Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling

Welcome to Human Development & Psychological Counseling

The Department of Human Development & Psychological Counseling is responsible for organizing and providing instructional programs that prepare students for human services positions in K-12 schools, colleges/universities, and mental health agencies.

The department offers courses of instruction leading to a Master of Arts degree with these majors:

  1. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to prepare counselors and other helping professionals to work in a wide variety of human service agencies (including mental health centers, social service agencies, employment and rehabilitation centers, business and industry employee assistance programs, etc.). Various specialized course emphases are available. 
  2. The Professional School Counseling program (K-12) is designed to meet state licensure requirements and to prepare counselors for elementary, middle, and secondary schools. 
  3. The Student Affairs Administration program is designed to prepare reflective scholar practitioners to work in various areas of student affairs to serve students and institutions of higher education (e.g., two-year, four-year, public, and private) through collaborative, equitable, and inclusive practice. The program utilizes a theory-to-practice framework and is known for its applied learning emphasis.
  4. The Marriage and Family Therapy program is designed to meet the need for advanced preparation of marriage and family therapists who work with families in a wide variety of work settings.

Undergraduate Minor in Leadership Studies

In collaboration with the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership, the Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling offers an undergraduate minor in Leadership Studies. Information about the minor in Leadership Studies may be found at https://cel.appstate.edu/leadership-studies-minor

Accreditation

The programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.) and Professional School Counseling (M.A.), are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Graduates are eligible to take the National Counselor Examination offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC) with successful completion qualifying the individual to become a National Certified Counselor. The Professional School Counseling program also is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The Marriage and Family Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The Student Affairs Administration program complies with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) Guidelines for Master's Level Higher Education and Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs (2019) and centers the ACPA/NASPA (2015, 2016) Competencies for Student Affairs Educators.

Approved to Continuing Education Provider NBCCContinuing Education

Each year the HPC Department will sponsor various professional development workshops for graduate students as well as professional counselors and therapists. Continuing education credit will be made available for some of these workshops.

Appalachian State University-Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 3001. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Appalachian State University-Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.