theories and Techniques


Principles of Diagnosis, Treatment Planning, Prevention of Mental and Emotional Disorders, and Dysfunctional Behavior


Research and Evaluation


Professional Orientation, Ethics and Law in Counseling, California Law and Professional Ethics


Psychopharmacology (Includes Biological Bases of Behavior)


Addictions Counseling (Substance Abuse, Co-occurring Disorders)


* Focus on addictions.

Crisis/Trauma Counseling (Multidisciplinary Responses to Crises, Emergencies or Disasters)


Advanced Counseling and Psychotherapeutic Theories and Techniques


Advanced Coursework


In accordance with licensing requirements (4999.33 section 2), students are required to take 15 units of advanced coursework to develop knowledge of specific treatment issues and/or populations. The advanced coursework will focus on early childhood mental health in alignment with the concentration of this degree. The student may take courses not listed below upon approval of the student’s program adviser.

Supervised Clinical Experience


To comply with LPCC requirements students must complete at least 6 semester units of supervised practicum to obtain the required 280 hours of supervised experience for licensure:

Professional Liability Insurance


Students must purchase professional liability insurance in order to participate in the clinical experience component of the program. A background check, fingerprint clearance, and proof of negative TB test.

Post-Graduation Licensure Requirements


Upon completion of the degree, students may register as Professional Clinical Counselor Intern to complete required post-degree supervised clinical hours for licensure. Interns must complete 3,000 hours supervised experience over a period of no less than two years, including not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals or groups in a clinical mental health counseling setting, and 150 hours in a hospital or community mental health setting.

Examination: Passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE), recently adopted as the licensure examination for California LPCCs, and the Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination. Both examinations will be administered by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

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