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Master of Arts >

M.A. in Professional Counseling (with Ottawa University)

Degree Purpose

What is the purpose of the Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling?

Phoenix Seminary offers a cooperative program with Ottawa University and their Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling.

The cooperative program equips students for a professional vocation as licensed counselors. This may include employment in a range of settings including outpatient, in-home, and inpatient mental health agencies, para-church ministries, and some church settings. 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 Professional Counseling (Clinical 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 Professional Counseling (M.A.P.C.), 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.

Degree Outcomes

Graduates of the cooperative Master of Arts in Professional Counseling program should be able to:

1. Interpret Scripture according to proper hermeneutical principles;
2. Apply Scripture according to proper hermeneutical principles;
3. Demonstrate mature Christian character and purity of life;
4. Demonstrate healthy, vital personal relationships with God, family, a local church, and other people;
5. Articulate fundamental psychological principles and theories;
6. Articulate an integration of psychology and Christian theology that is consistent with both empirically supported psychological interventions and orthodox Christian faith;
7. Apply psychological interventions with wisdom and compassion;
8. Produce scholarly work utilizing current research;
9. Demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the cooperative Graduate Diploma Christian Counseling program in conjunction with Ottawa University’s M.A.P.C. 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 are also required to complete a minimum of six sessions of counseling with a Christian Licensed Professional Counselor or Therapist. It is critical that students preparing to be counselors have themselves experienced counseling. This will provide more meaningful insight for the course work and at the same time aid the Admissions Committee in their decision. Applicants will sign a release of information that allows the counselor to provide the Seminary with a letter of recommendation to the program confirming that six sessions were completed. All sessions must be completed before the application will be considered. Previous counseling may be accepted if it meets the above requirements and was terminated not more than two years before application. Applicants must demonstrate evidence of mature Christian character and ministry potential. For general admission requirements see page 42.

Degree Requirements (72 Hours)

Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling at Phoenix Seminary

* A minimum grade of B- (2.7 GPA) is required.

Master of Arts in Professional Counseling at Ottawa University

* If statistics was not previously taken.

Graduation Requirements

The cooperative Master of Arts in Professional Counseling with Ottawa University requires the completion of 72 semester hours within four years with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students must sustain a relationship with their Seminary assigned mentor throughout their Seminary education and must satisfactorily complete the 15-hour Faculty Review. They must also receive an unqualified recommendation from the counseling faculty and Pre-Practicum supervisor upon completing the CF 530 Pre-Practicum. Students who do not receive this recommendation may not be eligible to enroll in the PYF 8500 Internship 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 M.A.P.C. with Ottawa University. For additional graduation requirements please see page 73.

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’sWeb 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 Professional 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.