The Community Clinical Counseling program offers students a framework for understanding human experience and designing strategies for positive change in individuals, families, churches and communities.

Training Approach: The faculty of the Department of Counseling Psychology has been collaborating for a number of years to create a means of communicating the complex world of clinical work to beginning therapists. We have drawn together theories and skills from across the rich traditions of psychological practice and synthesized them into a training approach that is consistent with Christian understandings of personhood and transformation. It is an insight-oriented approach which is aimed at promoting characterological change while simultaneously attending to the current distress of the person. Students are taught to take seriously presenting problems and the various symptoms suffering people describe while forming treatment strategies that include an exploration of how symptoms and problems may be connected to unconscious wishes, fears, and repetitive relational patterns. We believe this approach is particularly appropriate for novice therapists, since it emphasizes following the client's lead in the session and carefully attuning responses to the unique needs of each person. We believe this approach reflects Biblical wisdom and grace as well as the professional psychological research on how people change.

Degree Requirements: Students may choose to attend full-time or part-time. Full-time attendance is at least nine credits per semester and half-time attendance is at least six credit hours. Students must attend a minimum of six credit hours in fall and spring semesters; 3 credit hours in summer semesters. To complete the program a 100 hour practicum placement and a 600 hour internship field placement are required.

Programs of Study:

Community Clinical Program of Study

Required course descriptions available here

Admission Requirements: To be admitted to the community clinical counseling graduate program, an applicant must submit the following materials (Download materials here):

• ALL official transcripts from all previously attended institutions. An official transcript showing completion of a bachelor's degree in any field from a regionally accredited college or university. If the bachelor's degree was awarded outside of the United States, the program of study must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree program.

• A complete application and application fee (available from graduate admissions).

• GPA 2.8 (3.0 preferred) with particular importance placed on the last two years of the undergraduate record. An applicant with a lower GPA may submit GRE or MAT scores to strengthen the application.

• A current resume.

• Two (2) completed recommendation forms: one professional (ie: work place supervisor)/one educational (ie: College Professor) source.

• Write a 750-1000 word essay/personal statement in which you respond to the following two questions (these questions are NEW, and do not affect prospective students who have already begun the essay using previous guidelines):
  A.) Summarize how your personal characteristics, professional activities and/or personal life experiences have led you to believe you are well suited for the profession of counseling/school counseling/school psychology.
  B.) Identify your personal and professional goals and discuss why you have chosen to apply to Eastern University's Counseling Psychology programs to fulfill those goals. Please include a discussion of your academic record and how it accurately reflects/does not reflect your intellectual and professional abilities.

• A personal interview with the Graduate Student Advisor.

• A spontaneous writing sample to be completed on site after the personal interview.

• A completed program of study (upon completion of your file and interview).

• Please note, at least six credits must be taken per semester to qualify for financial aid.

Registration Requirements: the following must be completed prior to registration (you may be accepted into the program without completing these, but you will not be allowed to take classes until they are complete):

• Completion of two prerequisite undergraduate psychology courses (6 credits). You are free to take the CLEP exams to receive credit in the area of Introduction to Psychology.

• If currently an undergraduate student, you must submit a final transcript that indicates the successful completion of your degree.

• Submit a tuition deposit.

Fall 08 Early-Admit Deadline: March 15th

Fall 08 Final Application Deadline: July 1st

Every fall, the Department awards a limited number of Graduate Assistantships. These are highly competitive grants that involve research. Prospective students who are applying for a Graduate Assistantship must have both their entire Application for Admission and Graduate Assistantship application submitted by March 14th. The applications for the Graduate Assistantships will be posted on our website in January.
 

For further information please contact:

484-581-1266

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