IDP – Counselor Education – Objectives

Upon completion of the Counselor Education program at East Carolina University, students will show evidence of being reflective practitioners and critical thinkers who seek to practice with cultural competence while respecting diverse worldviews, demonstrate self-evaluation and self-reflection strategies, and participate in the ongoing process of interpersonal skill development. Students will develop professional identities as counselors and engage as active members of their communities. In addition, each student will increase his/her knowledge and demonstrate competency in the areas of:

1. Human growth and development;
2. Personal characteristics, professional orientation, and ethical practices of counselors consistent with the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, National Board for Certified Counselors Code of Ethics and state and federal laws that govern the practice of counselors;
3. Theoretical approaches to counseling and case conceptualization, including articulation of a personal theory of counseling and an integrative approach to wellness and prevention as a professional counselor;
4. Helping relationships and counseling skills and techniques;
5. Group dynamics, process, and counseling, including various types of group (i.e., counseling and psychoeducational);
6. Career development and practice that is appropriate to the student’s employment setting;
7. Multicultural and social justice issues in counseling, including advocating for the profession and diverse client populations;
8. Appraisal and assessment, including application of developmental theory;
9. Crisis intervention, including skills necessary to communicate and collaborate with, or refer to, multidisciplinary teams of professionals in schools, agencies, and higher education settings;
10. Issues in addictions;
11. Research and program evaluation methods, including use of research and evaluation methods necessary to identify and critique evidence-based practices and to use date to improve program outcomes, and;
12. School Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling OR Student Affairs and College Counseling specific roles, skills, duties, and issues (depending on students’ selected professional specialization)

To achieve the objectives of the program, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas: counseling theory and techniques, group processes, career development, multicultural counseling, individual assessment, program management, research, and professional ethics. Elective courses in other areas of graduate study complement the Counselor Education Program and afford students an opportunity to profit from varied resources and expertise of the university community.