MASTERS IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT

MASTERS IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT Prepared by Leanne Walker Paula Gravelle Center for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation College of Education & Human Development University of Southern Maine Spring 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 A. Purpose 1 B. Brief Program History 1 II. METHODOLOGY 1 A. Instrument 2 B. Population 2 C. Procedure 2 III. ANALYSIS 3 IV. VI. A. Research Question 1: Does the program content satisfy the knowledge base needed for professional competency? B. Research Question 2: Does the program encourage reflection and critical inquiry? C. Research Question 3: Does the program provide opportunities to examine the impact of diversity? D. Research Question 4: Does the program provide good opportunities for students to demonstrate content knowledge, skills, and understanding? E. Research Question 5: Are students satisfied with program advising and various student services? F. Research Questions 6: Are students satisfied with the quality of instruction in each course? Do students feel each course is beneficial to their work? What is their overall assessment of the program and instruction? CONCLUSIONS APENDICES A. Surveys B. Survey Summary Responses 3 6 7 8 9 10

MASTERS IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The basic belief of the USM Counselor Education program is that every human changes and grows throughout life. From time to time, individuals need help in this struggle for positive growth. Counseling and guidance services provide professional helpers who can facilitate growth and development effectively. In addition to teaching counseling skills, the program promotes students personal growth by encouraging them to develop attitudes, values, and beliefs that will enhance and facilitate the helping process. All graduates of the Counselor Education program for the past four years (N=111) and all current degree candidates (N=154) were sent surveys. Approximately 37% of graduates (N=41) and 44% of current students (N=67) returned completed surveys. We also asked graduates who are currently employed to ask their supervisor to fill out a survey and we received 9 completed surveys from employers of graduates of the program. The survey was constructed using two types of items; a 5-point Likert scale to rate the program and courses, followed by several open-ended questions inviting participant comments on strengths and weaknesses of the programs. The purpose of the study was to assess: 1. how well the program is meeting its stated goals and objectives; 2. whether the program is responding to the common themes/processes as described in the CEHD core values and practices; and 3. student satisfaction with both the academic program and student services. Strengths to note: The majority of students and graduates feel that the program quality overall is very good and most would recommend the program to others. Students and graduates indicated that one of the main strengths of the program is the quality of the faculty; their dedication, excellence in instruction and support and genuine interest in their students. Weaknesses to note: Scheduling classes (getting the classes they need in the order and at the times they need them) can be quite difficult. Students would like more assistance with obtaining internship/identifying practicum clients. i

MASTERS IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT Paula Gravelle Prepared By Leanne Walker Assistant Director, CEPARE Research Analyst Introduction and Background Purpose The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Southern Maine has implemented a plan to evaluate each of its degree programs. The first evaluation of the counseling education program was conducted in the spring of 2001 and the program was re-evaluated during the spring of 2008. The evaluation was designed to assess: 1. how well the program is meeting its stated goals and objectives; 2. whether the program is responding to the common themes/processes as described in the CEHD conceptual framework; and 3. the level of student satisfaction with both the academic program and student services. Brief Program History The Counselor Education program currently offers a variety of options for those wishing to pursue a degree in counseling. The Master of Science in Counselor Education was created to provide a professional preparation program that prepares its graduates to act as facilitators of change in the lives of individuals at all developmental levels. The program offers a Master of Science in Counseling degree (M.S.) with specialties in the areas of school counseling, clinical and mental health counseling (substance abuse expertise), and rehabilitation counseling. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling specialties hold accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP). The Rehabilitation Counseling program holds accreditation from the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). Methodology In the spring of 2008 a survey was developed to assess the Counselor Education Program as described in the Purpose section above. The survey was mailed to 111 graduates, 154 current students, and graduates were asked to give their employers a survey to complete. The 117 returned surveys were then analyzed and the findings reported below. 1

