John Sherry, Associate Professor and Chair
Linda O’Neill, Professor
Jennifer Roters, Assistant Professor
Website: www.unbc.ca/psychology/counselling
The Counselling program is designed to prepare counsellors to provide professional services and leadership in counselling and psycho-educational programs offered in schools, post-secondary institutions, social service agencies, and community health organizations. Students have the opportunity to choose the type(s) of counselling they wish to focus upon, and to complete periods of supervised clinical practice in practicum settings that are relevant to their interests, based on availability. The program includes an integrated core of required courses, elective courses, and a thesis, project, or comprehensive examination. Counselling students are required to complete eleven required courses, three elective courses, and a comprehensive examination. Application can be made to the Department of Psychology to enter a thesis or project route after completion of at least 12 credit hours of coursework. If approved, the thesis route would consist of eleven required courses, one elective, and the thesis, while a project route would consist of eleven required courses, two electives, and a project.
Admission
Application deadlines can be found online at http://www.unbc.ca/admissions/graduate.
Admission to the MEd Counselling program at the Prince George campus occurs each September; deadline for applications is December 15 of the prior year. Admission to the program at regional campuses does not normally occur each year and will vary in response to demand and resources.
In addition to the admission application requirements outlined in General Admission of the Graduate Admissions and Regulations, priority will be given to those applicants applying for the MEd Counselling program who have (a) graduated with a Baccalaureate degree a minimum of two years prior to the admission date to which they are applying, and (b) obtained some paid or unpaid work experience in a helping capacity at a counselling-related or teaching-related setting since receiving their Baccalaureate degree.
Applicants are also required to submit a Curriculum Vitae or résumé that indicates the number of hours in each employment or volunteer position. A list of any scholarships or publications should also be included.
Criminal Record Review
In addition to meeting the admission application requirements outlined in General Admission of the Graduate Admissions and Regulations, all applicants to the MEd Counselling program are required to submit a Criminal Record Check search prior to the first day of classes in their entry semester.
Domestic applicants must supply a Criminal Record Check search result after receiving an offer of admission and before the first day of classes; the search result is not required with the application. International applicants must submit a Criminal Record Check search result provided by their local police authority upon application, and will also be required to submit a British Columbia Criminal Record Check if offered admission. The Office of the Registrar will provide instructions to domestic and international applicants who have accepted offers of admission on how to complete a British Columbia Criminal Record Check.
Requirements
Provided that such courses have not been associated with the receipt of either a degree or diploma from UNBC or another educational institution, students may apply to the Dean for up to 6 credit hours of previously completed graduate-level coursework that is equivalent to that completed in the MEd program. Where equivalent courses have been associated previously with the receipt of either a degree or diploma, students are permitted to elect alternative courses from the MEd program to satisfy the requirements for the degree.
Students in an MEd program may take up to 6 credit hours of elective coursework from UNBC programs other than Counselling or from other institutions under the Western Deans' Agreement (students require permission of their Academic Supervisor and the Chair).
Thesis Requirement
The thesis route emphasizes academic study, research, and the successful completion of a thesis. This program route is designed to develop each student's ability to evaluate theory and practice, and conduct research that contributes to the counselling discipline. The thesis route requires the successful completion of a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate coursework and includes 9 credit hours of supervised research culminating in the completion of a thesis and the successful defence of it in an oral examination.
Project Requirement
The project route emphasizes the study of theory and practice, and the successful completion of an innovative and applied project that addresses a particular aspect of counselling support and practice. This program route is designed to develop a student's ability to evaluate and improve professional practice in counselling. The project route requires the successful completion of a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate coursework and includes 6 credit hours of supervised applied research and development culminating in a non-defendable project.
Comprehensive Examination Requirement
The comprehensive examination route requires the successful completion of a comprehensive examination that evaluates a student's knowledge of theory, research, and practice in their field of study. This comprehensive examination route is designed to enhance and reinforce a student's knowledge of both theory and practice, as well as their interrelationship. The comprehensive examination route requires the successful completion of a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate coursework including 3 credit hours awarded upon the successful completion of a written comprehensive examination at the end of the student's program.
Application can be made to the Counselling program to enter a thesis or project route after having completed at least 12 credit hours of coursework.
Required Courses
| COUN 601-3 | Research Design and Methodology |
| COUN 612-3 | Trauma Counselling |
| COUN 613-3 | Interpersonal Counselling Skills |
| COUN 618-3 | Family Counselling |
| COUN 619-3 | Counselling for Aboriginal/Indigenous Peoples |
| COUN 711-3 | Counselling Theory |
| COUN 712-3 | Counselling Practice |
| COUN 714-3 | Group Counselling Processes |
| COUN 717-3 | Ethics in Counselling |
| COUN 719-6 | Counselling Practicum |
One of the following research courses is required; the other may be taken as elective credit:
| COUN 610-3 | Qualitative Analysis in Counselling |
| COUN 602-4 | Quantitative Research Design and Data Analysis |
Elective Courses
| COUN 633-3 | Human Development: Implications for Counselling |
| COUN 692-3 | Special Topics |
| COUN 693-3 | Directed Reading |
| COUN 715-3 | Career Counselling |
| COUN 716-3 | Clinical Counselling |
| COUN 795-3 | Research Seminar |
| COUN 603-4 | Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis |
Thesis, Project or Comprehensive Examination
| COUN 797-3 | Comprehensive Examination |
| COUN 798-6 | MEd Project |
| COUN 799-9 | MEd Thesis |
Updated: July 2, 2024