Student Assistance Coordinator Certificate Requirements
For Current Master of Arts in Counseling Services (School Counseling Concentration) Students:
(9 credits)
Current Master of Arts in Counseling Services students may fulfill requirements for the SAC certificate as they complete their M.A. degree. One course (CNSC 580, CNSC 581, CNSC 590 or CNSC 591) may be taken as part of the M.A. degree requirements. Two additional courses will also be required; these two courses may be able to count as electives in the M.A. COUN program. At least one of the extra courses must be taken before CNSC 580, CNSC 581, CNSC 590, or CNSC 591 . Currently enrolled students should consult with their program advisors for more information about course selection (including course sequencing requirements) and this certificate option. Students should also consult with their faculty advisor on elective choices to select courses that meet student career and licensure or certification goals.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| COUN 515 | Substance Abuse Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 516 | Strategies in Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| CNSC 580 | Elementary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | 3 |
| or CNSC 581 | Secondary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | |
| or CNSC 590 | Counseling Internship I | |
| or CNSC 591 | Counseling Internship II | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
For Current Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Students who are not enrolled in the Dance/Movement Therapy concentration:
(9 credits)
Current Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling students who are not enrolled in the Dance/Movement Therapy concentration may fulfill requirements for the SAC certificate as they complete their M.A. degree. Three extra courses will be required; two courses may be able to count as electives for the M.A. CMHC program. Currently enrolled students should consult with their program advisors for more information about course selection (including course sequencing requirements) and this certificate option. Students should also consult with their faculty advisor on elective choices to select courses that meet student career and licensure or certification goals.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| EDSO 501 | Foundations of Counseling in Edu Settings: Referral Sources for Stdnts and Stdnts With Special Needs | 3 |
| CNPY 518 | Counseling Children, Adolescents and Families | 3 |
| or COUN 555 | Introduction to Play Therapy | |
| CNSC 580 | Elementary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | 3 |
| or CNSC 581 | Secondary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | |
| or CNSC 590 | Counseling Internship I | |
| or CNSC 591 | Counseling Internship II | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
For Current Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Students who are enrolled in the Dance/Movement Therapy concentration:
(15 credits)
Current Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling students who are enrolled in the Dance/Movement Therapy concentration may fulfill requirements for the SAC certificate as they complete their M.A. degree. Five extra courses will be required; these courses cannot count as electives as students do not have electives in this concentration. Currently enrolled students should consult with their program advisors for more information about course selection (including course sequencing requirements) and this certificate option.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| COUN 516 | Strategies in Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 515 | Substance Abuse Counseling | 3 |
| EDSO 501 | Foundations of Counseling in Edu Settings: Referral Sources for Stdnts and Stdnts With Special Needs | 3 |
| CNPY 518 | Counseling Children, Adolescents and Families | 3 |
| or COUN 555 | Introduction to Play Therapy | |
| CNSC 580 | Elementary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | 3 |
| or CNSC 581 | Secondary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | |
| or CNSC 590 | Counseling Internship I | |
| or CNSC 591 | Counseling Internship II | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
All Other Students:
(21 credits)
The Rider University Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC) Certificate is an approved program by the New Jersey Department of Education. This certificate is comprised of 21 credits, meets 9 content area requirements, and is completed by taking seven courses. Students should consult with program faculty for more information about course selection (including course sequencing requirements) and this certificate option.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| COUN 515 | Substance Abuse Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 516 | Strategies in Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 530 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| CNPY 518 | Counseling Children, Adolescents and Families | 3 |
| or COUN 555 | Introduction to Play Therapy | |
| EDSO 501 | Foundations of Counseling in Edu Settings: Referral Sources for Stdnts and Stdnts With Special Needs | 3 |
| EDPS 503 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| CNSC 580 | Elementary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | 3 |
| or CNSC 581 | Secondary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum | |
| or CNSC 590 | Counseling Internship I | |
| or CNSC 591 | Counseling Internship II | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Courses and Descriptions
CNPY 518 Counseling Children, Adolescents and Families 3 Credits
This course will emphasize counselor and consultant behaviors that facilitate the helping process with children, adolescents, and their families. Information and activities will be provided that address age, ethnic, and developmental considerations in counseling children and adolescents. Issues and practices related to crisis intervention will be explored.
