Courses

STUDENT AFFAIRS LEADERSHIP
CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

The Student Affairs Leadership program prepares individuals to provide effective leadership within university and college student affairs programs. This program emphasizes the integration of student development, counseling, student affairs administration and leadership, and experiential perspectives into the graduate preparation of student affairs practitioners. The curriculum requirements are as follows:

I. Counseling (18 hours)

6900 Counseling Methods & Practice (3 hours)
Methods and practices of professional counseling relative to relationship, goals, process, and documentation. Relevant ethical guidelines are stressed. Includes experiential skill training.

6962 Counseling Theory (3 hours)
Basic principles of counseling in an educational context. Development of procedural bases for counseling and educationally oriented counseling theory. Ethics and limitations involved in counseling practices.

6968 Research in Counseling (3 hours)
The study and application of quantitative research in counseling with statistical application component.

6972 Career Counseling (3 hours)
Theories of vocational choice, vocational success and satisfaction, decision-making, and vocational testing. Career counseling as related to the economic and social context.

6973/6973L Group Counseling Theory & Practice (3 hours)
Theories pertaining to group dynamics, process, interaction, consultation, and counselor intervention. Includes supervised experience in the use of interventions appropriate to the stages of group development. Emphasis will be placed on
promoting self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and group skills and techniques.

6976 Social & Cultural Issues in Counseling (3 hours)
Counseling theory and techniques related to social and economic change, ethnic groups, subculture, issues of sexuality and gender, urban and rural societies, cultural mores, the use of leisure time, and differing life patterns.

II. Student Affairs (12 hours)

7026 Foundations & Functions of Student Affairs (3 hours)
The primary purpose of this course is to provide graduate students with a comprehensive introduction to the field of student affairs and its role within the context of American higher education. A related goal is to develop a broad foundation of knowledge to which subsequent study of practitioner skills and research strategies may be added. This course includes a 35 hour experiential Practicum experience.

7023 Characteristics and Development of College Students (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to provide the graduate student with an introduction to the field of college student development and its role within the context of American Higher Education. Students will be exposed to a range of human development theories and student characteristics that offer insight into the processes of student learning, growth, and development during the college years. Special focus will be directed toward the implications of these models for developing practices and strategies to meet the needs of a diverse student body. This course includes a 35 hour experiential Practicum experience.

7021 Legal & Ethical Issues in Student Affairs (3 hours)
This course is designed to provide graduate students with an introduction to the legal and ethical issues which affect higher education and student affairs practice. The primary goal of this course is to provide an exploration and understanding of legal issues pertaining to the various constituents of colleges and universities (students, faculty, and administrators).

7029 Professional Issues in Student Affairs Seminar (3 hours)
The purpose of this seminar course is to expose graduate students to contemporary issues shaping student affairs practice. Topics will vary but will focus on the development of knowledge and skills in emerging areas relevant to professionals in student affairs (e.g., The purpose of this seminar course is to expose graduate students to contemporary issues shaping student affairs practice. Topics will vary but will focus on the development of knowledge and skills in emerging areas relevant to professionals in student affairs (e.g., leadership, best practices, retention, assessment, finance and budget, grant-writing).

III. Leadership (9 hours)

7042 Administration and Organization in Higher Education (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to expose graduate students to the complex study of administrative practices and organizational theory in the context of examining campus environments. By developing an informed knowledge base regarding the multiple perspectives of organizations and campus environments, students will be better prepared to lead change in student affairs settings.

7046 Assessment in Student Affairs Practice (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to promote the understanding of assessment and program evaluation in enhancing practice. The course will focus on how to utilize assessment to improve practice and to demonstrate the effectiveness of programs, as well as, to provide opportunities to effectively assess various dimensions of the college experience. By learning the usefulness and appropriateness of various assessment methodologies, the emerging practitioner will learn to provide evidence for effective practice.

7044 Leadership in Student Affairs (3 hours)
This course is intended to provide graduate students with a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, principles, and practice of leadership within the student affairs profession. Through theoretical and practical applications, students will develop the necessary leadership knowledge and skills needed to solve challenges within higher education. This course includes a 35 hour experiential Practicum experience.

IV. Elective (as approved by advisor) (3 hours)

V. Experiential Component (6 hours)

7005 Internship in Student Affairs (600 Hours)
This course will provide a weekly supervision and 600 hours of supervised field experience for student affairs internship students. The internship supervision is designed to promote the integration of theory and practitioner experiences for students in the Student Affairs program and to help students prepare for the transition to a professional student affairs position following completion of the degree.
Prerequisites: Coun 6900, 6962, 6973, 6973L, 7026, 7023, 7021