Department Chair: John Rosicky, Ph.D.
Description
The counseling and human services program is nationally accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (cshse.org). Graduates of the program are prepared to take the exam for certification as a Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP) offered by the Center for Credentialing and Education.
The program equips students to assume careers in counseling and human services, working with a broad range of age groups (from infants to seniors) in many different areas, such as administration, business and industry, child welfare, criminal justice and corrections, developmental disabilities, education, gerontology, health care, higher education, and public welfare. The courses also prepare students to further their education in graduate programs such as human services, school counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, counseling, and related social science disciplines.
The curriculum focuses on theory, research, and application, with field experience as a crucial part of the program. Their coursework gives students a strong background in how individuals and families develop and function. Students also acquire the skills necessary to provide services to people in need. Optional tracks are available in addictions and mental health counseling and child, adolescent, and family services. The courses within the tracks are open to all students who meet the prerequisites.
Addictions and Mental Health Counseling Track
The Addictions and Mental Health Counseling Track prepares students to work with clients who have substance abuse or other mental health issues. This option provides the academic work required for certification by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists as a certified associate counselor-alcohol and drug (CAC-AD). Certification requires additional supervised work experience following graduation.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Services Track
This track is for students interested in pursuing careers directly related to children and families. The track emphasizes social services available to support families such as child protective services, adoption and foster care systems, school-based support, and support for families in need. Emphasis is placed on child development, crisis intervention, coping skills, and resiliency.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Counseling and Human Services, graduates will be able to:
- Apply research findings to analyze common problems encountered in the counseling & human services field and develop appropriate solutions.
- Develop individualized professional development goals and objectives, based on comprehensive self-evaluation and feedback from faculty and supervisors.
- Exhibit consistent professional attitudes and behaviors in applied counseling & human services settings.
- Exhibit culturally sensitive behavior in professional human services settings.
- Exhibit effective and appropriate interpersonal skills in professional counseling & human services settings.
- Synthesize and appropriately apply key concepts, methods and values in counseling & human services to professional situations, independently and with minimal supervision.
Addictions and Mental Health Counseling Track Outcomes
Upon completion of the addictions and mental health counseling track, graduates will be able to:
- Act in accordance with the ethical principles and practices of the addiction counseling field (as specified for fulfillment of ethics requirement for certification as a Certified Associate Counselor-Alcohol & Drug).
- Apply screening techniques in order to identify level of risk, needs, and strengths in individuals.
- Formulate multidimensional treatment plans.
- Analyze theories of counseling related to addictions and mental health.
- Critique the process of intervention and various options for intervention.
- Demonstrate counseling competencies (including motivational interviewing and multicultural counseling).
- Describe major categories of psychological disorders and criteria for diagnosis, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Services Track Outcomes
Upon completion of the child, adolescent, and family services track, graduates will be able to:
- Compare and contrast programs within the child welfare system (child protective services, family preservation services, foster care, and adoption).
- Interpret the impact of the legal system on the various aspects of the child welfare system.
- Apply specific strategies for resolving problems and conflicts using effective communication skills.
- Identify stages in physical, cognitive and emotional development in children.
- Apply evidence-based strategies to assist children and youth in coping with life stresses.
- Describe risk, resiliency, and protective factors that help children, youth, and families build capacity to overcome adversity.
Policies
Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the major, however, in order to advance to the senior practicum, students must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.50. The lowest acceptable grade is a "C" in all courses listed in the catalog under "Program Requirements" for the major, including both courses in the major and SEE courses required by the major. No student, regardless of major, will be permitted to advance to the next course without earning a grade of "C" or better in the prerequisite course(s). When a grade below "C" is earned in a major course, the student must repeat that course.
Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in counseling and human services. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| CA 205 | Foundations of Career | 1 credit |
| CHS 101 | Family Studies | 3 credits |
| CHS 105 | Human Services and Social Policy | 3 credits |
| CHS 220 | Diversity and Cultural Competence | 3 credits |
| CHS 224 | Research Methods and Writing | 3 credits |
| CHS 315/515 | Group Counseling | 3 credits |
| CHS 340/540 | Administration of Human Services | 3 credits |
| CHS 360 | Counseling Strategies for Individuals | 3 credits |
| CHS 380 | Internship in Counseling and Human Services | 3 credits |
| CHS 430 | Family Dynamics and Interventions | 3 credits |
| CHS 440 | Practicum in Counseling and Human Services | 9 credits |
| CHS 441 | Seminar in Counseling and Human Services | 3 credits |
| MATH 136 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PSY 136 | Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences | 4 credits |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 credits |
| PSY 108 | Human Growth and Development | 3 credits |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 credits |
Students who do not declare a track must also complete 2 CHS electives.
Students also have the option of selecting a track in addictions and mental health counseling or child, adolescent, and family services.
Addictions and Mental Health Counseling:
All major requirements and the following track courses
| CHS 270 | Psychopharmacology and Addictions | 3 credits |
| CHS 370 | Ethics in Counseling | 3 credits |
| CHS 371 | Assessment and Treatment of Addictions | 3 credits |
| PSY 215 | Psychopathology | 3 credits |
| PSY 341 | Counseling Theories | 3 credits |
Child, Adolescent, and Family Services:
All major requirements and the following track courses
| CHS 275 | Services for Children and Youth | 3 credits |
| PSY 206 | Child Development | 3 credits |
| CHS 362 | Trauma and Crisis Intervention | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHS 365 | Coping, Resilience and Growth-Focused Counseling | 3 credits |
Suggested Course Sequence
2024-25 SCS Counseling and Human Services
Minor in Counseling and Human Services
The minor in counseling and human services requires successful completion of a minimum of six courses and 18 credits with a CHS prefix. Please see an academic advisor for more information. General guidelines regarding minors may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.
Other Options
BS/MS Option: The BS/MS option is available for students majoring in counseling and human services who wish to combine their bachelor’s coursework with work toward a Stevenson University master’s degree in Healthcare Management or a degree in Community-Based Education and Leadership. Students choosing this option may earn their master's degree in as little as one year after their bachelor's degree. Interested students must formally apply for entrance into a BS/MS option in their junior year. Once admitted into this program, students develop an educational plan in consultation with their undergraduate and graduate advisors. For more information on this program see the Stevenson University Graduate Catalog.
Course Descriptions
See Counseling and Human Services Course Descriptions