Department Objectives | University of Illinois Springfield

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COUNSELING OBJECTIVES

Instill a strong sense of professional identity consistent with Professional Counseling philosophy and literature
Cultivate student counseling skill competencies necessary for working with individuals, groups, couples, and families
Facilitate student self-growth and understanding through class assignments and feedback
Foster an environment conducive to healthy and appropriate risk-taking necessary for development
Promote student understanding of the diversity of views and cultures within our profession and the environment in which counselors practice
Teach and perform research applicable to the practice of counseling
Aid students in the process of becoming certified and/or licensed

The Department endorses the standards and objectives adopted by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and has designed the curriculum to be consistent with that body’s standards and objectives as well as those of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Graduates will develop an understanding of the environment in which they intend to practice and the specialized knowledge and skills needed for the particular setting or client population

Department Mission Statement

The Department of Human Development Counseling strives to educate traditional and non-traditional students with a primary goal to prepare highly competent Professional Counselors who are able to work with diverse populations, in various settings in Central and Southern Illinois. More specifically, we strive to prepare School Counselors to function within K-12 settings; Mental Health and Marital, Couple and Family Counselors to operate within community agencies, hospitals, drug treatment facilities, and institutions providing professional counseling and consulting services.

As the educators of future Professional Counselors, we strive to create an atmosphere that will encourage and promote:

the inherent worth and dignity of all persons;
development of self-awareness and continuing growth throughout the lifespan;
positive interpersonal relationship skills, self-expression, and self-management;
core attitudes of authenticity, congruence, and non-judgment.

Department Goals

Our goals are consistent with those of the University of Illinois at Springfield, a university committed to actualizing the individual student through increasing diversity among faculty and students. The University supports professional development as a blend of traditional liberal arts and practical experience. It strives to maintain and strengthen the University’s unique approach to excellence.

Department Purpose

The purpose of the Department of Human Development Counseling is to prepare graduates who will be able to provide professional counseling and consulting services in community agencies, institutions, and in schools. Students learn a variety of theoretical approaches as well as how to use “self as instrument” to facilitate changes sought by people in systems facing the decisions and concerns of everyday living.

Program Outcomes

The Department of Human Development Counseling offers three Master’s degrees accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP): Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. The Department maintains an enrollment of approximately 100 students with an average class size of 15. In academic year 2021-2022, 24 students graduated from the Department of Human Development Counseling.

Commitment to Diversity and Outreach

The Department of Human Development Counseling is committed to providing services to marginalized populations in the greater Springfield community, including:

The Outlet, a program aimed at providing support for at-risk boys, who are primarily African American and lack a father figure in the home. HDC Students provide individual and group counseling at their after school/evening programs.
Feitshens Elementary, a low-income, minority-serving public school where HDC students provide after school counseling services.
Hazel Dell Elementary, a low-income, minority-serving public school where HDC students provide mentoring services in conjunction with our HDC 535 – Child and Adolescent counseling course. Many students opt to continue the mentoring program outside of the class requirements.
Contact Ministries, a shelter which provides services to homeless women and children, a high rate of whom are racial minorities. HDC Students provide individual counseling services to the women and children, and family counseling services to the families.
Helping Hands, a homeless shelter that works with men in the community, primarily minority individuals. HDC Students provide counseling services to that clientele