Instruments The graduate student, current student and employer surveys were developed by updating the surveys used during the 2001 evaluation. Faculty and administrators were invited to submit items to be included in the survey and draft surveys were submitted to program faculty for final changes and comments. The survey instruments used 5 point Likert scales to rate the program, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 the highest. Frequency tables were constructed and means computed for all Likert scale items. Top two box charts were also created for use in the body of the report. These charts show the percentages of students that agree (indicated a score of 4 or 5 ) with each statement. In addition, the survey instrument included several open-ended questions asking participants to comment on the program s strengths and weaknesses. Copies of the survey instruments appear in Appendix A. Population The population surveyed included all graduates from the Counselor Education Program from 2002 through 2005 (N=111), all current degree MS candidates (N=154), and all employers of graduates who were given a survey. The return rate for graduates was 37% (N=41), for current students was 44% (N=67) and only 9 surveys were received from employers of graduates. Because of the potential skewness of the limited employer survey, they were not analyzed for this report. Copies of the surveys are available upon request. Procedure In the spring of 2008, survey packets were mailed to graduates and matriculated students of the Counselor Education Program. Each packet included: 1. a letter explaining the survey with the option of completing the survey online; 2. a survey; and, 3. a postage paid envelope for returning the survey. 4. the graduate survey packet also contained an employer survey. At the end of two weeks, reminder postcards and e-mails were sent to all graduates and current students. Seven MS graduates and 13 current students were unreachable by mail (the surveys were returned marked undeliverable ). 2

Analysis The survey information was tabulated and analyzed with respect to several evaluative research questions. In this section of the report, an analysis of survey items is presented along with the relevant data. A complete set of frequencies for all survey items appears in Appendix B. Research Question 1: Does the program content satisfy the knowledge base needed for professional competency? Chart 1 reports the response frequencies for three items dealing with the development of professional competency. About 8 out of 10 of both program graduates and current students agree, (using a score of 4 or 5 on the 5-poing Likert scale) that the program objectives were consistent with my professional objectives and program helped me develop expertise in my area of interest. Eight out of 10 current students also agree that the program provided a balance of theoretical and practical skills. Graduates were less likely to agree with this statement (seven out of ten), but the differences between the graduates and current students were not significant. Chart 1: Question #1: Does the program content satisfy the knowledge base needed for professional competency? 100 90 80 79 84 80 80 81 70 71 60 %Agree or Strongly Agree 50 40 30 20 Graduates Current Students 10 0 The program provided a balance of theoretical and practical skills. The program helped me develop expertise in my area of interest. The program objectives were consistent with my professional objectives. 3

Questions 9 and 10 on the graduate survey asked graduates of the program how well they had been prepared in a number of different knowledge areas, and charts 2 and 3 report the respondent frequencies. Top two box scores ranged from a high of 97% feeling the preparation was a 4 or 5 on a 5-point Excellent scale to a low of 60%. The areas where graduates felt most prepared were, Professional Ethics understanding and application of ethical principles (97%), Sensitivity to Worth, Dignity and Capacities of Individual (97%) and Working Collaboratively with Clients (97%). The areas where they felt least prepared were Consultation Skills ability to propose, plan, and implement environmental change strategies (60%), Assessment & Appraisal skills in selecting, administering and interpreting instruments used to assess group and individual characteristics (63%), Career Development knowledge and skills in assessing and exploring client career and vocational needs (63%), and Research & Program Evaluation knowledge and skills related to relevant research as it relates to practice and program effectiveness (63%). % Excellent or Very Good (5 pt. scale) 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Chart 2: Graduates Please rate your degree of expertise in each of the following 97 97 97 92 91 90 90 89 87 85 83 83 83 Graduates 4

100 Chart 3: Graduates Degree of Expertise Graduates % Excellent or Very Good (5 pt. scale) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 82 82 78 76 76 75 75 73 69 67 64 63 63 63 60 Graduates of the Counselor Education program were also asked how well their coursework prepared them for any certification/licensure examination they had to take. 56% said very well, 37% said somewhat well, while 5% said not at all. In addition to the Likert scale ratings, students were asked open-ended questions about the strengths and weaknesses of the program. The most frequently mentioned strengths of the program were the quality of the faculty; their dedication, excellence in instruction and support and genuine interest in their students. Students also valued the learning they gained from working with a diverse group of peers, the CACREP accreditation, the high standards and rigor of the program and the focus on diversity within the program. For graduates, the strengths of the program were by far the faculty many students mentioned individual faculty members who had been particularly helpful or inspiring to them. Graduates also appreciated having small classes. Current students indicated that one of the main weaknesses of the program is scheduling; a number of students explained that it is very difficult for some students to take their required courses in a timely manner some courses are filled up before matriculated students can get into them, students that commute long distances are unable to take multiple classes in one trip (back 5

