Human Development and Counseling

Major: Human Development and Counseling
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 180.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.1508
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 21-1011

About the Program

The Human Development and Counseling (HDC) program is a campus-based, full-time undergraduate degree program that offers students an innovative approach to education that is applied, interactive and experiential.  Students complete required courses in human development across the lifespan, behavioral health care, professional ethics and career pathways in behavioral health taught by certified, licensed and experienced professionals. There are also major and free electives available based on a student's career interests including courses in counseling modalities and interventions, creative arts therapies, family therapy and salient health care workforce development needs, including addiction, aging and trauma. Diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice principles are incorporated across the rigorous curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to participate in experiential learning exercises via the College of Nursing and Health Profession's state-of-the-art Center for Inter-professional Clinical Simulation and Practice. The major also offers a co-op experience in a clinical setting that greatly enhances the student’s preparation for employment after graduation and for graduate study.

Additional Information

For more information about this major, visit the Counseling and Family Therapy Department on the College of Nursing and Health Professions website.

Admission Requirements

For Entering Freshman

To review admission prerequisites, visit the Admission Prerequisites page.

To find admissions deadlines, apply online, check out financial aid information and find the current schedule for open houses, visit the Undergraduate Admissions site.

For Transferring Students

Our transfer policies are specifically designed to accommodate students applying from other colleges. Transfer students may enter the program at any point and transfer a maximum of 90 semester credits (135 quarter credits). The courses and credit values show how many general education credits can be transferred in at the discretion of the program. (Please note: This program is offered in quarter credits, not semester credits. One semester credit is equal to 1.5 quarter credits; therefore, a bachelor's degree worth 120 semester credits is equal to 180 quarter credits.)

To review transfer instructions, visit the Transfer Instructions page.

For International Students

To review transfer instructions, visit the International Instructions page.

Tuition and Fee Rates:

Please visit the Tuition and Fee Rates page on Drexel Central.

Compliance

The College of Nursing and Health Professions has a compliance process that may be required for every student. Some of these steps may take significant time to complete. Please plan accordingly.

Visit the Compliance pages for more information.

Degree Requirements

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COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Students not participating in co-op will not take COOP 101; 1 credit of Free Elective will be added in place of COOP 101.

**

Students may register for any non-required course in HIST 101-499 to meet their History Elective requirement 

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Students may register for any non-required 100-499 course in: AFAS, COM, ENGL, GST, MATH, PSY, SOC, and WGST to meet their Humanities/Social Science electives. Students wishing to apply a course from other course subject areas are encouraged to consult their advisors.

†

Students may register for any non-required course in BACS 200-499 to meet their Human Development and Counseling elective requirement.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, no co-op

4 year, one co-op

*

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Program Level Outcomes

Upon completion of the HDC program, students demonstrate knowledge and skill related to the following areas:

• Establishes Rapport: Listen, communicate and collaborate effectively; establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship; believe in the inherent capacity of any person to learn and grow; establish relationships characterized by respect, authenticity and empathy.
• Cultural Competence: Recognize differences in age, culture, ethnicity, religion, ability, gender and sexual orientation; understand and incorporate the person’s frame of reference when developing and delivering services and supports.
• Assessment and Planning: Conduct a comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment and collaboratively develop plans based on client choice and need; recognize commonly used screening, assessment and diagnostic methods for evaluating persons with psychiatric and substance use disorders; apply assessment data to individualized treatment/service plans; integrate community resources and natural supports into service planning and delivery
• Recovery Process: Assess the characteristics of behavioral health disorders across the lifespan; facilitate the recovery process by using client-centered, strengths-based approaches, motivational enhancement strategies and stage-wise interventions; support client strengths and foster self-determination; teach skills and develop accommodations to support people in recovery
• Evidence-Based Practices / Research – Explain current evidence-based and emerging best practices in the treatment of behavioral health disorders; understand important research terms and concepts; critically evaluate published behavioral health research; Understand the role of psychopharmacology in the process of recovery; identify the primary medication types used in pharmacological treatment and their mechanisms of action
• Group Leadership: Choose methods associated with various types of groups based on therapeutic goals; provide effective facilitation of group process to achieve goals; understand when and how to intervene (e.g. limit setting, reality testing, reflection of feelings, providing information)
• Relapse Prevention / Crisis Intervention: Summarize the value of crisis prevention; assess the potential for a crisis and respond appropriately, including seeking assistance as needed
• Family Support: Evaluate the unique needs of caregivers of people with serious behavioral health disorders; engage and support families in the recovery process.
• Advocacy and Systems Integration: Identify and differentiate the role of agencies and programs across systems of care; advocate and facilitate utilization of the service system and natural community supports; work collaboratively across service systems and disciplines;
• Teamwork: Work collaboratively with other professionals to support an integrated treatment approach; understand the professional roles within an interdisciplinary treatment team; provide information that facilitates treatment coordination; appropriately raise questions and address differences in point of view.
• Ethics / Professionalism: Apply basic ethical standards and practices associated with community support work; understand personal abilities and limitations and identify personal values and biases; cultivate awareness of self in the counseling relationship; understand that rights, most importantly the rights of self-determination and failure, are at the core of ethical practices; demonstrate flexibility, patience, persistence and tolerance; manage ambiguity
• Documentation and Written Communication: Adhere to the standards of APA style for professional writing; recognize the content and organization of the clinical record; make concise, grammatically correct and legible entries into the client record.