Jacqueline G. Montgomery, MA, Associate Dean for the School of Professional Counseling
Dr. Robert and Carol Goodin Nursing & Counseling Center, Room 218
(270) 384-8150  montgomeryj@lindsey.edu

Jeffery J. Crane, PhD, Director, Counseling & Human Development Program
Dr. Robert and Carol Goodin Nursing & Counseling Center, Room 223
(270) 384-8160  cranej@lindsey.edu

School of Professional Counseling Mission

The mission of the Lindsey Wilson College School of Professional Counseling is to provide a practitioner-based, community-centered, student-focused mental-health preparation program hallmarked by academic integrity, professional competence, and sound ethical principles.

In addition to its programs on the A.P. White Campus in Columbia, the School of Professional Counseling collaborates with community colleges within Kentucky and surrounding states to provide local, community-based programs at 25 college community college campuses. The Bachelor's and Master's degrees are offered at these campuses, allowing Associate's degree graduates to earn these higher-level degrees through the Lindsey Wilson College School of Professional Counseling.

The School of Professional Counseling programs are offered in the following locations: Ashland, KY at Ashland Community and Technical College; Big Stone Gap, VA at Mountain Empire Community College; Cincinnati, OH at the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; Cumberland, KY at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College; Danville, KY and Lexington, KY at Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Elizabethtown, KY at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College; Florence, KY at Gateway Community and Technical College; Gallatin, TN at Volunteer State Community College; Hazard, KY at Hazard Community and Technical College; Henderson, KY at Henderson Community College; Hillsboro, OH at Southern State Community College; Hopkinsville, KY at Hopkinsville Community College; Logan, WV at the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College; London, KY and Somerset, KY at Somerset Community and Technical College; Louisville, KY and Shelbyville, KY at Jefferson Community and Technical College; Madisonville, KY at Madisonville Community College; Maysville, KY at Maysville Community and Technical College; Paducah, KY at the Western Kentucky Community and Technical College; Prestonsburg, KY at Big Sandy Community and Technical College; Radcliff, KY at Regional Educational Center; Richlands, VA at Southwest Virginia Community College; Scottsville, KY at the Scottsville campus of Lindsey Wilson College; and Wytheville, VA at the Wytheville Community College. Under development are sites at the Carrollton Community Campus of the Jefferson Community and Technical College in Carrollton, KY; Gateway Community Campus of the Gateway Community and Technical College in Covington, KY; and Shelbyville Community Campus of the Jefferson Community and Technical College in Shelbyville, KY.

Master of Education

The Master of Education in Counseling & Human Development, with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling, is an application-oriented experience designed to enhance the skills of bachelor-level practitioners presently employed or planning a professional career in counseling. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP is an independent non-profit organization, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), with voting members who represent the American Counseling Association (ACA), its divisions and the public. CACREP grants accredited status to graduate-level programs in the professional counseling field.

Through Lindsey Wilson College's accreditation with CACREP, students are eligible to sit for the National Board of Certified Counselors examination during their last semester of study to certify as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). In most circumstances, graduates also are immediately eligible for provisional or temporary licensure in the state where they received coursework.

Employment opportunities for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors are diverse and abundant. In addition to private practice settings, possible employment opportunities for graduates of the program include churches, city and state human services departments, community mental health centers, correctional departments, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, employee assistance programs, employment services, hospice programs, hospitals, industries, military, counseling agencies, psychiatric hospitals, rape crisis centers, sexual abuse centers, YMCA/YWCA facilities, and vocational services. 

This degree does not lead to P-12 school counselor certification or satisfy requirements for the MEd in Teacher as Leader.

Curriculum

The Master of Education in Counseling & Human Development, with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling, requires a minimum of 60 semester hours and participation in a group experience of not less than 10 hours facilitated by the program. Requirements include 39 hours from nine core areas (human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, helping relationships, group work, career and lifestyle development, appraisal, research and program evaluation, professional orientation and abnormal), 9 hours of clinical instruction, and an additional 21 hours of specialty requirements in Mental Health Counseling.

A.    Core Curriculum:  30 hours

• Lifecycle Development in Individuals & Families (CHD 5003) - 3 hours
• Multicultural Issues, Human Diversity, & Preventive Community Education (CHD 5013) - 3 hours
• Counseling Theories & Techniques: Affective/Humanistic (CHD 5023) - 3 hours
• Counseling Theories & Techniques: Cognitive/Behavioral (CHD 5033) - 3 hours
• Group Counseling Techniques (CHD 5043) - 3 hours
• Career Education Counseling (CHD 5053) - 3 hours
• Individual and Group Assessment (CHD 5063) - 3 hours
• Psychopathology (CHD 5073) - 3 hours
• Research Methods (CHD 5083) - 3 hours
• Professional Issues and Ethics (CHD 5093) - 3 hours

B.    Clinical Instruction:  9 hours

• Practicum: 150 hours (CHD 6003) - 3 hours
• Internship: 300 hours (CHD 6013) - 3 hours
• Internship:  300 hours (CHD 6013) - 3 hours

TOTAL, CORE AND CLINICAL:  39 credit hours

C.    Specialization in Mental Health Counseling:  21 hours

Although a significant emphasis in the core curriculum is the development of a mental health counseling knowledge and skill base, the following specialty course work and clinical experiences are designed to provide specialized expertise in the area of community mental health counseling.

