The Minor in Spanish Counseling, offered through the Counseling and Educational Psychology department is open to graduate students who are enrolled in CEP’s Counseling, School Psychology, and Counseling Psychology programs, and to graduate students who are enrolled in Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapy programs. It was established in the interest of meeting the needs of bilingual counseling students who seek training in the provision of Spanish language mental health services.
Prerequisites
In order to begin the Minor courses, students must currently be enrolled in a Mental Health program as described above. They must demonstrate intermediate level Spanish language skills as evidenced by the Spanish Placement Exam and an oral interview with the program coordinator. Advanced level in Spanish counseling skills is required for the completion of the Minor. If a student feels that he/she needs to improve his/her level of academic Spanish prior to completing the required course work, or if the program coordinator determines that it is necessary, the student has the option of taking additional Spanish courses through the Languages and Linguistics department (e.g. SPAN 312, SPAN 313, SPAN 314, and SPAN 315). Students will be required to take Spanish language courses until they have satisfied this requirement. Please note that online courses will not fulfill this requirement.
How to Apply
If you are interested in pursuing a minor in Spanish Counseling and, you should complete the attached application and return it to the program coordinator. You are advised to meet with the program coordinator before enrolling in relevant coursework. This form apprizes the CEP department of your intention to pursue the Minor. To declare the Minor with the Graduate School, the student should list all relevant completed coursework on the Program of Study form that is submitted to the Graduate School prior to graduating. The form needs to be signed by the student’s Academic Advisor, Dept. Head, Minor Faculty and Academic College Dean before submitting to the Graduate School. A Minor Faculty member is also required to sit on the committee for the student’s Final Exam. For Doctoral students, this includes orals, dissertation proposal and defense exams.
Application: Spanish Counseling Minor Application Form
Program of Study
Students will successfully complete 9 credits of coursework specific to this program of study in order to obtain a Minor in Spanish Counseling. Courses will be taught by culturally competent faculty, adjunct professors, or community mental health professionals in the aforementioned disciplines. Students will choose one course from each of the following components: 1) Counseling language development, 2) Clinical experience, and 3) Sociocultural experiences.
Component #1: Counseling Language Development (3 credits)
Spanish for Mental Health Professionals CEP 616 (3 credits): This course will help students acquire the necessary Spanish language skills needed to function as Spanish-speaking mental health professionals. The course will cover psychological terminology, concepts, and theories in Spanish. Examination of the professional roles of bilingual mental health professionals and their roles within Latina/o and underserved communities will also be addressed in this course.
Basic Bilingual Counseling Skills Lab CEP 550 (3 credits): This course will assist students in learning and practicing basic, culturally-appropriate micro counseling skills in Spanish through individual, dyad, and small group participation.
Component #2: Clinical Experience (3 credits)
Bilingual Fieldwork Experience CEP 598/698 (3 credits): This course will require students to spend a minimum of 6 hours per week at a bilingual site, providing counseling, assessment, or supervision services within a variety of clinical settings that serve Spanish-speaking populations. The Minor coordinator must approve all placements. This course will also integrate a Spanish-speaking student process group for bilingual counseling students. In this group, students will have the opportunity to develop bilingual multicultural counseling competencies. Students may also present clinical cases, theoretical perspectives, interventions or techniques in Spanish and receive feedback and support from other bilingual members. A summer semester immersion experience in providing counseling services in Spanish in a Latin American and/or primarily Spanish-speaking country may be substituted for this experience.
Students have the option of completing their clinical hours for this course over 2 semesters if so desired. The course requires an additional 6 clinical hours/week (if taken in one semester) or 3 clinical hours/week (if class is taken over the course of two semesters).
Note: This course is not to replace required practicum or internship experiences necessary for degree completion. Students are allowed to count hours they are accruing for their internship and/or practicum as long as they are (1) enrolled in both courses [598/698 and either 578/675 or 580/684] (2) are meeting the requirements for the 598/698 course [i.e. attending class meetings, etc.] and (3) a separate log is kept documenting work with Spanish speaking clients; this log also has to be signed by both 598/698 instructor and site supervisor
Bilingual Behavioral Health Practicum CEP 670 (3 credits): This course will provide students the opportunity to participate in a supervised service-learning experience within community-based, interdisciplinary, primary care settings that serve medically underserved and high-risk groups. Students will each write and present a case study in Spanish regarding a Spanish-speaking client. Students will receive bilingual supervision regarding various topics such as training in Motivational Interviewing and discussion of Spanish-speaking clients from their practicum experience.
Special Topics: Child Welfare Interventions MSW 597 (3 credits): This course will allow students to develop and practice skills in Spanish relevant to working with children and families in the child welfare system with a focus on the child protection process.
Supervised Clinical Practice FCS 525 (3 credits): This course offers supervised clinical experience in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Component #3: Sociocultural Experiences (3 credits)
Advanced Hispanic/US Hispanic Film SPAN 547/548 (3 credits): Advanced study of major films from Spain and Spanish-America and/or by Hispanics of the U.S.
Advanced Study in Chicano Literature SPAN 567 (3 credits): Study of all genres of Chicano literature.
*All courses outlined in the Program of Study have to be taken face-to-face. However, Spanish Counseling Minor Committee will review individual requests for any exceptions to this requirement.