Program Overview
The Master of Arts (MA) in Community Counseling degree program at Argosy University, Atlanta is a 48 credit-hour program designed to provide students with a solid foundation for the practice of professional counseling. The program’s curriculum is designed to integrate theoretical and conceptual foundations of professional counseling with training in appropriate client intervention and advocacy skills. The program is designed to emphasize the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills that are essential for professional counselors who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. Students completing this program meet the academic requirements toward licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in Georgia.
Students also have an option of completing an additional five course Marriage & Family Therapy concentration or certificate. The addition of these five courses to the core curriculum of the Community Counseling program allows students to meet the academic requirements toward licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Georgia.
Classes for new students conveniently begin several times a year, allowing students to enter the program throughout the year. New classes start each fall, spring, and summer semester. Contact the Admissions Department for details concerning entrance times.
Mission Statement
The MA in Community Counseling degree program is designed to prepare students to practice as ethical and effective community counselors. Students graduate with a demonstrated knowledge of community-based counseling within a socially and culturally diverse society. The curriculum is designed to integrate counseling and advocacy skills, theoretical foundations of community counseling, and clinical field experience (practicum and internship) into a set of professional competencies. Courses within the Community Counseling curriculum fulfill the academic and clinical instruction requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia and certification by the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Eligibility for Licensure
Graduates of the MA in Community Counseling degree program may wish to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Georgia. Master’s-level licensure varies from state to state. It is the student’s responsibility to determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state they wish to practice. Students interested in pursuing licensure in states other than Georgia should contact their state’s department of professional regulation for information. The American Counseling Association frequently publishes information on professional issues of importance to professional counselors, including licensure, on their Internet Web site: www.counseling.org.
Program Formats
Argosy University, Atlanta offers two primary program formats for students: Weekend/Blended Format and Evening Format. Certain courses are also offered in a blended/evening format.
Weekend/Blended Format
Students take one course at a time (each lasting 7.5 weeks) and meet on-campus for two intensive weekends with the instructor (Friday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.). Throughout the 7.5 week session, students also interact with classmates and the instructor weekly through the Internet using a Web site-based learning platform.
Evening Format
In-Residence/Evening Students take one course at a time (each lasting 7.5 weeks) and meet two evenings per week on campus from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Students completing the MA in Community Counseling degree program with a concentration or certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy may wish to review MFT licensure information on the Web site maintained by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists at http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/counselors/
Enrollment Requirements
Students in the program should be enrolled in two 3-credit hour classes per semester. Students may enroll in the practicum/ internship alone. Students should confirm minimum enrollment requirements for financial aid and international student status with the appropriate Student Services representative.
Additional Requirements for Academic Progress
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0). Academic dismissal will occur in the following situations:
- A student fails to raise a GPA that is under 3.0 to a 3.0 or higher within two semesters
- A student achieves a GPA below 3.0 at the end of the first four courses
- A student receives two grades lower than a “B-” within the first four courses
- A student receives three grades lower than a “B-” at any time throughout the program
Students who earn a grade below a “B-” in any course are required to retake the course.
Listed below is the minimum amount of work that a student must complete by the end of each year following matriculation to successfully complete the program (except for students taking a temporary withdrawal from the University).
Argosy University, Atlanta students are required to complete 48 credit hours. A suggested incremental time frame is listed below. Curriculum changes may result in a change in the completion timeline.
| Suggested Incremental Time Frame Completion Rates* |
|
| End of Year One |
12 credit hours |
| End of Year Two |
24 credit hours |
| End of Year Three |
36 credit hours |
| End of Year Four |
48 credit hours |
|
| |
* The suggested incremental maximum time frame requirements are not a replacement for the specific program sequencing and enrollment requirements, which may be stricter than the incremental maximum time frame requirements.
Attendance Policy
Any excessive amount of class time missed will negatively impact the student’s grade:
- Weekend/Blended Students — More than 3 hours will result in automatic loss of one full letter grade. More than 6 hours missed will result in automatic failure.
- Evening Students — More than 6 hours missed will result in automatic loss of one full letter grade. More than 8 hours missed will result in automatic failure.
Students should notify the instructor concerning any anticipated absences. If an excessive amount of class time is missed due to an emergency situation, the student will likely be advised to withdraw from the course.
Writing Program
Writing competency is essential for successful completion of any coursework at Argosy University, Atlanta. Students who do not demonstrate adequate writing skills may be referred to take a writing skills course at any time during the program. Any student who receives a Professional Writing Course Referral Form should register for, and successfully complete, a developmental writing course by the end of the second full semester following the semester in which the referral was received. The writing skills course may be offered as an on-campus course or a fully online course. Please see your academic advisor for more details. Argosy University, Atlanta also has a Writing Lab available (by appointment) at no cost to students that can be utilized for specific areas of writing difficulty.
Graduation Requirements
Completion of 48 semester credit hours by the end of the fourth year of matriculation. The total credit hours must include:
- 36 credit hours of required courses
- 3 credit hours of elective coursework
- 9 credit hours (completed over 10 months) of required practicum/internship and seminar groups
Program Requirements
Initial Four Courses Requirement
The first four courses of the MA in Community Counseling degree program must be satisfactorily completed before a student is allowed to take additional courses in the program.
- PC6000 - Counseling Theory (3)
- PC6003 - Abnormal Psychology (3)
- PC6104 - Counseling Skills I (3)
- PC6107 - Foundations of Community Counseling (3)
[Must be taken first]
Initial Four Courses Requirement — 12 Credit Hours
All four courses must be successfully completed in order for a student to continue in the program. After successful completion, each student’s academic record will be reviewed. Students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or above (on a scale of 4.0) and have satisfactory faculty evaluations will be considered for continuation in the program.
Any of the four courses in which a grade below “B-” is received must be repeated. Any student who receives two grades below “B-” in the first four courses (including grades received on courses retaken) will be automatically dismissed from the program. Students who achieve a GPA below 3.0 at the end of their first four courses will be dismissed from the program.
Within the first four courses, students are required to take only one course at a time. Following successful completion of the first four courses, students may request to take more than one course at a time. Any student wishing to do this must seek approval from his/her advisor.
Program Requirements
The MA in Community Counseling degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 48 semester credit hours, distributed as follows; required courses, 36 credit hours; elective courses, 3 credit hours; and practicum/internship requirements, 9 credit hours.