In addition to the 39 hours of core and clinical experiences above, each student who specializes in mental health counseling must complete the following course work within the specialty area. This course work provides an introduction to community mental health counseling, contextual dimensions, knowledge and skills for the practice of mental health counseling, and clinical instruction.

• Evaluation of Mental & Emotional Status (CHD 6033) - 3 hours
• Diagnosis of Mental & Emotional Disorders (CHD 6023) - 3 hours
• Substance Abuse Treatment (CHD 6163) - 3 hours
• Play Therapy (CHD 6253) or Adolescent Intervention (CHD 6283) - 3 hours
• Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders (CHD 6203) - 3 hours
• Mental Health Administration, Supervision & Consultation (CHD 6513) - 3 hours
• Systemic Family Therapy (CHD 6613) - 3 hours

Exit Assessment

The Graduate Program has the same academic policies and standards as the undergraduate program except where specifically stated. All degree requirements must be completed within seven years of initial acceptance into the program. Graduation from the Master of Education in Counseling & Human Development degree program requires:

• A cumulative quality point average of 3.00 or higher;
• Completion of a program evaluation survey;
• Filing an application for graduation with the Registrar following the specific guidelines set forth in this catalog;
• Recommendation of the graduate faculty; and
• Completion of the Comprehensive Professional Counseling Examination (CPCE).

Admission

Program Application Procedure

Applicants to the Counseling and Human Development Program will need to:

1. Complete the Graduate School Application for Admission (available online) and submit it and the processing fee to the appropriate administrative assistant serving the community campus or site;
2. Send an official transcript of each college or university previously attended to the Lindsey College Registrar;
3. Send three letters of recommendation to the appropriate administrative assistant;
4. Complete an interview with members of the Regional Admissions Committee.

Once the materials for applications are received and a successful interview completed, the student may register for classes.

Classification of Applications

All applicants admitted to the graduate program in Counseling & Human Development are admitted on conditional basis. The status is reviewed by the Regional Admissions Committee at the end of the graduate candidate's first semester to consider each student's unconditional acceptance into the program.

A change in status from conditional to unconditional must be accompanied by a successful student review and subsequent recommendation by the Regional Admission Committee.

Note:   Admissions decisions are based on academic performance and personal characteristics/ dispositions as reflected in the Graduate Students Review and Recommendation process.  Students who receive scores of "Pass" or "Low Pass" will be granted unconditional admission status. A student who receives one or two "No Pass" scores will meet with the Resident Faculty Supervisor to discuss and formulate a remediation plan. A student who receives three or more "No Pass" scores will meet with the Regional Admissions Committee to plan required remediation or discuss alternatives to the program.

Non-Degree Admission

Upon application, non-degree admission may be granted to those who wish to enroll in courses but who do not intend to pursue a degree. Such course work may aid in completing certification requirements, enriching professional development, or similar objectives.

If a student who is enrolled in the non-degree category subsequently wishes to seek a degree, he or she must make application to the program requesting a change in status and must meet all criteria for admission. If approved, a student may carry forward no more than 12 hours of credit earned as a non-degree student.

Transfer of Credit

All graduate students who wish to transfer graduate credit from other institutions to be applied to Lindsey Wilson's Counseling and Human Development degree should be aware of the following criteria:

• Transfer credit must carry a grade of A or B and must be earned at graduate level.
• Transfer credit must be consistent with the program's curriculum, which comprises the required CHD program structure.
• Normally no more than 15 credit hours may be transferred into the CHD program. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of the Counseling & Human Development Program.
• The Director of the Counseling & Human Development Program reviews all requests for transfer credit.
• In cases where a graduate degree has been earned in a related field from a regionally accredited college or university, the graduate faculty may accept block credit earned, provided these courses satisfy requirements of the program to which the student is applying. The Graduate Faculty Admissions Committee may require a student to retake any course in an area where there are questions regarding the content of the curriculum or the student's competence in a given area.

Graduate Credit without the Baccalaureate Degree

The following criteria apply to those students who wish to enroll in graduate course work who have not earned a Bachelor of Arts degree:

• Undergraduates must have senior status, and
• Cumulative quality point average of at least 3.00.

