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Charlotte - Master of Arts in Christian Counseling Degree

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Degree Description


The Master of Arts in Christian Counseling (MACC) program seeks to provide Christian training in biblical, theological, and psychological disciplines. Those who complete this training program in counseling may expect significant growth in their professional development in preparation for Christian and/or secular employment opportunities. A major feature of the program is its commitment to supervised clinical practicum experience. Students will experience a variety of professional practicum sites as well as regular supervision in a clinical setting. Students will often have opportunities to participate in seminars, workshops, staff meetings, group supervision, and other professional development.

Students participating in this program must complete the required courses with a grade point average of 3.0 or more in order to graduate. This degree program is designed for those who wish to prepare themselves for entry level counseling positions as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and/or a Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), or to prepare for further studies in psychology. Upon completion of the program, graduates can be qualified to sit for the LPC and/or MFT licensure exams in the state of North Carolina.


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Admissions Requirements

 

Due to increased popularity and enrollment in the MACC program we are now limited in the number of applicants we can accept each year. The program is designed for a summer/fall entry point, and therefore we do not consider applications for spring matriculation. Applications received with an intended spring start date will be amended for the next fall entrance date and processed accordingly.

Admission to the MACC program is a two-phase process. Once all components of your application are received, the application is submitted to the Admissions Committee for review. After careful consideration, the applicant is approved or not approved for Phase Two of the process. Phase Two consists of psychological testing to be completed on the day of the interview. If approved, applicants to the program are notified in writing to contact the Admissions Office to schedule a personal interview with the Director of the Counseling Program and/or the Associate Director. Additionally, there is a group interview with all the other candidates interviewing that day.

Testing and interviews begin in November of each year and are scheduled on Tuesdays with rare exception. Phase Two testing is a 3 to 5 hour process depending on how quickly you work through the tests. Time is alotted for a lunch break following the group interview.

Deadlines
Applicants are admitted to the MACC program in the Fall Semester only. There are two deadlines for the MACC program - February 1 and April 15 of the year for which you are applying. In order to be considered in the first pool of applicants, the applicant must complete the testing and interviews by March 1st. Those individuals who meet the February 1 deadline will be notified of acceptance by the first week of April. Applicants who do not submit all components of their application by the February 1st deadline automatically default to the April 15th deadline. April 15th applicants will receive notification by the end of May. Apply early.

Dual Degree Applicants
Students may also apply for a combined Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Masters of Arts in Christian Counseling (MACC) dual degree program which reduces the total requirements of the two degrees by ten courses. In section X: "Personal Statement" please include any pertinent information about your desire to pursue the M.Div. degree along with the MACC degree. The Admissions Committee may approve your application on either or both degree programs. Please note that the application process for the dual program also inclused psychological testing and interview as described above.
Degree Requirements


Graduation Requirements



Students participating in these degree programs must complete 20 courses with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and be present for graduation exercises.


Degree Requirements for the MACC



GENERAL CORE REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates are required to complete two courses in the area of Biblical Studies, two courses in Christian Thought and one course in Ministry.

COUNSELING CORE REQUIREMENTS:
Regardless of which track a student pursues, all counseling students are required to complete nine core-counseling courses.

TRACK REQUIREMENTS:
Students must complete four additional counseling courses specific to their area of concentration.

CLINICAL COUNSELING PRACTICUM:
All students must complete CO 867a & b (Clinical Counseling Practicum). In addition, students in the LPC track must complete CO 868a & b; students in the MFT track must complete CO 869a & b.

BIBLE COMPETENCY:
All MA students must demonstrate Bible competency either by successfully completing the Old and/or New Testament Survey courses, or by passing the Bible Competency Exams. Those who do not pass the Competency Exams, or elect not to sit for the exams will be required to complete OT 500, Old Testament Survey and/or NT 501, New Testament Survey as an English Bible. (See Bible Competency Exams)

COMPLETING THE DEGREE:
The MA in Christian Counseling degree can be completed in various time spans depending on the number of courses taken each year. The following are approximations based on September entrance, May graduation, and course availability.

  • Three years (33 months): averaging 2-3 courses per semester, 1-2 intensive sessions per year, along with 4 practica rotations;
  • Four years (45 months): averaging 1-2 courses per semester, 1-2 intensive sessions per year, along with 4 practica rotations.

    A highly motivated student who maximizes registration opportunities may be able to complete the required courses for the MACC degree in 2-/2 years (28 months) time span.
    Licensure Requirements
A. The North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (NCBLPC) and the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC).


The coursework of the MACC degree is designed according to the curriculum
requirements outlined by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (NCBLPC) and of the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC). The coursework contributes to the preparation of a student to take the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE).

B. The North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board (NCMFTLB) and The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).