CNSC 580 Elementary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum 3 Credits
This course provides students with a 100-hour supervised experience in counseling, collaboration, and consultation in an elementary school setting. Students will obtain a minimum of forty (40) contact hours with clients. The course will also provide an historical overview of the school counseling function. Current practices for assessing, organizing, implementing and evaluating school counseling services will be reviewed. The relationship of the school counseling program to academic objectives will be reviewed. Students will develop knowledge and skills in developmental, preventive, and crisis interventions designed to promote the academic and social development of students of elementary school age. Role, function, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and support personnel will be discussed in the class and experienced at the site. Students apply knowledge and skills developed in pre-practicum experiences in addressing the needs of elementary students. Students must be supervised by a Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC).
CNSC 581 Secondary School Counseling Practicum and Student Assistance Coordinator Practicum 3 Credits
This course provides students with a 100-hour supervised experience in counseling, collaboration, and consultation in a secondary school setting. Students will obtain a minimum of forty (40) contact hours with clients. The course will also provide an historical overview of the school counseling function. Current practices for assessing, organizing, implementing and evaluating school counseling services will be reviewed. The relationship of the school counseling program to academic objectives will be reviewed. Students will develop knowledge and skills in developmental, preventive, and crisis interventions designed to promote the academic and social development of students of secondary school age. Role, function, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and support personnel will be discussed in the class and experienced at the site. Students apply knowledge and skills developed in pre-practicum experiences in addressing the needs of secondary students. Students must be supervised by a Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC).
COUN 515 Substance Abuse Counseling 3 Credits
This course analyzes the development, intervention and treatment of substance abuse. Family dysfunction and its results will be examined with the various addictive behaviors. This course is designed to help students understand addictive behaviors and how they function. Specialized techniques for treatment will be examined along with related elements, i.e., family, parenting, the characteristics of dysfunction, developmental growth problems, physical problems, effects on school and job performance.
COUN 516 Strategies in Addiction Counseling 3 Credits
This is an experiential and laboratory-based experience in which students will learn to implement evidence based counseling techniques that are utilized in the field of substance abuse counseling. Students will be able to expand their basic counseling skills and techniques learned in COUN 550, as well as become exposed to techniques that are unique to addiction counseling. In addition to learning assessment skills, students will learn interventions that include motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, alternative therapies, group counseling, family counseling, and others. This course will also focus on issues of ethics and prevention in counseling.
Prerequisite(s): COUN 550.
COUN 530 Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling and Psychotherapy 3 Credits
Examines and analyzes the legal, ethical, and professional parameters of counseling and psychotherapy. Discusses legal liabilities and malpractice cases arising from constitutional, tort, contract, family, privacy, and criminal laws. Examines client rights and counselor duties and responsibilities. Explores legal, ethical, and professional implications of third party payment, informed consent, medication, case documentation, client termination and abandonment. Advertisement of counseling services, crisis and case management, consultation and supervision, "duty-to-warn" and court appearances of an expert witness will be explored. Special attention will be given to child abuse reporting issues, dual relationships and to regional legal and ethical developments.
EDPS 503 Human Growth and Development 3 Credits
Provides an overview and broad understanding of life span developmental theories and research applied to counseling services with special emphasis on developmental processes, individual differences and mental health. Includes strategies for working with developmental issues across the life span.
EDSO 501 Foundations of Counseling in Edu Settings: Referral Sources for Stdnts and Stdnts With Special Needs 3 Credits
The course provides an overview of the foundations of counseling in educational settings, including the historical roots; current and future trends, and functions in multicultural schools and higher education settings. Students examine the roles and responsibilities of professional school counselors to facilitate student success through the development of a comprehensive school counseling program as an integral component of the total education system. Basic principles and processes for building school-family-community partnerships are also explored through the investigation of community agencies, organizations and resources.