Golden Gate University offers a license-eligible Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.
The program maintains a strategic partnership with the Psychotherapy Action Network, an organization that aims to organize, formulate initiatives, and collectively advocate
for mental health policy that is based on the complexity of the individual and not
simply on the identification of discrete symptoms. This is consistent with our program
philosophy, which envisions psychotherapy as a complex process of individual growth
and change and the therapeutic relationship as a key element in successful treatment.
Traineeship is an integral part of our program, providing an opportunity for students
to apply the skills learned in class to the clinical encounter. Students are required
to complete 300 face-to-face clinical hours under clinical supervision and to concurrently
attend our practicum seminar.
Our curriculum meets the MFT licensure requirements as set forth by section 4980.36(a)
of the Business and Professions (B&P) code. The program satisfies all the educational
requirements set by the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners and may provide
some hours of supervised experience fulfilling part of the practical experience requirements.
Our curriculum also meets the educational requirements for Licensed Professional Clinical
counselor (LPCC) licensure as required by section 4999.54 of the Business and Professions
(B&P) code. The curriculum also meets the educational requirements for MFT and/or
LPCC licensure in many other states. If you intend to pursue licensure outside the
state of California, speak with a faculty member in the Department of Psychology to
discuss the licensure requirements in your particular state of interest.
Psychotherapy Requirement
Students entering the counseling profession benefit professionally, personally and
academically from personal psychotherapy. During the program, students must complete
50 hours of psychotherapy with a licensed clinician or therapist under supervision
by a licensed clinician (Psychiatrist, Psychologist, MFT, LPCC, or LCSW). Students
may select individual, couple, family, or group psychotherapy.
Undergraduate Psychology Pathway Programs
As a pathway to the graduate-level counseling programs, students who complete certain
undergraduate-level courses at Golden Gate University as a part of completing the
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology or a Psychology concentration with either the Bachelor
of Arts in Management or Bachelor of Science in Business may have the comparable graduate-level
required courses waived from their Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Graduate
Certificate in Counseling Skills, or Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution program
requirements.
The following courses are eligible for this waiver option: PSYCH 102 Lifespan Development: Theories and Applications satisfies the PSYCH 302 Lifespan Development: Theories and Applications for Therapists requirement.PSYCH 120 Principles and Methods of Counseling satisfies the PSYCH 320 Therapeutic Communication and Counseling Skills requirement. As a consequence of having these courses waived, the total number of
units required to complete the program will be reduced accordingly. Note: Students
who have not completed (or are expected to complete) one of the Bachelor programs
listed above are not eligible for this waiver.
TOTAL UNITS — 60
REQUIRED COURSES — 60 UNITS
(Courses are 3 units unless otherwise noted)
- PSYCH 302
- Lifespan Development: Theories & Applications for Therapists
- PSYCH 304
- Cross-Cultural Aspects of Psychology
- PSYCH 306
- Group Models of Counseling
- PSYCH 308
- Applied Psychological Research
- PSYCH 320
- Therapeutic Communication & Counseling Skills
- PSYCH 321
- Psychopathology
- PSYCH 322
- Psychological Assessment
- PSYCH 323
- Psychodynamic Models of Counseling
- PSYCH 324
- Child/Adolescent Psychology, Assessment & Treatment
- PSYCH 325
- Principles of Couple & Family Counseling
- PSYCH 326
- Legal & Ethical Responsibility for Counselors
- PSYCH 329
- The Neuroscience of Counseling & Psychopharmacology
- PSYCH 331
- Human Sexuality (1 unit)
- PSYCH 333
- Substance Use, Co-Occurring Disorders & Addictions (1 unit)
- PSYCH 334
- Relational Abuse: Assessment, Treatment & Reporting (1 unit)
- PSYCH 335
- Special Issues in the Treatment of Families (2 units)
- PSYCH 336
- Evidence-Based Practice Treatment (1 unit)
- PSYCH 337
- Community Mental Health
- PSYCH 339
- Cognitive-Behavioral & Short-Term Models of Counseling
- PSYCH 351
- Career Counseling & Development
- PSYCH 394
- Practicum in Counseling Psychology (9 units)
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Graduates of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology will possess the skills and
knowledge to:
- Demonstrate comprehensive and integrative knowledge of the field of counseling psychology
relevant to mental health professionals, including human development, psychopathology,
and group, family, couple, and individual dynamics.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ethical and best practice standards that exist for professionals
in their field.
- Demonstrate the capacity and willingness to practice psychotherapy from a stance of
cultural humility.
- Demonstrate the capacity to practice individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy
from a relational and systemic lens.
- Demonstrate knowledge of research designs and parameters of psychological research,
particularly within the field of counseling psychology, and the capacity to critically
assess psychological research.
TRAINEESHIP
Traineeship placement is a foundational aspect of your education here at Golden Gate
University. In traineeship, you begin to apply the didactic knowledge you have gained
in your courses to the broad range of tasks that confront professional psychotherapists,
under the guidance of a licensed supervisor and with the support of an on-campus clinical
case conference led by one of our professors.
TRAINEESHIP READINESS
Before accepting a traineeship, a student must advance to Traineeship Candidate status.
A student should apply for Candidacy by completing the Traineeship Candidate Form,
which must be submitted to the Department Chair. This form requires that students
have completed at least Psych 320 and Psych 326 and have made substantial progress
toward completing their courses on psychotherapy theory (Psych 321, 323, 324, 325
and 339). In addition, the form requires that students verify that they have begun
the process of accruing personal psychotherapy hours as required by the program and
have confirmed a path to completion of their remaining courses through meeting with
their academic advisor. The Department Chair’s evaluation of the student’s application
for Candidacy will emphasize both the academic and personal characteristics consistent
with the requirements of a practicing professional. International students in F-1
or J-1 visa status must also have their employment authorization eligibility confirmed
by their academic advisor/DSO. In the event that a student is not advanced to Candidacy
status, the student will be notified in writing, and a meeting will be scheduled with
the Chair to discuss the student’s performance. Whenever possible, a plan will be
developed with the student to address gaps in academic performance or professional
preparation. However, in some cases, students who are not advanced to Candidacy status
may be required to leave the program at this juncture. Similarly, if a student’s traineeship
placement is terminated for any reason, their readiness to participate in another
traineeship will be evaluated by the Chair according to Candidacy guidelines.
TRAINEESHIP PLACEMENTS
Golden Gate University has an outstanding reputation with a wide range of traineeship
placements in San Francisco and in the wider Bay Area. Our Traineeship Coordinator
and Career Services Staff work with students to develop a compelling traineeship application,
including a professional curriculum vitae, and also provide guidance with professional
interviewing. We maintain relationships with traineeship placements and their directors
throughout the Bay Area and consistently places students at top traineeship sites.
Traineeship sites in the Bay Area vary depending on the population that they serve
and by the treatment modalities and clinical specialties implemented at their site.
These sites include state, county, and community mental health facilities as well
as outpatient clinics, psychiatric hospitals, schools, residential treatment programs,
chemical dependency treatment programs, and other settings.
We help students to select traineeship sites that are consistent with philosophy of
our training program. We believe that psychotherapy must acknowledge the complexity
of the individual and the uniqueness of individual suffering, rather than the identification
and resolution of discrete symptoms. Psychotherapy is envisioned as a complex process
of individual growth and change, and the psychotherapeutic relationship is seen as
a key element in successful treatment. The student’s relationship with his or her
clinical supervisor, similarly, is seen as an integral aspect of professional development.
Based on these criteria, we approve each site and have a written agreement with each
site that details each party's responsibilities. The agreement provides for regular
progress reports and evaluations of the student's performance.
