Residential M.A. in Counseling Psychology
The Master's Degree in Counseling is designed for students who desire a professional career in counseling and psychotherapy. It fulfills the academic requirements for graduates to sit for the California state licensure examination in Marriage and Family Therapy. The curriculum combines foundational course work in transpersonal psychology with specialized courses in counseling theory and skills development, including a year-long practicum experience.
In the context of a community process, emphasis is placed on personal integration of the course material, giving students the opportunity for personal transformational work. With the classroom as laboratory, students use their own life experience as the basis for case study. During the case study, students learn to critique and assess psychological theory, develop strong interpersonal skills, hone their therapeutic skills and apply what they are learning to their own life's work. Upon completion of course work, students apply their skills through practicum work in varied clinical and institutional settings.
The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology offers daytime and evening classes for the M.A. in Counseling Psychology program.
Our new full-time program gives students the option of attending classes during the daytime and completing the MACP in two years. Both the curriculum and the cost of the program is the same as the evening program, but spread over two years rather than three.
There are two degrees offered through the Evening Master's Program: The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and the Master of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology . The evening program schedules classes and workshops three evenings a week and one weekend per quarter to accommodate the needs of individuals who seek to pursue an advanced degree or continuing education while engaged in full-time work, family or community activities.
Students who are completing the MACP and going on for the MFT license are becoming scholar practitioners. As such, they do not complete a research based thesis. Rather, during their practicum year, they write one long three-part paper that explores 1) the nature of illness, 2) the nature of wellness, and 3) applying psychotherapeutic theory to the clinical setting. As a synthesis of the their training and experience, this paper mirrors students’ learning and abilities.
For further information on residential programs please contact Ann Skinner-Jones, ext. 271, askinnerjones@itp.edu.
