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Online Master's in Counseling Objectives & Outcomes

Online Master’s in Counseling Main Program Objectives

Program Objective 1

Make continuous efforts to attract, enroll, and retain a diverse group of students and to create and support an inclusive learning community.

Evaluated by: Student Demographic Data, Admissions, Retention, & Completion Data, & Alumni Surveys

Program Objective 2

Provide counselors-in-training with learning experiences that build knowledge and skills in the eight core areas designated by CACREP and their chosen specialization: (a) professional counseling orientation and ethical practice; (b) social and cultural diversity; (c) human growth and development; (d) career development; (e) counseling and helping relationships; (f) group counseling and group work; (g) assessment and testing; (h) research and program evaluation; and (i) Clinical Mental Health, Clinical Rehabilitation, or School Counseling.

Evaluated by: Aggregate student assessment data measuring Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) / Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Program Objective 3

Develop and graduate competent counselor candidates that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and disposition expected of professional counselors (according to student’s respective specialization area).

Evaluated by: Site Supervisor Evaluations, Fitness-to-Practice Evaluations, Comprehensive Exam Results, & Alumni Employer Surveys

Master’s in Counseling Online Degree Program Learning Outcomes and Student Learning Outcomes

Related SpecializationProgram Learning Outcomes (PLOs)Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
AllPLO 1: Facilitate professional counselor identity development as ethically sound, reflective, and multiculturally competent counselors who adhere to the standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies.KPI 1.1 (Knowledge SLO): Counselors-in-training will demonstrate knowledge of multiculturally-competent ethical and legal considerations of professional counseling practices.KPI 1.2 (Skill SLO): Counselors-in-training engage in multiculturally-competent personal and professional self-evaluation practices aligned with ethical and legal standards of the counseling profession.
AllPLO 2: Prepare multiculturally competent counselors-in-training to effectively serve diverse populations through ethical and socially just counseling and advocacy strategies.KPI 2.1 (Knowledge SLO): Counselors-in-training will demonstrate knowledge of multicultural counseling competencies.KPI 2.2 (Skill SLO): Counselors-in-training demonstrate multicultural counseling competencies when working with diverse clients.
AllPLO 3: Prepare counselors-in-training to promote optimal development and wellness of diverse clients across the lifespan throughKPI 3.1 (Knowledge SLO): Counselors-in-training will demonstrate knowledge of biological, neurological, and physiological factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior of diverse clients.KPI 3.2 (Skill SLO): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for promoting resilience, optimal development, and wellness of diverse clients across the lifespan.
AllPLO 4: Prepare counselors-in-training to address career development through use of ethical and multiculturally sensitive theories and models of career counseling with diverse clients.KPI 4.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training demonstrate knowledge of theories and models of career development, counseling, and decision making.KPI 4.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for addressing career development with diverse clients.
AllPLO 5: Prepare counselors-in-training to establish and maintain helping relationships that utilize appropriate counseling theories, models, and skills to ethically and multiculturally promote the welfare of diverse clients.KPI 5.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training demonstrate knowledge of ethical and multiculturally sensitive theories and models of counseling that promote establishment and maintenance of helping relationships with diverse clients.KPI 5.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive counseling theories and techniques to establish and maintain helping relationships with diverse clients.
AllPLO 6: Prepare counselors-in-training to design and facilitate counseling groups using ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies informed by theoretical foundations of group work.KPI 6.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training demonstrate knowledge of group counseling theories, as well as ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for designing and facilitating counseling groups.KPI 6.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for designing and facilitating counseling groups.
AllPLO 7: Prepare counselors-in-training to effectively utilize assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning in an ethical and multiculturally sensitive manner.KPI 7.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training demonstrate knowledge of assessments appropriate for use in diagnostic and intervention planning with diverse clients.KPI 7.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for selecting, administering, and/or interpreting assessment and test results.
AllPLO 8: Prepare counselors-in-training to effectively utilize ethical and multiculturally sensitive research strategies to inform counseling practice and program evaluation.KPI 8.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training identify ethical and multiculturally sensitive research strategies for utilization in counseling practice and/or program evaluation.KPI 8.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for conducting, interpreting, and/or reporting the results of research and/or program evaluation.
Clinical Mental Health CounselingPLO 9: Prepare Clinical Mental Health Counselors-in-training to meet the needs of diverse client populations through ethical and multiculturally sensitive counseling techniques in varied roles and settings within the counseling profession.KPI 9.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in-training identify ethical and multiculturally sensitive interventions for a broad range of mental health issues to meet the needs of diverse client populations.KPI 9.2 (Skill): Counselors-in-training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive interventions for a broad range of mental health issues to meet the needs of diverse client populations.
School CounselingPLO 10: Prepare school counselors-in-training to plan, deliver, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program that is responsive to the educational, career, personal, and social needs of all students.KPI 10.1 (Knowledge): School counselors-in-training demonstrate knowledge of comprehensive school counseling program models that meet the needs of diverse student populations through delivery of ethical and multiculturally sensitive school counseling services.KPI 10.2 (Skill): School counselors-in-training provide ethical and multiculturally sensitive school counseling services according to comprehensive school counseling program models to meet the needs of diverse student populations.
Clinical Rehabilitation CounselingPLO 11: Prepare clinical rehabilitation counselors-in-training to apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive rehabilitation counseling interventions to serve diverse clients in a wide variety of circumstances within the clinical rehabilitation counseling context, including persons with disabilities.KPI 11.1 (Knowledge): Counselors-in- training identify roles, skills, and activities performed by rehabilitation counselors in a wide variety of circumstances within the clinical rehabilitation counseling context.KPI 11.2 (Skill): Counselors in training apply ethical and multiculturally sensitive strategies for rehabilitation counseling services and rehabilitation service delivery systems including case management.