COUNSELING COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION PROCEDURES AND STUDY GUIDE FOR NON-THESIS M.Ed STUDENTS

The program leading to the non-thesis MEd in Counseling degree requires successful completion of a written comprehensive examination.

Purpose of Exam

The comprehensive examination is designed to test the basic knowledge and concepts the student has acquired in the program. The student should be able to demonstrate the ability to synthesize content from the core courses. The comprehensive exam also tests the student’s ability to analyze specific problem situations presented in the examination. Students should demonstrate a basic knowledge of theory, techniques, research, and ethical and professional issues related to counseling. Students must pass all areas of the comprehensive examination prior to graduation.

Timing of Exam

Comprehensive examinations are typically scheduled during the first and second weeks of October and during the first two weeks of March. Students should confirm the actual administration date and time well in advance of the exam. Application to take the comprehensive examination should be submitted to the departmental administrative specialist two weeks prior to the scheduled examination date.

Students must have completed 36 hours in the program and have a plan of study approved by the Graduate School in order to qualify to take comprehensive exams. Students who believe they have a compelling reason for taking comprehensive exams earlier may request an exception by attaching to their application a description of their special circumstances. If a student has not completed a specific course covering a specific content area listed in the following section, the student risks not being prepared to answer 4-5 questions covering that content area. It is highly advisable that students have completed all the courses covering the 10 content areas before taking

comprehensive examinations. Taking one of the courses during the same semester of the examination may sufficiently prepare the student to adequately answer question in that content area, but students who choose this approach do so at their own risk.

Components of the Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive examination consists of a multiple choice examination and a synthesis and professional development plan paper.

The multiple choice portion of the comprehensive exam consists 50 multiple-choice questions. Students arrange a time during the two week time frame to take the exam.

The multiple-choice questions focus on the following content areas (with the approximate weightings listed below):

1. Counseling theory (20%) 2. Counseling techniques (10%)

3. Psychometric/assessment issues (10%) 4. Professional and ethical matters (10%) 5. Multicultural issues (10%)

6. Career Development issues (10%) 7. Family issues and child abuse (7%) 8. Human development (7%)

9. Group counseling techniques (6%) 10. Research (5%)

11. Statistics (5%)

Counseling Synthesis/Professional Development Plan Paper

Students are expected to submit a Counseling Synthesis/Case Study paper for review by during the semester the student takes their counseling practicum (CESP 856). The case study portion of the examination is based on a client with whom the student has worked during the practicum. The synthesis portion of the paper should describe the student’s counseling theory as it is currently developed. The practicum instructor will typically be the grader of this portion of the comprehensive examination, but other program faculty might be utilized as graders. The paper is due the first Monday of November (fall semester, or the first Monday of April (spring semester), when the student plans to graduate. The evaluation rubric is attached to this study guide. Development of the Examination

The Graduate Coordinator will assume responsibility for coordinating the development, administration, and grading of multiple choice portion of the exam.

Responsibilities of the Coordinator

1. Developing the exam and insuring they are graded by the deadline. 2. Answering students questions prior to the exam.

3. Checking to see if applicants for the exam have met the requirements to take the exam.

4. Insuring the availability of a study guide.

5. Preparing and sending letters indicating whether the students have passed the exam.

6. Notifying the Graduate School regarding whether the students have passed the exam.

Student Preparation

Study guides will be available for students at least one month prior to the exam each semester. The study guide will include sample multiple-choice questions. Copies of previous comprehensive exams will not be available. The exam coordinator will answer questions related to the exam prior to the exam date.

Notification of Performance

Students must successfully answer 33 of 50 multiple-choice questions to pass the multiple-choice portion of the exam. Students not passing the multiple choice exam should immediately contact their advisor to discuss their performance and plan for retaking the exam.

Grading of the synthesis and professional development plan paper will be completed by the student’s advisor no later than ten working days after the date of submission.

