Faculty Contact Information:
Faculty Contact Information: J. Alexander Boeringa, Ph.D., ABPP
Phone: Education center or 01353-666837 Home phone
E mail: Aboer108@yahoo.com
OR aboering@faculty.ed.umuc.edu
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Consultation:
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30 minutes before class or by appointment
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Required Texts and Readings:
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Corey, G. & Corey, M. (2002). Groups: Process and Practice (6th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
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Supplementary Readings:
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All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students’ research and writing skills.
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Recommended Journals:
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A variety of full-text, online, free-of-charge and pay-per-view academic journals are listed on the Counseling Webboard at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/graduate/webboards/
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Course Description:
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The primary objective of this course is to acquaint students with important skills that are considered to be prerequisites for effective group counseling as well as working with other kinds of groups. These skills include the basics of group dynamics and an introduction to the laboratory training method of working with groups. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: GUCO 531 or EDCP 617. Prerequisites: PSYC 502 and PSYC 534.
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Course Goals:
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This course is designed to acquaint the student with the theoretical concepts and fundamentals of group counseling as outlined in the CACREP common-core curriculum area of Group Work. Students will examine counseling theories and research related to group work along with learning micro-skills related to group development and dynamics. The course will provide students with a beginning knowledge of conducting a group. An experiential component as a simulated counseling group will provide opportunities for practice and for personal and professional development.
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Course Objectives:
1. Know the major theories of group counseling.
2. Be able to apply group therapeutic techniques.
3. Have acquired group counseling skills.
4. Be familiar with problems encountered in group counseling.
5. Be familiar with ethical issues in group counseling.
6. Understand personal development through group activities.
7. Understand individual, interpersonal, and intragroup issues that occur in group counseling.
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Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 92%
B 80 – 91%
C 70 – 79%
F Below 70%
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs.
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Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society.
In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions 10%
Write graduate level papers or case studies 30%
Orally/visually present prepared material 20%
Complete one or more written examination(s) 40%
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Description of Course Requirements:
Participate in classroom discussions: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner. Usually this requires two to three hours of additional for every hour of a face-to-face class.
Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level deliverables.
Orally/visually present prepared material: You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In a face-to-face course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material.
Complete one or more written examination(s): The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary to successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used for this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam.
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Course Schedule:
Weekends as announced 0900 to 1700
This schedule presents 16 units or modules, with each unit corresponding to a regular three-hour weekday meeting, a half-day on weekends, or a full week of DE. Specific details and assignments will be added at the first class session or check the Webboard prior to class.
Initial meeting:
Introductions
Review of syllabus
Clarification of goals, objectives and requirements
Orientation to subject
Second meeting:
Third meeting:
Fourth meeting:
Fifth meeting:
Sixth meeting:
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Academic Policies:
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Please refer to the UMUC – Europe Graduate Catalog, available online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs/ or from your local Education Center, for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
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Faculty Bio:
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Dr. Boeringa was born in Chicago, served two years in the Army, and received his BA from Hope College, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, and has also taught in part time adjunct faculty positions at several colleges and universities as he moved with the Veterans Administration. For the past 10 years he was the Chief of Psychology Service at the Houston VA Medical Center. He has extensive clinical, research, and applied experience in a broad variety of positions including those in Hospitals, Medical Schools, Private Practice, and Community Mental Health Clinics. Of particular relevance to this class he has led or co-led numerous groups of differing participants and clinical orientation in a variety of contexts and enjoys this form of intervention as being both challenging and effective.
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