M.A. in Counseling Program Overview

Throughout the Master’s in Counseling, students will understand the core knowledge of the profession, which includes developmental theory, career development, assessment, research, ethics, multicultural awareness, counseling theory, and group work, as well as training in counseling and helping relationships, all from a Christian perspective. Graduates of the master’s degree have found work in a variety of settings, such as schools, clinics, church counseling centers, and public and private agencies. 

Students enrolled in Geneva’s Master of Arts in Counseling programs will complete a total of 60 credit hours both on campus and online with their choice of concentration in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling; or online only Professional School Counseling.

Students are taught by industry leaders that are among some of the brightest in the nation, constantly researching, learning and contributing to the counseling field. Their years of unique and eye-opening experiences are shared in the classroom, deepening students’ practical knowledge.

Master of Arts in Counseling Degree Requirements

Review the minimum counseling degree requirements for a full credit breakdown of the Master’s in Counseling degree, and explore concentration course requirements in the program curriculum.

Counseling Practicum and Internships

All students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Counseling program must complete the following:

• A 100-hour minimum practicum (conducted weekly through 1 ½ hour weekly group supervision sessions)
• 40 hours of direct counseling services at a practicum site
• A full-time, one-semester internship directed by a supervisor as well as a faculty member within the counseling program. Verify your internship hours by viewing your counseling concentration below:
  • Secondary School Counseling Internship: 300 hours
  • Elementary School Counseling Internship: 300 hours
  • Marriage, Couple, and Family Internship: 600 hours
  • Mental Health Internship: 600 hours

Learn more about counseling practicum and internships.

Dr. Jim Matta M.A. in Counseling Professor and Clinical Mental Health Program Coordinator

Mission and Philosophy

The mission of the Master of Arts in Counseling Programs is to educate, supervise, and mentor students to develop knowledge, skills, and personal awareness necessary for them to function as professional counselors.

Professional counselors use various interventions to facilitate wellness, personal growth, and mental health among those whom they counsel. A multidimensional holistic view of persons examines the interplay of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of life. 

Outcomes & Objectives

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill-based competencies, personal (inter-and-intra) awareness and growth, and a keen understanding of ethical issues and ethical decision making processes in each of the following core areas: human growth and development, group counseling and group work, social and cultural diversity, counseling and helping relationships, career and lifestyle development, assessment and testing, research and program evaluation, and professional counseling orientation and ethics. These outcomes will be assessed through a variety of means, including, but not limited to, the following: classroom participation and group work, class presentations, written communication (both academic and reflective), role-play activities, capstone projects, and a variety of other assignments, both formative and summative in design.
   
   
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith, as well as other roles of spirituality and religion on the change process and demonstrate competencies around integrating these perspectives into the analysis, evaluation, and/or case conceptualization processes in professional counseling settings. This outcome will be assessed through participation in classroom discussions, presentations, writings, and a variety of other assignments, both formative and summative in design.
   
   
3. Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill-based competencies, personal (inter-and-intra) awareness and growth, and a keen understanding of ethical issues and ethical decision-making processes in practicum and internship experiences; this also in the various unique applications specific to their chosen counseling specialization (Clinical Mental Health; Marriage, Couple, and Family; or Professional School Counseling).
   
   
   1. Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program will demonstrate basic mental health counseling skills and mastery of essential mental health knowledge (e.g., diagnosis, treatment planning, evidence-based interventions) during and throughout their internship experience.
      
      
   2. Students in the Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program will demonstrate skill and knowledge proficiencies in assessing levels of function/dysfunction among families. Students will practice and demonstrate skill-based competencies in joining with various families/relational systems, and an ability to customize treatment approaches/interventions in order to promote therapeutic change, enhance relationship satisfaction, or any other goal that is congruent with the family/system’s goals for therapy. Specific skills and approaches will be demonstrated regarding ethical decision-making processes, case conceptualization processes congruent with family systems therapy, and multicultural competence/awareness regarding a variety of social, cultural, sexual, and/or religious factors which could be influencing the system.
      
      
   3. Students in the Professional School Counseling program will demonstrate knowledge and performance competencies required to facilitate academic, occupational/vocational, and personal/emotional development of students; this in addition to demonstrating proficiency in applying ethical and efficacious decisions-making skills, that are data driven and informed, throughout their work in counseling, consulting, coordinating, and/or appraising.
      
      
4. Given the array of personal skills and abilities possessed by diverse individuals, students will select and develop a personal style of practice, engage in supervised fieldwork experiences, and promote the development of a professional identify