The Program Objectives for the Department of Online Counselor Education are derived from the 2024 CACREP standards.
PO1: Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice: Students will develop a professional counseling identity that includes how to engage in the profession of counseling, the role of social justice and advocacy in counseling, and ethical professional counseling practice (CACREP, 2024, 3.A.).
PO2: Social and Cultural Identities and Experiences: Students will integrate cultural context in the practice of professional counseling and apply culturally relevant skills for working with diverse populations while striving to identify and eliminate barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination (CACREP, 2024, 3.B.).
PO3: Lifespan Development: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of human growth and development, as well as related contextual dimensions, to the practice of professional counseling (CACREP, 2024, 3.C.).
PO4: Career Development: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of career readiness and development to the practice of professional counseling (CACREP, 2024, 3.D.).
PO5: Counseling Practice and Relationships: Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills of the collaborative helping process, counseling theories and techniques, counselor self-understanding, and the change process (CACREP, 2024, 3.E.).
PO6: Group Counseling and Group Work: Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills of group development, dynamics, theories, and techniques (CACREP, 2024, 3.F.).
PO7: Assessment and Diagnostic Processes: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of culturally and developmentally appropriate clinical assessment and diagnostic processes (CACREP, 2024, 3.G.).
PO8: Research and Program Evaluation: Students will critically evaluate and utilize research, evidence-based practices, and program evaluation (CACREP, 2024, 3.F.).
PO9: Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Students will develop a professional identity as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor that includes how to engage in a variety of service modalities legally and ethically utilizing current, evidence-based techniques and procedures (CACREP, 2024, 5.C.).
PO10: Students will demonstrate the professionalism expected of a clinical mental health counselor.