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HDC - GOALS AND OBJECTIVES


Our goals are consistent with those of the University of Illinois at Springfield, a university committed to actualizing the individual student through increasing diversity among faculty and students. The University supports professional development as a blend of traditional liberal arts and practical experience. It strives to maintain and strengthen the University's unique approach to excellence.

The purpose of the Human Development Counseling Program is to prepare graduates who will be able to provide professional counseling and consulting services in community agencies, institutions, and in schools. Students learn a variety of theoretical approaches as well as how to use "self as instrument" to facilitate changes sought by people in systems facing the decisions and concerns of everyday living. The Program endorses the standards and objectives adopted by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and has designed the curriculum to be consistent with that body's standards and objectives as well as those of the Illinois State Board of Education. Appendix A contains a detailed description of CACREP standards and objectives and specific HDC courses that address these criteria.

  1. Graduates of the HDC Program will demonstrate their competence of the knowledge and skills in nine common-core areas. Competence demonstration is determined by faculty who use role plays, research papers, examinations, and supervised practice with real clients

    Students will present evidence of an understanding of

    • the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels; normal and abnormal behavior; personality theory; and learning theory within cultural contexts
    • societal changes and trends; human roles; social subgroups; social mores and interaction patterns; and differing lifestyles
    • philosophic bases of helping processes; counseling theories and their applications; helping skills; consultation theories and their applications; helper self-understanding and self development; and facilitation of client or consultee change
    • group development, dynamics, and counseling theories; group leadership styles; group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches
    • career development theories; occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance, and education; lifestyle and career decision-making; and career development program planning, resources, and evaluation
    • individual and group educational and psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal; data and information gathering methods; validity and reliability; psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals; and use of appraisal results in helping processes
    • types of research; basic statistics; research-report development; research implementation, program evaluation; needs assessment; and ethical and legal considerations
    • professional roles and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional organizations and associations; professional history and trends; ethical and legal standards; professional preparation standards; and professional credentialing
    • families as systems in a cultural/racial/ethnic context

      .
  2. Graduates will develop an understanding of the environment in which they intend to practice and the specialized knowledge and skills needed for the particular setting or client population

    Graduates of the Community area of study will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of :
      1. the general environment or system in which the student will practice
      2. roles and functions of professionals in the field
      3. client characteristics and specific facilitative skills related to the population served
      4. basic environmental change strategies

  1. Graduates of the Marriage/Family Therapy area of study will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of

      1. the origins, theoretical foundations, and therapeutic implications of selected theories of marriage and family therapy, similarities and differences among multiple approaches, the historical roots of the field, and its major contributors
      2. key paradigms, concepts, and techniques utilized in theory development and clinical practice
      3. the integration of a multiplicity of elements and dimensions (e.g., personal, familial (family of origin and family of procreation), multigenerational, perceptual, aesthetic, theoretical, practical)
      4. utilization of a variety of media to explore and illustrate critical issues (e.g., cutting-edge multimedia technology, music, art, literature, film)

    Graduates of the School Counseling area of study will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

    1. the history, philosophy, trends, purpose and objectives, ethics, legal aspects, standards, functions and roles of the counselor in the K-12 educational setting
    2. approaches and strategies typically employed with elementary and secondary school age children
    3. the counselor's role in dealing with the needs of special/exceptional children
    4. the social, psychological, and educational development of elementary and secondary school age children

 

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