The Counseling Psychology Master's Student Handbook

Counseling Psychology Master’s Handbook, Pg. 1

The University of Kentucky Counseling Psychology Master’s Student Handbook

2017-2018

Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

University of Kentucky

Revision History:

• Revised 2/6/2018
• Revised 2/1/2018
• Revised 12/6/2017
• Revised 8/22/2017
• Revised 5/16/2017
• Revised 1/15/2017
• Revised 4/21/2016
• Revised 4/6/2016
• Revised 2/29/2016
• Revised 11/4/2015
• Revised 11/1/2012

Foreword`

This handbook is designed to familiarize you with the Counseling Psychology Master’s Program. This document contains descriptions, policies, procedures, and guidelines related to your training in this program. The Handbook has two parts: (1) General Information on the Program and (2) Specific Information on policies and procedures related to successful completion of the Master’s Program in Counseling Psychology. In addition to the materials contained in this handbook, as a student in the Graduate School, you are responsible for standards and policies set forth in the University of Kentucky Bulletin (see

The University, Graduate School (GS), and Counseling Psychology (CP) program are continually modifying graduation requirements, policies, and procedures to clarify and improve our programs. Graduation requirements upon admission remain in effect for the duration of students’ programs, although students may elect to satisfy graduation requirements using any changes that occur during their programs. In this situation, students must choose either the past or changed graduation requirement in their entirety (i.e., students may not pick portions of both the old and the new requirement). However, changes to university, departmental, and program policies and procedures apply to all students at the point that the change occurs. Thus, the policies and procedures in this handbook are subject to change as necessary and apply to all students. The Master’s program in Counseling Psychology is a full-time program that takes an average of two years of full-time study to complete. The program does not accept part-time students.

This handbook has been optimized for reading on a computer using Microsoft Word. Certain parts are hyperlinked to other sections or to locations online. While viewing this document on a computer, any text in blue can link to another location by left-clicking the mouse while pressing and holding the “ctrl” key.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview of the Master’s Program in Counseling Psychology`

Program Philosophy and Social Justice Statement`

The philosophy of the Counseling Psychology Program is rooted in the values and goals of a socially just society. A socially just society is contingent on the optimal health and well-being of all persons in that society. The health and well-being of persons is contingent on access to healthy environments that support healthy development and functioning. Our goal is to train professionals who are competent in providing psychological services that facilitate optimal well-being and the transformation of unhealthy and oppressive societal structures.

Overview of the Master’s Program of Study`

The course sequence provides a foundation of basic knowledge and applied skills in Health Service Psychology (HSP) that facilitate the development of this broad range of science and practice competencies. The Program of Study is designed to: (1) be congruent with the natureofHSP training developed by the American Psychological Association, (2) offer a developmental, sequential curriculum that enables the student to develop research and practice skills, (3) foster a professional identity within the specialty of Counseling Psychology, (4) ensure that graduates are prepared and qualified to matriculate into advanced graduate training, (5) promote reflective ethical decision-making and engagement in social justice-related efforts, and (6) prepare students to function effectively as mental health professionals in a broad range of roles in various work settings that require sound training experiences, professional and ethical competence, interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

Professionalism and Collegiality`

To attain the Program’s pedagogical goals, we encourage a collegial working relationship between faculty and graduate students in which both groups are engaged in a common pursuit. The courses and the multiple practicum experiences provide a forum for faculty-student contact and dialogue, so that professional and personal interchange is facilitated and encouraged. In these forums, Program faculty provide mentoring, role-modeling, and training opportunities.

All policies and procedures within the program are designed to be congruent with the standards developed by APA. Students are strongly encouraged to join professional organizations such as APA and Division 17: Society of Counseling Psychology. Refer to the Division 17 website for a definition of Counseling Psychology and membership information (see Students are also encouraged to become affiliates of the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA) (see

Proximal Program Outcomes`

The attainment of Program goals and competencies are evaluated in courses and in formative and summative evaluations including the Practicum Supervisory Evaluation forms and the Final Examination for Master’s (FEM). These evaluative components of the program are further described below.