No course work applied toward undergraduate graduation requirements may be counted toward requirements for a graduate degree. A maximum of nine graduate credit hours may be taken by an undergraduate.

Assistantships

The graduate assistant (GA) placement is designed as a learning milieu for the graduate student while assisting academic unit faculty in providing a comprehensive program with academic integrity. Each assistantship requires 30 hours per week. Contact the Director of the Counseling & Human Development program for more information.

The duties of the GA will vary. GAs who are assigned to the Counseling Center work closely with the Director of the Counseling & Human Development program and their faculty supervisors to provide counseling services to students of Lindsey Wilson College as well as individuals living in Columbia and the surrounding area. GAs on the main campus assigned to the dorms work closely with the Director of the Counseling & Human Development program, their faculty supervisor, and Residence Life. Dorm counselors live in the dorms and provide counseling services and other supporting services to residential students as requested by the students and/or encouraged or mandated by Residence Life. GAs at community campus locations work closely with campus coordinators, faculty supervisors, and the Director of the Counseling & Human Development program. The primary responsibility of the GAs at the community campuses is to facilitate the operation of the Counseling Lab.

Graduate Assistantship Application

• Complete a Graduate Assistant Application. All application materials should be submitted to the Resident Faculty Supervisor (or Enrollment Coordinator) for the campus as early as possible.
• All eligible applicants will be invited for an interview. Several faculty and staff are invited to attend as an interview team, including the Enrollment Coordinator, Resident Faculty Supervisor, and Regional Academic Director, to illustrate the collaborative process by which the GAs are selected.
• After applicants have been interviewed, the interview team will select a candidate and notify the Director of the Counseling & Human Development Program by submitting the selected candidate's Graduate Assistant Application, Graduate Assistant Agreement, and background check form.
• The Director of Counseling & Human Development Program will report the results of the background check to the interview team in order to inform the final selection for the GA position.  The Resident Faculty Supervisor will inform all applicants of the decision.
• An unsuccessful candidate for a Graduate Assistantship may apply for consideration for other positions available.

Counseling Services Facilities

In support of the accreditation standards for the CHD graduate program, Lindsey Wilson College offers counseling instruction environments conducive to modeling, demonstration, supervision, and training. The counseling services facilities are staffed by at least one GA for administrative management support as well as a Resident Faculty Supervisor to arrange appropriate licensed clinical supervision. The counseling services facilities also provide the opportunity for students to develop program-appropriate audio/video recordings for use in supervision.

SPC Scholars Program

The School of Professional Counseling's Scholars Program is designed to prepare students for additional post-graduate studies, such as a doctoral program. The program is highly competitive and limited to no more four students per semester. Students named to the SPC Scholars Program will participate in research and present at professional conferences.

Application Process

• Prerequisites:
  • Minimum grade point average of 3.50;
  • Membership in Chi Sigma Iota;
  • Registration in the second or third semester of the Counseling & Human Development Program; and
  • Membership in the American Counseling Association,
• Applicants must provide the following materials: 
  • Cover letter;
  • Essay explaining why the applicant is suited for the program;
  • A writing sample of academic work;
  • Three letters of recommendation from faculty; and
  • Sponsorship by a Scholars Program committee member.

Faculty willingness to sponsor a student will be based on perceived similarities in professional research interests and faculty availability. Faculty will be assigned as advisors to students they sponsor. The Scholars Program Admissions Committee (comprised of faculty participating in the program) will review application materials and approve all proposed sponsorships.

Students admitted to the SPC Scholars Program will begin official participation the semester after they have been accepted. SPC Scholars are required to maintain a 3.50 grade point average. Participation in the program will require additional work above and beyond course work required for graduation and will likely require travel to meet with faculty advisors and research teams. Successful completion of the SPC Scholars Program does not guarantee acceptance into a doctoral program, nor does participation on a research team guarantee publication.

Program Requirements

The intent of the SPC Scholars Program is to encourage scholarship and academic preparation for students interested in doctoral studies. SPC Scholars will engage in a range of activities tailored to this purpose.

SPC Scholars will:

• Participate on a research team (led by the faculty advisor) working toward scholarly publications. SPC Scholars will receive authorship status commensurate with participation on published works. Actual publication is not required, so long as students work on the research team.
• Participate in one presentation at a professional conference.
• Prepare for and take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). 

Faculty advisors will help students hone their research skills and assist them in the application process for doctoral studies (i.e., preparing a vita, studying for the GRE, developing a letter of application for doctoral programs).

Successful Completion

During a student's last semester in the program, the SPC Scholars committee will evaluate the student's work. Students who have met all of the program's requirements will receive recognition of their status during their program's pinning ceremony, including a brief outline of their successes (i.e., acceptance into a doctoral program, professional publications, presentations).