Students failing all or part of the paper are expected to arrange a meeting with their advisor to discuss the paper and arrange a plan for rewriting the paper.

Policy on Retaking the Comprehensive Examination

Students who fail the multiple choice portion of the examination may retake it a

maximum of two times. Questions on retake exams will be different from those given to the student on the original examination.

Students who fail the synthesis/case study paper may rewrite it the same semester, under the guidance of their advisor.

Counseling Comprehensive Exam Study Guide

The following lists include the major topics covered in the multiple choice of the comprehensive exam. Each content area is weighted with different percentages. Counseling Assessment (10%)

Score distribution & characteristics Standard scores and types

Reliability Validity

Purpose & characteristic of major assessment approaches, and assessment instruments (i.e., intelligence, achievement, personality, interest)

Research & Statistics (10%) Dependent/independent variables Statistical significance

Central tendency Correlation

Qualitative research/quantitative research

True experimental/quasi-experimental/ex-post facto design Counseling Theories (20%)

Client Centered Counseling Adlerian Counseling

Reality Therapy

Rational Emotive/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Gestalt Therapy Freudian Therapy Existential Therapy Counseling Techniques (10%) Counseling process Purpose of counseling Genuineness

Unconditional positive regard Empathy

Reflection of feelings

Ethical Issues in Counseling (10%) Privileged communication

Confidentiality

Limits of Confidentiality Privacy

Informed consent Ethical use of tests

Career Development (10%) Theories: Holland & Super Typical assessment

Computer-assisted career guidance systems Occupational structure & trend

Career information & classification system Multicultural Counseling (10%)

Cultural Identity development Worldviews

Diversity knowledge of specific cultural groups Counseling attitudes and behaviors

Multicultural competencies and standards Cross-cultural communication

Cultural biases, stereotypes, and prejudice Theories of Human Development (7%) Attachment theory

Conditioning and learning theory

Cognitive Developmental theory (Piaget and Vygotsky) Psychosocial Development (Erikson)

Moral Development (Kohlberg) Family Issues in Counseling (7%) Core family systems concepts

Boundaries and Hierarchies Genogram construction and usage Family loyalties

Basic system interventions

Group Counseling Techniques (6%) Stages of group development and process Composition of groups

Advantages of group counseling Types of counseling groups

Students Who Cannot be Present at WSU for the Exam

If a student has relocated and cannot be present at WSU to take the multiple choice portion of the comprehensive exam, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange an alternative site for the administration of the exam. The student must arrange for a proctor and those arrangements must be approved at least two weeks in advance of the exam date by the exam coordinator. If the exam coordinator has concerns about the arrangements, Counseling faculty decide if the arrangements are suitable. The exam will be mailed to the proctor administering the exam with instruction on how to return the exam to the exam coordinator.

Sample Multiple-Choice Items

1. In reading a journal article, you see that an important hypothesis has been tested and a test of significance reported. Which of the following notations would be most convincing to you that the results were statistically significant?

a. p<.01 b. p>.01 c. p<.05 d. p>.05 e. p<.10

2. A test has a mean of 16, and a standard deviation of 4. Assuming a normal distribution, what percent of the scores would fall between 12 and 20?

a. 34.13 b. 13.59 c. 68.26 d. 70.30 e. 64.39

3. The basic goal of the person-centered group is to a. provide a climate of safety and freedom. b. provide opportunities for multiple transferences.

c. provide for ways of having irrational thoughts confronted.

d. get clients to accept reality and form a commitment to change specific behaviors.

e. remove maladaptive learned behavior.

4. The view of counseling or helping which focuses upon the uniqueness of each person’s perception of reality and attempts to see things the way the client perceives them is a. phenomenological. b. behavioral. c. psychoanalytic. d. empirical-rational. e. transactional.

5. Choose one statement which most closely reflects the purpose of the counseling or helping process.

a. Reduce the incidence of psychosis in the general population. b. Enable the client to grow in the direction he or she chooses. c. Provide goals for the dysfunctional.

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