Marriage and Family Counseling

Masters of Art in Counseling Psychology

PSY 640

Breyer State University
Professor: Thomas Schear, Ph.D.

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to Marriage & Family Counseling, a Masters Level course in the curriculum for the Degree, Masters of Counseling Psychology.  I am pleased to instruct you in this course, which will be a vital course for the remainder of your studies in the master program.

This course is designed to provide you with a thorough background in the techniques and theories of marital counseling.  Additionally, family therapy stretching from initial intake to termination will be examined to give you a broad view of how therapy changes over the course of treatment. 

I know that as you take the time to learn as much as you can about this topic it will serve you well as you contemplate providing counseling services to future clients.

TIME FRAME: This is a six-semester hour course and is allotted 10 weeks of time.  The first day of the week will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day you should notify me that your textbook has arrived.  Please be cognizant of the time frame.  It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification.

TEXTBOOK: There are two (2) textbooks required for this course. 

Book 1: The Marriage Clinic: A Scientifically-Based Marital Therapy. John Mordechai Gottman. New York, New York. W.W. Norton & Company 1999.  ISBN # 0393702820.

Book 2: Essential Skills in Family Therapy. JoEllen Patterson, et. al. New York, New York. Guilford Press. 1998. ISBN: 1572303077.

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EXAMINATIONS: There are two examinations for this course, a mid-term exam and a final exam.  They range from 61 to 78 multiple choice and true/false questions.  To keep you on target we recommend you hold this schedule.

The mid-term exam is based on the Gottman book and should be taken by the end of the 5th week.
The final exam is based on the Patterson book and should be taken by the end of the 10th week.

Both exams are programmed and are located in the classroom for this course.  I will setup the program so you will have access to the test when you are ready.  Please contact me prior to the time you take the first test so I can give you specific instructions and ensure that the test is ready for you.

GRADING: The grading scale for this course is as follows:

91-100%    = A
81-90%      = B
71-80%      = C
Below 70% = Failed

COMMUNICATION: You are encouraged to communicate with me. I am available as a teacher, coach and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. Primarily, communication is through e-mail. However I am also available for conversation by telephone if you would like. Our classroom for this course has a “chat” room. I am also very willing to meet with you one-on-one in that chat realm at your request. From time to time, depending on how many students are enrolled in this course at a particular time, we will have some schedule group chats. You’ll receive more detailed information at the time such chat sessions are scheduled. Please keep my e-mail address handy so that you can contact me whenever necessary. If at any time during this course you change your e-mail address or other contact information please be sure to notify me right away.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: There is a final written assignments for this course. As noted earlier the textbooks for this course are not as substantial as those used in the other courses up to this point and this seems to be a good opportunity for you to pull together what you have learned up to this point. The written exam is located at the “Assignments” link you will find at the BSU student site.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: My name is Tom Schear. I have a BA, MA and Ph.D. in social work, MA in counseling, and have taken some additional graduate level courses in business and human services administration. Finally, I am an E-Myth trained business coach and a graduate of Coach University. I have worked at all levels of counseling agencies in Iowa and Montana, including front-line counselor, clinical director and executive director. I now live in the town where I grew up, working out of my home providing continuing education courses for helping professionals, teaching online courses for virtual universities including Breyer State University, Canyon College and EarthNet Institute, and provide both online and telephone-based counseling and personal and business coaching services. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, hunting and spending time with my wife, Kathy and adult children, Brian and Steven and dog, Solo.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1). Gain a greater understanding of the counseling theories and methodology as they apply to marital counseling.
2). Explore the process of family counseling from the initial session to the final termination of services..

ASSIGNMENTS: For specific assignments, please click on the link “Assignments”

INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may contact the instructor at tschear@ccmsinc.net.

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