Academic Progression and Retention Policy
An essential component of counseling training is evaluating trainees' abilities, knowledge, and dispositions in a transparent and data-driven manner (Barrio Minton et al., 2016; Bernard & Goodyear, 2018). To support students' professional development, formative and summative assessments are used at key points as they advance through the program (Barrio Minton et al., 2016). This allows for self-reflection and constructive learning opportunities; it also serves a gatekeeping function to which counselor education faculty are ethically obligated to ensure safety of clients. Thus, each student’s academic performance, professional skill development, and personal maturity and professional dispositions will be reviewed regularly and systematically by faculty members and, as appropriate, by practicum and internship site supervisors throughout the course of a student’s time in the program.
Knowledge, Skill, and Dispositional Indicators Systematically Reviewed
The Program identifies key performance indicators (KPIs) that serve as markers of competence for students in training to become professional counselors. The indicators are knowledge-based, practical or skill-oriented, and dispositional. Throughout their time in the program, students are rated on nine key performance indicators related to the core and clinical mental health specialty content of the program, as well as on professional dispositions.
Knowledge and Skill Standards for Student Academic Success
The Program identifies nine key performance indicators that correspond to each core area of the program curriculum and one that corresponds to the clinical mental health specialty area of the program as outlined in CACREP accreditation standards (Standards 3.A-H and 5.C). The courses in which the core curriculum and specialty area KPIs are assessed are: CSL 501, 502, 503, 506, 520, 521, 621, 623, 625. Students will complete an assessment in each of these courses evaluating either their knowledge or skill competence. Additionally, students will complete a comprehensive exam prior to graduation that assesses all KPIs and program goals.
Dispositional Standards for Academic Success
CACREP (2023) defines professional dispositions as “the commitments, characteristics, values, beliefs, and behaviors that influence the counselor’s professional growth and interactions with clients, faculty, supervisors, and peers, including working in a diverse, multicultural, and global society with marginalized populations” (p. 35). Counselors possess and exhibit these dispositions in their interactions with clients, colleagues, supervisors, and the broader community as part of their work and career development. As such, they are essential for maintaining ethical standards and promoting excellence in the field (ACA, 2014; Freeman et al., 2019; Garner et al., 2016).
The Program monitors 10 professional counselor dispositions in our students and expects them to exhibit these while in the Program. Specifically, the dispositions are: conscientiousness, coping and self-care, openness, cooperativeness, moral reasoning, interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, self-awareness, emotional stability, and ethical behavior. The following describes each of these dispositions and their importance in the counseling relationship, supervisory relationship, relationships with faculty and with peer colleagues in the program and profession.
Conscientiousness: An individual who is conscientious is organized, responsible, reliable, and diligent in his or her work. One should be self-disciplined, motivated, and pay attention to the details in his or her work.
Coping and Self Care: The term "coping" describes the range of methods and approaches people employ to handle and control stress, uncomfortable feelings, and demanding circumstances. The purposeful and planned steps people take to look after their physical, emotional, and mental health are referred to as self-care. Maintaining one's general health and well-being depends on practicing self-care, which can also improve stress management and situational coping.
Openness: Being open-minded means that one is generally prepared to try new things, investigate unusual concepts, and consider fresh viewpoints. Open individuals are frequently inquisitive and creative. They value intellectual stimulation and are frequently open to new ideas and unusual approaches to problem-solving.
Cooperativeness: is used to describe how willing someone is to cooperate with others to accomplish shared objectives and to be kind, understanding, and accommodating in social situations. To achieve outcomes that benefit all parties, it entails being sensitive to the needs, viewpoints, and emotions of others as well as having the ability to compromise and negotiate.
Moral Reasoning: The cognitive process of forming decisions about what is good and bad, just and unjust, or wrong and right based on moral principles or ideals is known as moral reasoning. To decide on the best moral course of action, it entails applying moral reasoning to particular circumstances, frequently involving moral problems. Making ethical decisions requires using moral thinking.
Interpersonal Skills: The term "interpersonal skills disposition" describes a person's innate propensity to successfully engage, communicate, and form connections. It includes a variety of social and emotional skills, including empathy, active listening, resolving conflicts, flexibility, and teamwork. Gaining the disposition necessary for effective interpersonal interactions may take time and need self-awareness, practice, and feedback.
Cultural Sensitivity: The term "cultural sensitivity" describes a person's knowledge and comprehension of the traditions, values, beliefs, and actions of people from various cultures. It entails appreciating and accepting the variations among other cultural groups' languages, customs, and social mores. This is being conscious of potential prejudices or stereotypes based on culture and refraining from actions that could hurt or offend members of other cultural groups.
Self-Awareness: A person's capacity for introspective reflection on their own feelings, ideas, and actions is referred to as their self-awareness disposition. It entails a continuous process of introspection in which people actively work to comprehend their motives, values, beliefs, and areas of strength and weakness. People that have a high self-awareness disposition are usually more self-aware, thoughtful, and introspective. They are able to identify their emotions with precision, comprehend what prompts them, and adjust their reactions accordingly.
