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
- Know the theoretical and conceptual frames related to Psychological Counseling.
- Know the behavioral situations that occur in the individual, family and social context in order to propose solutions.
- 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.
- Understand the biological, neurological, and pharmacological knowledge that helps sustain the science of Psychology.
- Identify the psycho-social indicators that cause the changes, situations and problems in the individuals and in families.
Skills
- Use the psychological intervention tools based on the evidence.
- Show the mastery of the oral and written communication that facilitates interpersonal relations.
- Evaluate those situations that imply risk for the individual, couples and families.
- Establish treatment plans for situations and problems with children, adolescents and adults.
- Constitute multidisciplinary teams to search for solutions to the psychological problems and situations that affect individuals and families.
- Apply technology to the professional intervention with children, adolescents and adults.
Attitudes
- Develop a conduct in harmony with the ethical and legal standards of the psychology profession.
- Show empathy and commitment to value, identify and work with the needs of the population that they deal with.
- Value family and social diversity.
Admission Criteria for Students with a Bachelor’s Degree:
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Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
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Have a minimum academic index of 3.00 in the last 60 credits of academic work. Although these credits will generally be at the bachelor's level, for a student who holds another master's degree from an accredited university, he or she may combine the credits at the master's level with the last credits approved at the baccalaureate level until completion. the 60 stipulated credits.
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Demonstrate the ability to interpret professional material in Spanish and English through the critical analysis of a case designated by the Admission Committee to the Psychological Counseling Program with a specialty in Family.
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Write in Spanish or English, the critical analysis of the case designated by the Admission Committee to the Psychological Counseling Program with a specialty in Family.
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Submit two (2) letters of recommendation from professionals related to the discipline.
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Submit the Criminal Record Certification and the Criminal History Verification Law for Child and Elderly Care Providers of Puerto Rico (Law 300) with their respective six-month validations and any other document deemed necessary to the time of evaluation of the candidate.
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Show evidence of having passed the following courses with a minimum grade of B:
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A Basic Statistics course.
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A course in Principles of Psychological Measurement.
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A course in Psychopathology.
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Two additional courses in psychology at the baccalaureate 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:
- 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.
- 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:
- Are admitted as a regular student of the Program.
- Request the transfer of their academic file to the unit to which they wish to move.
- 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:
- 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
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 |