Clinical Counseling Program – Mission, Goals, and Outcomes

Mission Statement

The mission of the Charleston Southern University Master of Science in Clinical Counseling Program is to educate compassionate and highly motivated individuals in a Christian environment who excel in providing client-centered care, practice as an agent of change, serve as leaders in their communities, and advance the mental health profession. The Master of Science in Clinical Counseling will prepare clinicians who are clinically competent and biblically sound.

Program Goals

1. Prepare counselors who demonstrate behaviors of academic excellence and appropriate help-seeking behaviors from various sources to improve academic skills.
2. Prepare counselors who can understand and develop a professional identity as a clinical counselor.
3. Prepare counselors who provide exceptional counseling and relational skills.
4. Prepare counselors who understand knowledge of development, psychopathology, and treatment planning.
5. Prepare effective counselors who are culturally competent and responsive to clients in diverse communities.
6. Prepare counselors who have awareness of their own spiritual development and are able to use spirituality effectively in clinical settings.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will have acquired the knowledge and skills required to be a professional counseling:

Learning Outcome 1
Students will apply physical, social, and psychological development theories to evaluate and manage patients across all ages and in a wide range of clinical settings.

Learning Outcome 2
Students will explain and apply the process to elicit an accurate assessment, case conceptualization and effective treatment intervention based on the knowledge of human functioning.

Learning Outcome 3
Students will demonstrate cultural competency, sensitivity, and responsiveness when working with individuals, groups and communities who represent various ethnicities, religions, cultures, and belief systems. 

Learning Outcome 4
Students will demonstrate excellent communication skills with patients, their care teams, and other members of the healthcare team.

Learning Outcome 5
Students will demonstrate exemplary professionalism by demonstrating high values, principles, and ethical decision making for all patients, their care teams and members of the healthcare team.