Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP)

The Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) program at Chaminade University of Honolulu (CUH) was developed, based on a 1978 needs assessment survey, to prepare counselors for the community. The MSCP program WAS designed to be consistent with the humanistic and Marianist Educational Values of Chaminade University. Given the needs assessment and considerable discussion about program structure and logistics, the MSCP program was established in January of 1985 with one emphasis: Human Services (renamed Community Counseling in 2001, renamed Mental Health Counseling in 2011). The MSCP program currently has three emphases: School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Counseling. The School Counseling emphasis was given provisional approval by the State of Hawai’i Department of Education (DOE) in the fall of 1987. The Chaminade Behavioral Sciences Division Counseling Psychology Program/School Counseling emphasis was granted full approval by the Hawai’i Teacher Standards Board effective January 2010. The Marriage and Family Counseling emphasis official began in the Fall 2000.

The degree of Master in Counseling Psychology is designed to prepare students as counselors in order to work in the community and in the schools in a manner consistent with the Mission and Strategic Plan of Chaminade University, and with the University’s Humanistic, Marianist Educational Values. Chaminade University’s mission and strategic plan offer its students an education in a collaborative learning environment that prepares them for life, work, and service. Essentially, this preparation results in general student learning outcomes relative to assisting children, youth, and adults in adapting, cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally to various interrelated interpersonal, educational, familial, community, organizational, and societal environments.

This program leads to a professional licensure in Hawaii only.

Honor Society
Psi Chi International Honor Society

Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology recognizes scholastic excellence by undergraduate and graduate students majoring in Psychology. Graduate students must be of good character, have successfully completed 15 semester hours in the MSCP Program, have a cumulative GPA of 3.7, and have completed a minimum of ten hours in verified community service or service learning prior to induction.

Membership in Psi Chi is an earned honor that is for life. For further information about Psi Chi or to download an application, visit the website www.psychi.org. For questions, please contact psichi@chaminade.edu or the MSCP program office at (808) 735-4751.

Division Contact
Director, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Address: 3140 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone Number: (808) 735-4751

Professional Organizational Membership
Joining a professional organization is part of developing as a professional and learning the benefits of joining a national organization. These organizations provide workshops and continuing education for students and licensed professionals. Membership in one of the organizations for the counseling profession must be obtained prior to starting class and maintained throughout the student’s enrollment in the MSCP program.

Professional identification is important to the individual. As a student, state, and national professional organizations provide a bridge between the transition from student to clinical professional.

Coherence
The framework for conceptualizing issues, providing coherence, direction, and integrating curriculum, instruction, clinical experience and assessing student learning outcomes regarding the preparing and development of counselors in the MSCP program at CUH is derived from, and aligned with, various sources including:

•Faculty input
• The Standards of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
• The Standards of masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)
• The American School Counseling Association (ASCA)
• The American Counseling Association (ACA)
• The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
• The State of Hawai’i Licensure Standards for Marriage and Family Therapy
• The State of Hawai’i Licensure Standards for Professional Counselors
• The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Hawai’i Teacher Standards Board (HTSB)
• The Hawai’i State Department of Education Six General Leaner Outcomes
• The community-based MSCP School Counseling Advisory Board
• The community-based MSCP Mental Health Counseling Advisory Board
• The community-based MSCP Marriage and Family Counseling Advisory Board
• The Chaminade University Mission and Strategic Plan
• The Five Marianist Educational Values of Chaminade University

Coherence among curriculum, instruction, clinical experience, and assessment across a candidate’s program is established in several ways, including the foundational use of NBCC and MPCAC standards.

The MSCP program at Chaminade University utilizes the Standards of the NBCC and MPCAC as the framework for curricular experience and demonstrated knowledge of the common core areas that are required of all students across each of the three emphasis: School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and Marriage and Family Counseling.

The MSCP program is structured so that all students have a strong theoretical foundation and basic counseling skill development before they enter the clinical portion of the program. The clinical portion of the program occurs during the last three terms of the program. Thus, students move from common foundation courses through common core courses and emphasis specific courses.