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Master of Christian Counseling

Program Description     (2 year program—48 units)
The Master of Christian Counseling is designed to build the counseling knowledge and skills needed for those who desire to bring healing and hope to hurting people as counselors in churches or faith-based organizations. This program will prepare students for pastoral counseling, hospital chaplaincy, crisis pregnancy centers, family case management, or other counseling positions which do not require professional licensure. It is a brief program, intended to build upon previous study and to expedite the student’s entry into the workforce, or prepare the student for even further study on the doctoral level.

 

Program Requirements Summary: 48 units (2 years) 

Degree Bible & Theology Concentration Requirement in Counseling Total

Units
Master of Christian Counseling 12 36 48
Core required courses: 24  
Free Electives in Major: 12
 

Residence requirement: 20 units to be taken at Francis

Program Learning Outcomes

  • To prepare graduate students for biblical and psychological counseling competency dealing with the emotional, social, and spiritual needs within the Christian community.
    • To educate students to articulate a philosophy of counseling ministry based upon the integration of biblical, empirical, historical and social science research
    • To help student learn the most widely practiced counseling methods and principles
    • To increase their attentiveness to their personal spiritual formation and to demonstrate an understanding of biblical and theological foundations for counseling.

 

Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for admission to the Master of Christian Counseling program:

Applicants for admission must hold a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent degree from university or college with at least a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (4.00 scale). The following documents must be submitted to the office of admission by the appropriate deadline:

  1. A completed application form for admission
  2. Application fee
  3. Official Transcripts
  4. Recommendation Form

 

Program Graduation Requirements
As stated above, a minimum of 12 units must be completed in the area of Bible and Theology. The remaining 36 units of instruction are to be taken in the concentration of Christian Counseling. Of these 24 units are core required courses taken in the prescribed course of study.  The remaining 12 units are to be taken among electives within the concentration of Christian Counseling. For courses offered, see the catalog section on course offerings. Courses offered may vary from one semester to another.

 

Bible & Theology: 12 units 

Categories Code Course Title Units
Biblical Studies

(3 courses)

 NT400  New Testament Introduction (4 units)  

 

 

12
OT400  History of the Old Testament (4 units)
ST402  Introduction to Theology (4 units)
  12

 

Concentration Requirements: 36 units 

Categories Code Course Title Units
Core Required Courses

(6 courses)

 PSY401 Counseling Theory and Practice (4 units) 24
CC400 Christian Counseling (4 units)
CC422 Adolescent Christian Counseling (4 units)
CC440 Marriage and Family Counseling Christian Perspective (4 units)
CC551 Crisis Counseling (4 units)
CC581 Pastoral Counseling (4 units)
Electives in Concentration

(3 courses)

 Elective 12
Elective
Elective
  36

 

Core Required Courses

PSY401 Counseling Theory and Practice (4 units)
This course serves as the introduction to counseling theory from a Christian perspective. It is concerned with significant concepts including Senses and Perception, Emotions, Motivation, Abnormal Psychology, Psychotherapy and well known Counseling Theories.

CC400 Christian Counseling (4 units)
This course will be a survey with a Biblical basis for counseling, integration of psychology and theology, counseling needs, methods of counseling, and theories of personality.

CC422 Adolescent Christian Counseling (4 units)
This course examines the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual developmental processes of the adolescent. Family and peer relationships are explored as well as school influences. Attention will be given to self-concept and self-esteem, identity diffusion, psychosexual development, and adjustment problems.

CC440 Marriage and Family Counseling Christian Perspective (4 units)
The course for the dynamics of marriage and family relationships focusing on the counselor's role in premarital, marital, and family counseling through lectures, discussion, case studies, and demonstrations.

CC551 Crisis Counseling (4 units)
This is a course that deals with the theory and practice of crisis intervention, with emphasis in the Christian implications of crisis counseling, the training of crisis counselors, and the dynamics of specific crisis situations.

CC581 Pastoral Counseling (4 units)
This is a course to the principles, techniques and theories of counseling with emphasis on counselor characteristics, helping skills, the various types of pastoral counseling, the most common counseling problems, and the uniqueness of Christian counseling.

 

Elective Courses
CC411 Introduction to Behavioral Analysis (4 units)
This class teaches about the individual’s “nature” (what God gives you at birth) compared to “personality” (your learned behavior), why we act differently, and how to integrate this information in counseling situations.

 

CC452 Stress Counseling (4 units)
Stress Counseling Students are guided through the aspects of stress detection and resolution in a variety of settings. The course offers a combination of spiritual and psychological components designed to help counselees manage and control stress levels.

 

CC491 Biblical Counseling (4 units)
The class addresses relevant issues applying Biblical principles as solutions. The student will understand the interrelationship between Biblical truth and godliness, as well as be able to defend their counseling position with sound Biblical principles of the ministry.

 

CC540 Family Systems (4 units)
An introduction to the basic elements of the Family Systems Theory as applied to the family. It is an alternative approach to individual-focused counseling strategies, which views the individual as a part and product of the larger system called family.

 

CC541 Marriage and Family Counseling (4 units)
This is a study of the foundation of a successful marriage and the basic building block of the family, and the church. Also examined are counseling methods used with married couples undergoing conflicts, child nurturing and disciplining, and cross cultural ramifications.

 

CC553 Grief Counseling (4 units)
This course is designed to give students an understanding of the dynamics of counseling situations guiding families and patients through the stages of grief and death. It also includes other types of losses.

 

CC571 Addictions Counseling (4 units)
This course is designed to teach the dynamics involved in addictive behavior. It includes focusing on the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.

 

CC572 Counseling Domestic Violence (4 units)
Victims and abusers both need help in domestic violence situations. The student is trained in the skills necessary to detect, intervene and counsel people involved in domestic violence.

 

CC580 Effective Counseling Skills (4 units)
A beginning examination of Biblical counseling to assist the student in helping others find God’s purpose for their lives and a study of the difference between secular counseling and Biblical counseling.

 

PSY410 Developmental Psychology (4 units)
A study of the processes of human growth and developing patterns of behavior throughout the lifespan. Particular emphasis will be placed on the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth of the individual.

 

PSY420 Cognitive Therapy (4 units)
This course will highlight the theory and practice of cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and solution focused treatment models. Assessment, intervention and self-management strategies through this approach will be emphasized. Application of cognitive and behavioral techniques to human problems will be discussed from a Christian perspective, with a focus on the belief system of the individuals.

 

PSY501 Psychology & Theology (4 units)
This course will help the student compare and contrast the fields of psychology and theology to better understand how these disciplines interrelate.