Department of Graduate Counseling

The graduate program offered by the DOGC is committed to the following goals as they relate to counselor education and supervision and/or counseling-related ministries:

• Scripturally Grounded: A commitment to Scripture as the foundation of truth in each course with a complimentary understanding of the truths is psychology and the social sciences.
• Professionally Skilled: A commitment to the professional and clinical development of the counselor-in-training as an essential element for effective practice.
• Interpersonally Competent: A commitment to the interpersonal growth of the counselor-in-training as an essential element for effective practice.

The DOGC’s purpose statement and programmatic commitments are reflected in the classroom, supervisory situations, and clinical settings. DOGC students receive a solid biblical foundation within each class curriculum. This theological education serves as an essential basis for understanding self, others, and God. DOGC students are equipped with a thorough understanding of counseling ethics, diagnosis, theory, and clinical issues, as well as trained to be professionally competent in clinical settings. DOGC students are also required to have sessions of professional counseling in an endeavor to wrestle with personal issues and more effectively understand and assist clients.

The CMHC program requires student adherence to both scriptural and professional codes related to the protection and preservation of human welfare and dignity. DOGC students are therefore bound by the ethical standards for the practice of counseling as defined by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). When ethical principles vary between these two organizations, the DOGC will trend toward the most stringent ethical principle. Further, DOGC students abide by the standards and expectations outlined in the Code of Conduct Policy section of the Department of Graduate Counseling Catalog.