Degree Purpose
What is the purpose of the Master of Arts degree in Counseling?
Phoenix Seminary offers a cooperative program with Ottawa University and their Master of Arts degree in Counseling. The cooperative program is designed to equip students for a professional vocation as licensed counselors. This may include employment in a range of settings including churches, para-church ministries, and inpatient, outpatient, and in-home mental health agencies. It can also provide the academic basis for doctoral training.
This cooperative agreement allows students to enroll in the 36-hour Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling at Phoenix Seminary and transfer up to 24 of those hours into the 60-hour Master of Arts in Counseling (Christian Specialty) at Ottawa University. Students must apply to and be simultaneously but separately admitted to both the Ottawa University and Phoenix Seminary programs.
Upon successful completion of all requirements of each School, graduates will be awarded the Ottawa University Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC), the Ottawa University Certificate of Graduate Studies Concentration, and the Phoenix Seminary Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling. With additional course work graduates may pursue a Master of Divinity degree from Phoenix Seminary.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the cooperative Master of Arts in Counseling program should be able to:
- Know and interpret Scripture according to proper hermeneutical principles;
- Apply Scripture according to proper hermeneutical principles;
- Demonstrate mature Christian character and purity of life;
- Demonstrate healthy personal relationships with God and neighbor, particularly those marginalized by race, gender, or socio-economic status;
- Articulate fundamental counseling principles and theories;
- Articulate an integration of psychology and Christian theology that is consistent with both empirically supported psychological interventions and orthodox Christian faith;
- Apply counseling interventions with wisdom and compassion;
- Produce scholarly work utilizing current research;
- Demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with legal and ethical standards.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the cooperative Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling program in conjunction with Ottawa University’s MAC program must have earned an accredited baccalaureate degree (or its equivalent) that includes a breadth of liberal arts. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. Applicants who do not meet these general academic requirements may petition the Admissions Committee for special consideration. A personal interview with the Admissions Committee is required. Applicants must demonstrate evidence of mature Christian character and ministry potential.
Degree Requirements (72 Hours)
Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling at Phoenix Seminary
| Course | Title | Hours (36) |
| BIBLE AND THEOLOGY CORE | 12 | |
| BL 500 | Introduction to Biblical Interpretation | 2 |
| BL 505 | Survey of the Gospels | 2 |
| BL 525 | Wisdom Literature | 2 |
| TH 500 | Survey of Christian Theology | 4 |
| TH 506 | Contemporary Moral Issues | 2 |
| CD 515 | 15-hour Faculty Review | Transcripted |
| COUNSELING CORE* | 6 | |
| CF 500 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CF 528 | Individual Counseling Experience | Transcripted |
| CF 593 | Counseling Pre-Practicum | 3 |
| CLINICAL COUNSELING* | 14 | |
| CF 503 | Counseling Issues and Strategies | 2 |
| CF 508 | Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 |
| CF 509 | Integration of Psychology and Christianity | 3 |
| CF 510 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| CF 511 | Addictive Disorders | 3 |
| COUNSELING ELECTIVES [Choose Two]* | 4 | |
| CF 512 | Counseling Adults From Dysfunctional and Abusive Families |
2 |
| CF 513 | Trauma, Loss, and Grief | 2 |
| CF 514 | Child and Adolescent Counseling | 2 |
| CF 595 | Mending the Soul: Healing Abuse/Trauma | 2 |
* A minimum grade of B- (2.7 GPA) is required.
Master of Arts in Counseling at Ottawa University
| Course | Title | Hours (36) |
| CORE and CLINICAL COUNSELING | 30 | |
| PYF 7922 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| PYC 7422 | Social and Cultural Concerns in Counseling | 3 |
| PYC 7832 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| PYC 7932 | Group Counseling and Dynamics | 3 |
| PYC 7162 | Methods and Models of Research | 3 |
| PYF 8012 | Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling |
3 |
| PYC 7802 | Psychological Testing | 3 |
| PYC 7822 | Life Planning and Career Development | 3 |
| PYC 8040 | Advanced Psychodiagnostics, Treatment Planning and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PYC 7862 | Biological Basis of Abnormal Behavior | 3 |
| CULMINATING COURSES and REQUIREMENTS | 6 | |
| PYF 8600 / PYF 8610 | Field Placement | 6 |
| PYC 8512 | Comprehensive Examination | Non-credit |
| HRC 7551 | Statistics Workshop * | Non-credit |
| Professional Growth Seminars (36 Hours) | Non-credit | |
* If statistics was not previously taken.
Graduation Requirements
Because counseling is a highly interpersonal activity with individuals and groups who are often distressed, it is imperative that students attend to their own emotional health and clinical suitability. Students are required to participate in individual or group counseling while enrolled in the program. Deficits in the skills necessary for clinical practice may require remediation or may result in dismissal from the program.
The cooperative Master of Arts in Counseling with Ottawa University requires the completion of 72 semester hours within five years. Students must receive an unqualified recommendation from the counseling faculty and Pre-Practicum supervisor upon completing the CF 593 Pre-Practicum. Students who do not receive this recommendation may not be eligible to enroll in the PYF 8600 Field Placement at Ottawa University. A minimum grade of B- (2.7 GPA) is required for all counseling courses in order for them to transfer into the cooperative MAPC with Ottawa University. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for all Bible and Theology Core courses.
Additional Information
Phoenix Seminary takes an integrative approach to Christian counseling. We believe God is the source of all truth—whether discerned through careful study of special revelation in Scripture, or through systematic examination of general revelation in nature. We consequently believe true scientific findings and accurate interpretation of biblical teaching on the same subject will not ultimately contradict one another. Knowing that both nature and human reason are affected by sin, in cases of apparent conflict, we accept Scripture (correctly interpreted) as the final arbiter. Much can be learned through the observation of creation (in this case human physiology and behavior) and the systemization of those observations. This learning is a rich source of information for those in helping professions as they integrate this knowledge with a comprehensive understanding of Scripture.
Ottawa University and Phoenix Seminary will communicate on a need-to-know basis regarding students’ academic progress and other program-related issues. For additional program information, course descriptions, admissions requirements, and application visit Ottawa University’s Web site at www.ottawa.edu or contact Ottawa University’s Graduate Admissions Office at 602.371.1188.
All programs in the Master of Arts in Counseling are designed to meet the education requirements of the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners in Professional Counseling. The ABBHE reserves the right to make changes in licensing criteria at any time. Ottawa University and Phoenix Seminary cannot guarantee that current curriculum requirements will meet future licensing requirements. Final decisions regarding licensure rest with a respective state’s licensing board.
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