Westfield State University to Host Information Sessions for Three Graduate Programs

WESTFIELD — The College of Graduate and Continuing Education at Westfield State University (WSU) will host information sessions for master’s-degree programs in counseling, applied behavior analysis, and social work in early December.

An information session for the university’s master’s degrees in both counseling and applied behavior analysis will be held on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m. at the Horace Mann Center, 333 Western Ave., Westfield. The session welcomes individuals interested in careers as behavior analysts, clinicians, family and marriage counselors, and guidance or adjustment counselors.

The Department of Psychology offers a 60-credit graduate program designed to serve the student who plans to enter the applied fields of counseling or psychology after earning the master’s degree. The program offers four specialized tracks: school guidance counseling, school adjustment counseling, forensic mental-health counseling, and mental-health counseling.

WSU also offers a 48-credit master of arts program in applied behavior analysis to individuals who work, or aspire to work, in a number of different settings, such as schools, including regular and special-education classrooms, business and industry, healthcare, and other community-based settings.

“Westfield State’s graduate training in counseling meets all requirements for entry licensure in school counseling and all pre-masters content and field experience requirements for mental-health counselors,” said Robert Hayes, chair of Graduate Programs in Psychology. “We particularly value small classes for technique-related courses, where graduate candidates receive outstanding individual attention, as well as group supervision during the development of their counseling skills. Counseling is both a science and an art, and our graduate training program attends to both.”

The College of Graduate and Continuing Education will also host an information session for the master of social work program (MSW) on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. in Scanlon Hall, 577 Western Ave., Westfield. The program is one of only four located in Western Mass., and is offered both on the Westfield campus and at the YWCA at Salem Square in Worcester.

The MSW program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and prepares students to become licensed clinical social workers and to work in a variety of positions in the human-services field. The program aims to prepare advanced-level social-work practitioners who have specialized knowledge and skills for clinical practice based on a firm generalist foundation.

“The MSW program at Westfield State University is accessible and affordable for students as they prepare to practice in today’s complex and technologically challenging world,” said program Director Robert Kersting. “With full or part-time options and the consistency of classes held on Monday and Thursday evenings, the master of social work program is designed to work with working adults’ schedules.” 

Information-session attendees will have an opportunity to speak with faculty and members of the outreach team about the respective program and its application process. The $50 application fee will be waived for all attendees. To RSVP, visit www.gobacknow.com. For more information, call (413) 572-8020 or e-mail wsucgce@westfield.ma.edu.