Distal Program Outcomes`

The Program provides students with the comprehensive, foundational training specifically designed to prepare students to apply for Counseling Psychology PhD programs. The Counseling Psychology M.S. is also a great fit for those students who want to further explore the field of Counseling Psychology before making the decision about whether or not to commit to the 5+ years of training that is required to get a PhD in our field. Furthermore, the Counseling Psychology M.S. can help prepare students to provide psychological health services in the Commonwealth of Kentucky at the master’s level as a Licensed Psychological Associates (LPA; click here to learn more about licensure in KY). Please note that theM.S. program isnotdesigned to make students eligible for licensure as a Master’s-levelLicensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Ethical Principles, Rights, and Responsibilities`

The Program faculty expects that once students are admitted to Master’s training, they will conduct themselves in a respectful, professional manner. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (2010; see and to abide by these principles in their academic, professional, and interpersonal behavior. You are expected to demonstrate a commitment to the essential values of the Counseling Psychology program, which include respect for the dignity and worth of every individual and their right to a just share of society’s resources (social justice). Ethical behavior and professionalism is expected in your clinical, classroom, and community roles, including public interactions through online and social media outlets. Any significant reports of incidents incompatible with the core values of counseling psychology and ethical codes of our profession may be subject to disciplinary action.

Further, students need be aware of the University's Student Rights and Responsibilities that is published by the UK Office of the Dean of Students (see The program also has developed and occasionally revises operating procedures and policies that are updated in this handbook each year. Master’s students are expected to read, understand, and abide by these policies.

No students may use their affiliation with the department or the program in connection with advertising services before completing a degree program. For any unsupervised services offered, the ethics of the situation should be discussed with faculty members (including the student’s advisor). If the circumstances are not clarified, it becomes the entire responsibility of the student for all consequences of such action (e.g., if it is deemed a breach of ethics, the student may be dismissed from the program).

Departmental Structure`

Director of Graduate Study

The Director of Graduate Study (DGS) serves as the initial point of contact for students applying to the doctoral program, manages the application activities, and is the custodian of student records. Throughout the student’s involvement in the Counseling Psychology Program, the DGS provides the communications liaison between the Program and the Graduate School.

Master’s Training Coordinator

The Master’s Training Coordinator (MTC)works with the Counseling Psychology Area Committee (CPAC) to establish Program policies, manage Program procedures, and monitor student progress. In matters of student progress, the MTC serves as a consultant to CPAC. The MTC also coordinates the master’s program application and admission process.

Program, Departmental, and Adjunct Faculty

The Departmental Chair serves a four-year term. The Departmental faculty members are assigned to one of three Area Committees, Counseling Psychology (CPAC), Educational Psychology (EPAC), or School Psychology (SPAC). Each area committee is directly responsible for the policies and procedures in its respective programs. Faculty vitae and contact information can be found online at Adjunct faculty members have primary assignments elsewhere, but they provide instruction and/or practicum supervision to the Counseling Psychology Program.

CP Student Senate

One student senator from each cohort (i.e., the group of students entering the program in a given year) will be elected during class at the beginning of the first fall semester of the first year. This senator will represent their cohort and work collaboratively with the elected senators from the other cohorts of the CPAC programs (e.g., MS, PhD) to decide what student concerns should be brought to the attention of the CPAC faculty. Student senators will meet with the CPAC faculty during one mid-semester CPAC faculty meeting. Student senators may also communicate the concerns of the faculty back to the student body and are tasked with keeping their student cohorts informed of relevant CPAC faculty decisions and resultant policy changes. A secondary responsibility of the student senators is to support CPAC by planning and carrying out activities that will aid CPAC in program evaluation and enhancement.

Program of Study`

The Program of Study is available on the department website under “Handbooks & Forms.” A listing of course descriptions appears in the University of Kentucky Bulletin (see The Program of Study (POS) for the Master’s in Counseling Psychology is designed with two considerations: (a) be congruent with the nature of HSP training developed by the American Psychological Association and (b) to offer a curriculum that enables the student to develop research and practice skills, to explore individual interests, and to focus on a selected area of expertise.

The Counseling Psychology Program is a full time graduate program and students are expected to be enrolled as full-time students.

Students who wish to apply previous graduate coursework should present documentation (i.e., syllabi, course description from graduate catalogue, and transcript) to their assigned Faculty Mentor.

Master’s Program of Study Schedule`

The Master’s program of study consists of approximately four classes a semester for four semesters. All students are expected to take the designated courses during the designated semesters. This will allow students to complete the program in a timely manner and build strong relationships with the other students in their cohort, who will take all the same classes at the same time. The POS also lists the Final Examination for Master’s (FEM) as a required component to complete during the final semester of the program (see below). The original POS should be completed, signed, and placed in the student’s file as a part of documenting and approving the student’s readiness to take the FEM.

Under special circumstances (e.g., temporary leave of absence), it may be necessary for the student to work with their assigned Faculty Advisor to make arrangements for completing certain program requirements at a later-than-originally-scheduled time. Any changes should be noted on the student’s POS, the POS signed by the assigned Faculty Advisor, and the signed POS placed in the student’s file.

