Saint Joseph College offers graduate degrees in counseling for individuals wishing to pursue a Master of Arts in School Counseling, Master of Arts in Community Counseling, a Master of Arts in Community Counseling with a Specialization in Child Welfare, a Specialization in Pastoral Counseling, and a Certificate in Spirituality. The faculty designed all of these programs to provide students with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary for providing quality mental health services for those in need. Each program shares specific objectives that serve to focus the curriculum and inform the formal education and practical training students need to meet the demands of today's schools and health-care environments.

Objectives for the Community Counseling and School Counseling Programs

The objectives for the Community Counseling and School Counseling programs are based on the four specific domains of clinical practice. They include:

Skill Competencies - A major objective of the SJC Counselor Education Program is to assist students in developing the skills necessary for engaging in the helping process. As they progress through the program, students will be able to demonstrate culturally appropriate skills and techniques necessary for successful pre-session, in-session and post-session counseling tasks and responsibilities.

Case Conceptualization - Another objective of the SJC Counselor Education Program is to teach students how to formulate a clear understanding of the client's struggle and and how to frame a counseling plan that reflects a theoretical orientation and is respectful of the contextual nature of the client's world view.

Counseling Process - Understanding the dynamic process of the counseling relationship is a critical element in the helping process. Therefore, an objective of the SJC Counselor Education Program is to teach students how to recognize any and all aspects of counselor-client interaction that directly or indirectly affects the client, the counselor, the direction of sessions and/or the outcome of counseling.

Personal Growth - Becoming aware of one's own skills, abilities, and aspects of character that either serve to enhance or detract form one's work as a counselor is very important. Because of this, another objective of the Counselor Education Program is to help students develop a keen awareness of self,, to actively work toward utilizing one's strengths and to address any personal obstacles that might arise in working as a professional counselor.

The completion of either counseling program at Saint Joseph College prepares one to enter the job market as a competent provider of quality counseling service, fully equipped with the care and concern that is characteristic of highly-skilled clinicians.