Emotional Stability: The capacity of a person to control and regulate their emotions in reaction to both internal and external pressures is known as emotional stability. It entails remaining composed and emotionally balanced in the face of obstacles, disappointments, and challenges in life. Individuals with strong emotional stability typically recover from setbacks fast, adjust to new circumstances, and have an optimistic attitude on life.
Ethical Behavior: The practice of upholding moral standards and values in one's professional activity is referred to as ethical behavior. In professional relationships, ethical behavior is acting morally and justly, even when it is not always the simplest or most convenient course of action. It entails acting with accountability, honesty, and integrity.
Freeman, B. J., Garner, C. M., Scherer, R., & Trachok, K. (2019). Discovering expert perspectives on dispositions and remediation: A qualitative study. Counselor Education and Supervision, 58(3), 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12151
Garner, C. M., Freeman, B. J., & Lee, L. (2016). Assessment of student dispositions: The development and psychometric properties of the professional disposition competence assessment (PDCA). In Ideas and research you can use: VISTAS 2016. American Counseling Association. https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas/by-subject2/vistas-assessment/docs/default-source/vistas/article_5235f227f16116603abcacff0000bee5e7
University-Wide Academic Standards for Academic Success
In line with University standards for academic success, the student’s general proficiency in graduate coursework is expected. Students in the Program must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and must not receive lower than a “B-” grade in all core courses and all elective courses counted towards the 60-credit program minimum for graduation. Students who receive lower than a “B-” in any core course or any elective course that will be counted towards the 60-credit minimum required for graduation will be required to retake the course prior to qualifying for graduation.
Other Professional, Ethical, and Personal Growth Standards
Professional competence can be determined through a student’s ability to consistently display the 10 dispositions on which each student is rated throughout their time in the program. Additionally, students are expected to:
- Adhere to ethical standards outlined by the American Counseling Association (ACA).
- Manifest behaviors which acknowledge that they value the worth and dignity of all persons, placing the highest esteem on human rights and dignity.
- Conduct themselves in a manner which demonstrates a respect for the civil rights of individuals: does not discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual attraction, marital status, age, political beliefs, socioeconomic status, disabling condition or vocational interest (this list of bases of discrimination is not all inclusive).
- Exhibit professional language and communication skills. Their verbal and written communication with faculty and clients will reflect sensitivity to fundamental human rights of dignity, privacy and respect.
- Exhibit behavior consistent with the University code of conduct.
- Conduct relationships with faculty and peers in a professional and mature manner.
- Demonstrate an ability to impart the principles of good citizenship and societal responsibilities with their clientele and manifest a personal commitment to these principles.
- Evidence behavior that indicates one’s personal health and wellness are sound.
Because the professional and personal development of counselors are closely linked, the Program promotes personal growth and mental health wellness in students. While completing the Program, students may become aware of personal and/or mental health issues that are unresolved or that need specific therapeutic attention. All students are encouraged to seek individual or group counseling to deal with issues of personal development.
Regular and Systematic Student Review: When Will I be Evaluated?
Each student’s knowledge and skill development, personal maturity and professional dispositions, and overall academic performance will be reviewed formally by faculty members according to the schedule presented in the CMHC student handbook. Additionally, faculty review students’ progress on an ongoing basis. If concerns about a student’s behavior, academic performance or ability to counsel arise before or outside of the formal evaluation process, faculty may convene a meeting with a student at any time. Formal and informal reviews may result in recommendations or requirements for action by the student or the possibility of Program action related to student retention.
What are the measures of my performance evaluation?
The program uses three primary means of evaluating student development and performance. The first, KPI exams, are objective questions that are integrated into a final course assessment for the identified courses. The exams measure student knowledge in key performance areas. The second, video recording or live skill observation, involve a professor’s rating of student skill application in foundational counseling techniques. This measure occurs once before practicum and once in Internship I and focuses on skill development. The third, a comprehensive case analysis, is a culminating exam that involves the student in writing a narrative response to a case study. The student will be provided with 9 prompts related to the case and to the program’s key performance indicators. Additionally, the student will be asked to articulate their view of human nature and counseling theory in light of the program’s foundation in psychological and philosophical science and a Catholic-Christian worldview of the person.
How will I know the outcome of the regular student review that is part of being in the program?
The program will communicate to each student individually about their progression in the program via the student’s personal university email account. Students will receive communication from the program at the end of each semester related to performance on KPI standards. Disposition review outcomes will be communicated prior to practicum and prior to the start of internship II.
What happens if there is a concern about my performance?
When areas of concern arise in the student review process due to ratings below expected benchmarks on formal evaluation tools, academic performance, or faculty clinical judgement in informal reviews, faculty communicate those concerns to students with specificity and in a timely manner; they provide students with a plan for remediating the areas of concern. Adequate dem¬onstration of improvement is based on evidence that the student has complied in good faith with the recommendations or requirements from the student review. If a student is unable or unwilling to remediate the areas of concern identified in the review process, it may affect their ability to progress or be retained in the program. For example, a student may be placed on academic probationary status, be recommended to move from full to part-time status, not be approved to proceed to the clinical training portion of the program (i.e., practicum and internship), or be dismissed from the program. Dismissal may be a culminating decision that results if a student is unable or unwilling to address a remediation plan or immediate if the student’s health and safety are at risk or if they have engaged in egregious unethical behaviors that harm a client(s).