Master of Arts Program
Counseling and Psychology
Somatic Psychology Concentration

Counseling and Psychology Note on Licensure

The M.A. in Counseling Psychology is designed to allow students to prepare to sit for state licensing exams. Students are required to design their study plans to meet the academic licensure requirements for specific state or provincial licensing boards.  The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools is a regional accreditation body that has accredited the Master of Arts Program at Prescott College since 1991. Because no graduate counseling program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate agency in your state or province to determine specific requirements. Although the counseling psychology faculty is familiar with the Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners requirements for licensure, all students whether living in Arizona or another state are ultimately responsible for researching and incorporating appropriate licensing requirements (in their state) into their study plans.  Please note that some states require applicants for professional licenses to submit to a formal background check including fingerprinting.  Students should take this into consideration when determining future eligibility for licensure.

Program Prerequisites

A student in the Prescott College Master of Arts Program must have a bachelor’s degree and have successfully completed the following:

• Six to nine semester credits in foundational psychology courses;
• This master’s degree alone does not qualify a student, upon graduation, to practice somatic psychotherapy.  The student must first obtain expertise in a body/mind modality prior to or during enrollment at Prescott College (e.g., a reputable training program such as the Rubenfeld Synergy training, Rising Phoenix yoga training, massage therapy…).  These programs must have standards of practice, an ethical code, a national board, and be respected in the field of body/mind psychotherapy. 

Program Requirements: Theory, Practicum, Fall Institutes, and Thesis

The Master’s Program is a 75 semester hour program.  This includes course work, a supervised counseling practicum, two fall institutes, and a thesis.  The required courses are listed below. 

If the student has already taken some of these courses at the graduate level, he or she is not required to take them again. The student may transfer in up to 15 prior graduate semester credits of the state-required courses. If the course has a different title, it can be reviewed to see if it qualifies as comparable.

Below is a list of required courses for licensure in the state of Arizona. This list is followed by a second set of courses for a concentration in Somatic Psychology Concentration.

Some states allow imbedding of specialized SP material into licensure courses. It is the student’s responsibility to research if that is the case in his or her state. The state of Arizona does not allow imbedding.

Arizona State-required Courses:

Students wishing to be licensed in other states or provinces can find their state’s requirements by going to www.nbcc.org/stateboardmap.

All of the following core courses are required for the state of Arizona.

Recommended Study Plan for Arizona Licensure & CACREP aligned degree (semester credits)

Complete course syllabi and course descriptions   CP Course Syllabi 07

Required Courses for the Somatic Psychology Concentration

History and Theory of Somatic Psychology: 3 Semester Credits

In this course the student will explore the history, theory, and practice of somatic psycholog.

Standards of Practice/Ethical Issues in Somatic Psychology: 3 Semester Credits

The student will study the codes of ethics of the various training programs in Body/Mind work.  The student will look at the development and reasons for these codes and also at the practitioner’s responsibility to him or herself and his or her patients in this work. 

Somatic Assessment and Movement Analysis: 3 Semester Credits

In this course the student explores instruments used in the counseling of individuals to make assessments.  The student will also study the assessment tools available in somatic psychology, art, and movement therapy.

Recent Literature and Research in Somatic Psychology: 3 Semester Credits

The student will expand upon his or her knowledge of somatic psychology and its current use in the therapeutic and assessment process.

The History and Practice of Movement Therapy: 3 Semester Credits

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the use of movement and the importance of the body and its movements in the therapeutic process. The student will also obtain knowledge of the historical development of this field.

Practica

Arizona State-required Practicum: 9 Semester Credits

Students are required to complete a supervised counseling practicum of 900 clock hours in a mental health facility.

State-required Practicum in Other States: Number of Credit varies

Please contact the licensing board in your state for further information at www.nbcc.org/stateboardmap

Fall Institute

Two Fall Institutes of one week each in Prescott, Arizona are required of all somatic psychology students.  The cost for these Fall Institutes is separate from the tuition.  The Fall Institutes are opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in somatic psychology.

Thesis

 Every student is required to write a thesis.  For Arizona students, the thesis will be a product of advanced courses with an emphasis in somatic psychology and the development of a particular interest in that area.  Students from other states or provinces that have fewer state requirements will be required to complete a 12-15 credit thesis. 

Suggested Bibliography