Graduate Minor in Multicultural Psychology
As we enter the new millennium, the U.S. population is becoming more multiracial, multiethnic, and multilingual. Some estimate that by the year 2020, racial and ethnic minorities will become the numerical majority. This demographic shift has already occurred in specific contexts, such as K-12 schools in Los Angeles. Applied psychologists and educators have begun to develop competency standards for professionals to provide culturally relevant and effective services to our ever-changing population. In fact, multiculturalism has been identified as the fourth focus in counseling psychology. The purpose of the graduate minor in multicultural psychology and education would be to (a) expose graduate students to the growing theoretical and empirical research completed in the fields of multicultural psychology and education, (b) help graduate students develop multicultural competencies in research and practice, and (c) provide graduate students with training necessary to meet the psychological and educational demands of diverse populations.
Requirements
- A minimum of 12 credit hours
- 9 credit hours must be taken as a graduate student at the University of Missouri
- No more than 6 credit hours should be listed in the masters or doctoral planner. That is, a maximum of 6 hours can overlap between the courses applied to the Minor in Multicultural Psychology and the courses applied toward a masters or doctoral degree.
- A minimum of 9 credit hours must be 8000 or above (graduate level)
- 6 credit hours must be taken within the core area with a foci on racial and ethnic minorities (see listing below)
- 3 credit hours must be taken in the auxiliary area (see listing below)
- 3 credit hours must be taken in the skills area (see listing below)
| Core Courses | ||
| Must complete at least 6 credit hours from the following courses with a main emphasis on race/ethnicity in psychology and/or education | ||
| ESC_PS 8590 | Multicultural Counseling Competencies: Theory and Research | 3 |
| ESC_PS 9000 | Multicultural Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| Other racial/ethnic-focused graduate level courses in other departments, with pre-approval. | ||
| Auxiliary Courses | ||
| Must complete 3 credit hours from the following courses emphasizing a wide range of diversity and social change issues. | ||
| ESC_PS 8990 | Career Development Theory for Women | 3 |
| ESC_PS 9020 | Psychology of Crossing Cultural Borders | 3 |
| Other diversity issues and inequality in social systems graduate level courses in other departments, with pre-approval. | ||
| Skill Courses | ||
| Must complete 3 credit hours from one of the options below. | ||
| I. Research Skills * | ||
| Master's Thesis in Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation Educational School & Counseling Psychology | ||
| II. Applied Multicultural Skills ^ | ||
| Practicum in Multicultural Counseling Interventions | ||
Pre-approved Multiculturally-designated applied course (e.g. counseling practica, teaching practica, group counseling practica) | ||
Applied experience via community outreach programs, work placements in agencies, or extended volunteer experiences in community agencies. | ||
Multicultural Competency Portfolio to demonstrate awareness, knowledge and skill competencies, as approved by a Center Director. | ||
Consultation courses in organization or systemic changes including applied consultation activities, as pre-approved by a Center Director. | ||
- *
The scope and quality of the research project is expected to be of such a caliber that it could be submitted to a refereed journal in the student's discipline. The research project must be on a multicultural-related topic (i.e. issues related to race, sexual orientation, gender, and international concerns). Successful completion of this requirement will consist of approval of the project from a Director of the Center for Multicultural Research, Training and Consultation, or have an ESCP faculty affiliated with the Center on the committee with at least one committee member having expertise in multicultural issues.
- ^
The person must demonstrate competencies in working with diverse populations (with an emphasis on racial and ethnic minority populations).