Overview

Counseling & Organizational Psychology Overview

The Master of Arts in Counseling & Organizational Psychology program combines the theories and skills of counseling psychology with organizational theory, design, and development to prepare graduates to provide counseling and intervention for individuals, couples, families, work groups, and organizations. Upon graduation, you will be trained and qualified to be an entry level counselor with skills in assessing and providing intervention:

• In organizational settings on the level of the individual, in selection, leadership development, executive coaching, career assessment, and counseling.
• On the work group level, in team assessment, team issue resolution, and team building.
• On the organizational level, in talent audits, needs analysis, strategic planning, and organizational design and development.

Our program design is flexible, and you may choose a traditional three-year weekend sequence (including evening and online courses) or an accelerated two-year sequence (weekend courses are supplemented by other offerings).

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree earned from a college or university regionally accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or an equivalent degree from an international college or university
• A grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate and graduate coursework
• Completion of the following semester courses in psychology with grades of "C" or better: General or introductory psychology, abnormal psychology, and research methods or statistics. Equivalent coursework in other social sciences may also be considered.
• Applicants who meet the admission standards will be invited for an interview with faculty

Degree Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of all required credit hours, including all required courses
• Satisfactory completion of 700 clock hours of a counseling practicum; 300 hours of a business practicum; and 200 minimum clock hours of community service practicum  
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and no more than two grades or six credit hours of "C"
• Successful completion of the Master of Arts Qualifying Examination (MAQE)
• Submission of graduation application and full payment of all outstanding tuition and fees
• Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Master of Arts in Counseling and Organizational Psychology

Licensure

This degree program satisfies the current academic and pre-degree training and education requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential in the state of Illinois. Licensure requirements in some states may require courses beyond those currently required by the Adler School; please consult state boards and licensure requirements in other jurisdictions and plan your curriculum accordingly.

This program is also approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors as a participant in the Graduate Student Application program. After graduating from this program, you can apply for the National Certified Counselor credential and take the National Counselor Examination. You can submit passing scores to the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation in fulfillment of state licensure requirements.