Communicating with Your Faculty Advisor`

Master’s students are encouraged to communicate frequently with their Faculty Advisor. A simple E-mail is a good strategy to use in keeping the faculty aware of your activities. Students are encouraged to communicate regularly and work closely with their Faculty Advisor to take advantage of potential learning opportunities and to discuss progress in the program. Students are welcome to schedule meetings with their Faculty Advisor as necessary to discuss professional development issues (e.g., progress in the program, career goal clarification). However, students should bear in mind that scheduling a meeting with busy faculty members can be challenging. Therefore, it is recommended that students schedule meetings many weeks in advance.

Registration and Advance Registration Procedures

The guidelines for pre-registration, newly admitted student registration, and late registration are made available in documents which may be obtained from the Director of Graduate Study (DGS) and from the Registrar (see Students are advised each semester to follow the suggestions that appear on the Counseling Psychology Students Discussion List (see://education.uky.edu/site/LISTSERVs). All registration is done electronically via myUK ( Please note the Registrar prevents first year students from registering until they have attended an “advising conference.” For newly admitted students, this occurs during student orientation and is typically held one week before classes begin. Students can consult with their appointed advisor and review the Course Catalog (see to plan courses and a schedule prior to this date but will not be officially enrolled until this time. Newly admitted students should also be aware that they must set up a “link blue” account in order to register electronically and use many university services such as email, library account access, etc. Refer to for more information on activating this account.

Academic Requirements and Important Policies

The Department has established a commitment to diversity in course coverage and content. The policy affirms our commitment to integrating aspects of diverse scholarship and experience into the body of knowledge covered by each course. The Department defines diversity very broadly to include age, gender, gender identity and expression, race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, and disability or ableness. This commitment is reflected in course syllabi as well as assigned readings and in class discussion.

By the second class meeting, every Professor is required to provide students with a syllabus. The syllabus contains an outline of course content and requirements that are to be completed by the student. A syllabus is also considered to be a contract. That is, professors are contracting with students that certain requirements are to be met to earn a specific grade. If factors affecting evaluation must be revised during the semester, students must be given reasonable warning.

The most recent course syllabi are available at the Department’s website (see

APA Style

All papers submitted in any course in the department are expected to conform to APA Style. Securing a copy of the sixth edition of the APA Style Manual (2010) is required. Program students are required to use proper APA format in all of their papers submitted while in the Program.

The Ally Development Workshop and Other Training Experiences

Each year, the second year doctoral students lead an Ally Development Workshop. This social justice training experience is mandatory for first year graduate students. The Program faculty strongly encourages students to engage in extra-curricular training and workshops. These training experiences are available in the EDP, UK, and Lexington area communities. These trainings provide students with opportunities to develop counseling skills, acquire relevant knowledge, and gain increased awareness and growth.

Training Requirements for Teaching Assistantships*

When a student receives funding via a Teaching Assistantship (TA), a TA training requirement is required from the student. These trainings are given twice a year, once in August and January.

Departmental Electronic Communication*

The Department uses two listservs (EDP-ALL for students and faculty in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology; COUNSELING-PSYCH for counseling psych graduate students) to relate important messages regarding classes, practicum experiences, funding, and employment opportunities to students. You will be signed up to these listservs by the Department staff. When you reply to a listserv message, it will be sent to all listserv subscribers, not just the person who sent the original email to the listserv. Therefore, if you want to say something privately to the person, it is best to send a fresh email to that person (what we would call “emailing them backchannel”) rather than hitting reply. Also, be careful when responding to the listservs, since persons who are not students or faculty in the department may also subscribed to the listserv, so be carefully about sharing personal/sensitive information.

Reflective Learning, Personal Growth, and Seeking Therapy*

The Counseling Psychology Faculty members believe that personal development is essential to becoming an effective clinician. Experience as a client in both individual and group settings is an excellent way to attend to both personal and professional development by helping you to become comfortable with aspects of self-disclosure and reflective self-examination (but see caveat about UK Counseling Center below). Getting personal therapy may be an important step for those who find that their current struggles significantly impede their professional performance. These personal and professional activities are frequently necessary for competent performance in classes and in practicum training experiences. For example, you can expect to observe and be observed conducting therapeutic activities, to give and receive appropriate peer feedback, and to display self-awareness, including the impact of your social locations and cultural values on your interpersonal interactions. To summarize, students are expected to operate responsibly and assertively within the department. This means taking care of personal needs and responsibilities while remaining watchful of and respecting the needs and rights of others. This process requires being aware of and meeting deadlines, fulfilling class and program requirements, helping other students, being involved in the evolution of the program, and other reasonable expectations. See the CP Restricted Files page ( on the CP website for more information about low-cost personal psychotherapy services available to current CP students.