Psychological Counseling with Specialization in Family (MS)

The Master of Science in Psychological Counseling with a Specialization in Family aims to prepare graduates to perform interventions with psycho-social problems that affect individuals and contemporary families. The program foments the development of the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and ethical values that make possible the formation of a psychologist with a critical and flexible mind; with the capacity to identify and search for solutions to situations that arise in the individual and family environment.

The program aims to provide graduates the knowledge and the experiences necessary to be able to meet the requirements established for the exercise of the profession by Law 96: “Law To Regulate the Exercise of the Psychology Profession in Puerto Rico”, as amended, and by the Examining Board of Psychologists of Puerto Rico.

Upon completing the degree, graduates should be able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, attitudes and ethical values inherent to the field of Psychological Counseling with a Specialization in Family.

The Aguadilla Campus is authorized to offer this Program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

The Master of Science in Psychological Counseling with a Specialization in Family is designed to develop the competences that will enable students to:

Knowledge

1. Know the theoretical and conceptual frames related to Psychological Counseling.
2. Know the behavioral situations that occur in the individual, family and social context in order to propose solutions.
3. Identify the most urgent needs of the individual, the family and the community they serve by means of the use of the appropriate research tools.
4. Understand the biological, neurological, and pharmacological knowledge that helps sustain the science of Psychology.
5. Identify the psycho-social indicators that cause the changes, situations and problems in the individuals and in families.

Skills

1. Use the psychological intervention tools based on the evidence.
2. Show the mastery of the oral and written communication that facilitates interpersonal relations.
3. Evaluate those situations that imply risk for the individual, couples and families.
4. Establish treatment plans for situations and problems with children, adolescents and adults.
5. Constitute multidisciplinary teams to search for solutions to the psychological problems and situations that affect individuals and families.
6. Apply technology to the professional intervention with children, adolescents and adults.

Attitudes

1. Develop a conduct in harmony with the ethical and legal standards of the psychology profession.
2. Show empathy and commitment to value, identify and work with the needs of the population that they deal with.
3. Value family and social diversity.

Admission Criteria for Students with a Bachelor’s Degree:

1. Hold bachelor’s degree from an accredited University.
2. Have a grade point index of 2.50 or above in the last 60 credits of academic work at the undergraduate or graduate level or in a combination of both. Although generally these credits will be at the undergraduate level, in the case of students who have postgraduate credits from an accredited university, they can combine these postgraduate credits with the last credits approved at the undergraduate level to complete the 60 required credits.
3. Have approved with a score acceptable to the University, within five years prior to the date of the admission application, one of the following tests:
   1. Examen de Admisión a Estudios de Postgrado (EXADEP)
   2. Graduate Examination Record (GRE)
   3. Miller Analogy Test (MAT)
4. Candidate will have to demonstrate the ability to interpret professional material, in Spanish as well as in English, and to express themselves properly in written form in one of languages by writing an essay on a topic designated by the Admissions Committee of the Psychological Counseling Program with specialization in Family.
5. Present two letters of recommendation from professionals related to the discipline.
6. Present a Certificate of no Criminal Record, updated within six months and any other document that is considered necessary at the time of the evaluation of the candidate.
7. Show evidence of having approved with a minimum grade of B the following courses:
   1. A course in Basic Statistics
   2. A course in Principles of Psychological Measurement
   3. A course in Psychopathology
   4. Two additional courses in psychology at the undergraduate level.

Norms and Procedures

Academic Progress

Students must comply with the norms included in the section Requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress in Masters’ Programs and with the norms indicated below:

1. Pass all courses leading to the degree with a minimum grade of B. Student who do not pass a course with a minimum grade of B will not be able to register in any course that has this course as a prerequisite.
2. Pass the Integration Seminar with a minimum grade of B as a graduation requirement.

Conduct

Students of the Program must comply at all times with the norms, policies and procedures established in the Program, in the current Graduate Catalog, as well as in the General Student Regulations of Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Any violation of the established norms will be sufficient reason to impose disciplinary sanctions. Any student suspended from the Program due to violation of the norms and procedures established in the aforementioned documents may not be re-admitted to the same program.

Internal University Transfers

Candidates wishing to transfer to the Master of Science Program in Psychological Counseling with Specialization in Family will be considered if they meet the conditions set forth in the section Admission Requirements for Master’s Programs and meet the following:

1. Are admitted as a regular student of the Program.
2. Request the transfer of their academic file to the unit to which they wish to move.
3. Present a letter of the official in charge of the Program at the campus of origin certifying that they meet the conduct and satisfactory academic progress norms.

Transfers

Students must meet the transfer norms included in the section Admission of Transfer Students to Master’s Programs, the conditions established in the section Admission Requirements for Master’s Programs and with the norms indicated below:

1. Present a letter from the official in charge of the Program of origin certifying that they meet the conduct and satisfactory academic progress norms of the Program.

Requirements for the Master of Science in Psychological Counseling with Specialization in Family

Core Course Requirements	32 credits
Specialization Requirements	27 credits
Total	59 credits

Core Course Requirements - 32 credits

Psychological Fundamentals -18 credits

PSYC 5030	Ethics and Legal Aspects of Psychology	3
PSYC 5040	Biological Basis of Behavior	3
PSYC 5050	Development Throughout the Life Cycle	3
PSYC 5060	Psychology of Personality	3
PSYC 5100	Cognitive and Affective Basis of Behavior	3
PSYC 5200	Social and Multicultural Basis of Behavior	3

Methodology and Statistics - 14 credits

PSYC 5150	Statistics Applied to Psychology	2
PSYC 5220	Research Methods	2
PSYC 5231	Psychological Measurement I	3
PSYC 5232	Psychological Measurement II	3
PSYC 6421	Practice in Advanced Statistics	1
PSYC 6422	Practice in Psychology Research	1
PSYC 6925	Practice in Psychological Research	2

Specialization Requirements - 27 credits

PSYC 5033	Interview Processes and Techniques	2
PSYC 6000	Theoretical Foundations of Family Therapy	3
PSYC 6005	Family Psychopathology	3
PSYC 6010	Counseling Techniques and Individual, Group, and Family Psychotherapy	3
PSYC 6015	The Nontraditional Family	3
PSYC 6020	Intervention with Families in Crisis	3
PSYC 6410	Practice in Interview Processes and Techniques	1
PSYC 691A	Supervised Practice in Psychological Counseling I	2
PSYC 691B	Supervised Practice in Psychological Counseling II	2
PSYC 691C	Supervised Practice in Psychological Counseling III	2
PSYC 697F	Advanced Integration Seminar	3