The MACC degree is designed according to the curriculum requirements outlined by the North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board (NCMFTLB) and of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The coursework contributes to the preparation of a student to take the National Examination in Marriage and Family Therapy.

C. Student's Responsibility to Obtain Licensure


The school's responsibility is providing an opportunity to earn a degree, not guaranteeing that licensure or certification requirements will be met through the counseling program. The student is responsible to contact the appropriate licensure or certification organizations and obtain the latest information on what is required for that particular licensure or certification.

The student is also responsible for completing the academic requirements as well as obtaining the proper supervision that is needed for a particular licensure or certification. More than the minimum coursework requirement of 60 semester hours may be necessary for a particular licensure or certification. In this situation a student who has completed the MACC degree may find that in order to meet licensure or certification goals, they are deficient in specific areas such as "marriage" and/or "family". Students under these conditions will be eligible to take one course per year for up to three years with all tuition costs waived.

Hours accumulated from practica experience, which meet the requirements for the MACC degree may or may not meet the requirements for a particular licensure or certification. (E.g., Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) meets degree requirements for the first year but may not meet state licensure requirements.)

Counseling Practica, Professional Seminars, Counseling Student's Retreat, and New Student Orientation

The following are descriptions of specific requirements, which the MACC student will participate in during the course of study at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Charlotte.

A. Counseling Practica and Internships


The purpose of practica is to learn through experience about the counseling field. The student must complete a minimum of four counseling courses with the prefix of "CO" which must include both CO500: Introduction to Counseling and CO710: Psychopathology.

The MACC degree requires a total of 720 clock hours of professional counseling experience. Practica are structured in the following time frame: the first and second practicum rotations are approximately 8 hours per week over 15 weeks or a total of 120 clock hours for each rotation. The third and fourth practicum rotations are approximately 8 hours per week over 30 weeks or a total of 240 clock hours for each rotation. These hours represent average time spent over the fall and spring semesters. Students may arrange concentrated times during the year to meet these requirements.

Students will request a counseling site and supervisor and have them approved by the director of graduate programs in counseling. Students should choose sites consistent with professional licensure requirements and personal vocational objectives (i.e., some licensing boards may require approval of a particular site). The first two practicum rotations for all counseling students are entitled CO867: Clinical Counseling Practica (A&B). The last two practicum rotations are designated either with course coding of CO867: Clinical Counseling Practica (A&B) for the Licensed Professional Counselor Track (LPC) or with CO869: Clinical Counseling Practica (A&B) for the Marriage and Family Therapy Track (MFT). The student bears responsibility for this decision and for compliance with any requirements for licensure.

Further practica requirements for the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling degree may be defined by: 1) the Learning Covenant that is established between the practicum site and/or supervisor and the student, which must receive final approval from the director of graduate studies in counseling; and 2) the national and/or state licensure requirements which the student chooses to pursue.

A four hundred hour unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) may count for the first two practicum rotations (240 hours of the practica requirements). CPE will not count toward the last two practicum rotations for the MACC degree. (See also: Practica Handbook, located in the counseling office.)

B. Professional Seminars


The purpose of the Professional Seminars will be to discuss the student's practicum settings and experiences. The students participating in the Professional Seminar create a forum for clinical group supervision that involves interaction with a faculty clinical professor concerning issues such as counseling theory, clinical intervention, and professional ethics. During the fall and spring semesters, all counseling students who are engaged in or preparing for practicum must participate in Professional Seminars.

The Professional Seminars will be offered each fall and spring semesters, two hours each month of the semester. The primary format for this group supervision component will be internet based. This will take place over secure internet address, assuring online access for all students participating in practicum. At the discretion of the counseling department, other formats for group supervision including dates, times, and locations will be published at the beginning of each semester.

C. Counseling Student's Retreat


The purpose of the retreat is to establish relationships among peers seeking similar Christian ministry; to discuss the field of counseling with respect to calling, professional concerns, and the Christian life; and to spend time in spiritual retreat alone and together. The retreat consists of a weekend (Friday evening through Sunday morning) in January each year. Two retreats are required in the counseling program, labeled RC500 and RC600. The counseling retreats are designed with two unique formats, thus attending both is required by the student. The retreat will be held at a conference center in or near Charlotte. There is a fee associated with the retreat. (See also: Counseling Student's Retreat Flyer and Registration Form located in the counseling office.)

D. New Student Orientation


New students entering the MACC degree program will participate in an orientation meeting. The purpose of the orientation is to prepare matriculating students for the various aspects of the degree program: course work, practica, professional seminars, counseling student's retreat, library resources, and licensure requirements. The orientation will be held prior to a basic counseling class in the fall semester, normally on a Friday evening in September.

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Degree Checklist


Click here to view the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling Checklist in Adobe PDF Format. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader (required for viewing PDF files), you may download it for free from Adobe Systems.


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