Counseling Psychology, MS (Online)

California Baptist University’s online Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree program is designed to prepare students to enter the field of either marriage and family therapy or professional clinical counseling with a firm understanding of psychological science from a distinctly Christian worldview. Graduates will receive the education and training necessary to assess and treat individuals, couples, and families who are experiencing relational difficulties, and meets the current requirements for licensure in the state of California as a marriage and family therapist or licensed professional clinical counselor.

Admission Requirements

Master of Science in Counseling Psychology Admission Requirements

Admission standards for graduate studies at California Baptist University can be found under Graduate Program Admission in the Online and Professional Studies section of the University Catalog. Specific admission requirements for the Counseling Psychology program are:

Prerequisites
- Students whose undergraduate degree is not in Psychology must take either:
  - General Psychology (preferred) or
  - Life Span Development.
Personal statement of at least 500 words that includes the following:
- Purpose for entering the program
- Experiences that have directed your interest toward becoming a therapist
- Religious background, present pattern of spiritual growth, fundamentals of personal faith and the relationship between your faith and professional goals
- Reasons for choosing to study at California Baptist University
- Influences that have shaped your present values and approach to life
- Include in your essay a response to this question: “Have you ever received psychiatric treatment or counseling, yes or no?” If yes, please provide a brief explanation

Program Requirements (60-66 units)

Optional Professional Clinical Counselor Requirements (6 units)

The Professional Clinical Counselor requirements, when added to the core requirements, meets the academic requirements for licensure as a Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC) in California.

Comprehensive Examination

Students graduating from the Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) Program within the Online and Professional Studies (OPS) Division at California Baptist University (CBU) will be required to successfully complete a written comprehensive examination. Students will identify a case they treated during their practicum experience. After identifying the case, students will generate a formal written case report using a provided outline. Student will be evaluated by full-time faculty using a standardized rubric.

Psychotherapy Requirement

Students entering the graduate program in Counseling Psychology will be required to complete twenty-four (24) hours of individual psychotherapy or fifty (50) hours of group psychotherapy with a licensed psychotherapist. This therapy must be done outside the campus community and may not include therapists who have any teaching relationship with California Baptist University.

Students completing the psychotherapy requirement may obtain the psychotherapy form from the Online and Professional Studies Academic offices.