Points of Pride

The Department of Human Development Counseling offers three separate levels of supervised counseling experience.

  • In HDC 512 Prepracticum students demonstrate their competency with basic skills using classmates and other HDC students as clients.
  • After successfully completing the Prepracticum as well as HDC 501, HDC 511, HDC 513, HDC 515, HDC 546, HDC 575 and a specialization course (HDC 530 or HDC 531 or HDC 558), students are eligible to enroll in HDC 587 Professional Experience: Practicum. Practicum is offered in agencies and schools in the community and emphasizes the development of individual and group counseling skills with real clients.
  • The program concludes with HDC 590 Professional Experience: Internship which offers an in-depth supervised field experience in schools or agencies. Internship enables students to refine and enhance the knowledge and skills developed during practicum and to engage in all of the counselor’s professional activities.

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