to back core classes, for example). Students also mentioned that they receive little assistance from the university in locating an internship. A few also complained that they did not receive accurate information from their advisors about core requirements or that their advisors were hard to reach. Graduates mentioned that they had a great deal of trouble finding practicum clients and/or internships and would have liked more help from faculty/staff in locating those opportunities. Research Question 2: Does the program encourage reflection and critical inquiry? As shown in Chart 4, 83% of graduates and three quarters of current students (76%) agreed (using a 4 or 5 on the 5-point Likert scale) that the Counselor Education program helped them refine their critical inquiry skills. 83% of graduates and 82% of current students indicated that the program helped them examine theory and practice connection. Just over 70% of graduates and current students (71% and 73%, respectively) indicated that the program requires rigorous intellectual discipline. Chart 4: Question #2: Does the program encourage reflection & critical inquiry? 100 90 83 83 82 80 70 71 73 76 % Strongly Agree or Agree 60 50 40 30 Graduates Current Students 20 10 0 Required rigorous intellectual discipline. Helped me refine citical inquiry skills Helped me examine theory & practice connections. 6

Research Question 3: Does the program provide opportunities to examine the impact of diversity? About three quarters of graduates and current students indicated that the program does a good job with helping them understand diversity issues (Chart 5: 71% and 79%, respectively). Current students were significantly more likely than graduates to report that faculty used examples of diversity in their presentations (85% current students and 73% Graduates). Chart 5: Question #3: Does the program provide opportunities to examine the impact of diversity? 100 90 85 % Strongly Agree or Agree 80 70 60 50 40 79 71 73 Graduates Current Students 30 20 10 0 Helped me develop better understanding of diversity issues Faculty used examples of diversity in their presentations.(*** effect size =.31) Research Question 4: Does the program provide good opportunities for students to demonstrate content knowledge, skills, and understanding? As shown in Chart 6, the majority of graduates and students who responded to the survey feel the faculty appropriately assessed their performance (85% for both graduates and current students). Students were also asked about their opportunities to work with other students, in groups and as team members. More than 8 out of 10 (85% graduates and 82% current students) felt faculty provided opportunities to work effectively with individuals and groups. More graduates than current students (83% vs. 70%) felt the program helped them learn to work as a team member and collaborative change agent, although the differences were not significant 7

Chart 6: Question #4: Does the program provide opportunities for students to demonstrate content knowledge, skills & understanding? 100 90 80 85 85 85 82 83 % Strongly Agree or Agree 70 60 50 40 30 70 Graduates Current Students 20 10 0 Faculty appropriately assessed student performance Provided opportunities to work effectively with individuals and groups Helped me to learn to work as a team member & collaborative change agent Research Question 5: Are students satisfied with program advising and various student services? About 8 out of ten of graduates and current students of the Counselor Education program felt that the accessibility of counselor education faculty was satisfactory (Chart 7: 85% and 80%, respectively), that advising was helpful (80% and 77%) and that the assistance provided by faculty outside of class was helpful (76% and likely than current students to indicate that advising was available when needed (83% vs. 75%). 83%). Graduates and current students were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with a number of student services (see Chart 8 below). Graduates and current students were most satisfied with student billing (73% and 81%, respectively strongly agreed or agreed that the service was satisfactory), financial aid (62% graduates and 61% current students), and computer labs (52% and 64%). Students were less satisfied with food services (45% and 38%), dial-up modem access (44% and 47%), career services (41% and 30%) and student health (38% and 47%). 8

Chart 7: Graduates & Current Student Ratings of Student Services 90 % Strongly Agree or Agree Services were Satisfactory 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 73 81 62 61 52 64 45 38 44 47 41 30 38 47 Graduates Current Students 10 0 Student Financial Aid Computer Labs Food Services Dial-up Modem Access Career Services Student Health Chart 8: Question #5: Are students satisfied with program advising and various student services? 100 90 80 85 83 80 80 77 75 76 Graduates Current Students 83 % Strongly Agree or Agree 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Accessibility of Counselor Education faculty was satisfactory. Advising was avail. when needed. (*** effect size =.41) Advising was helpful Assistance provided by Counselor Education faculty outside class was helpful. 9

Research Question 6: Are students satisfied with the quality of instruction in each course? Do students feel each course is beneficial to their work? What is their overall assessment of the program and instruction? The survey asked current students to rate each of the 27 courses in the Counselor Education Program on two levels, (1) the quality of instruction, and (2) how beneficial the course was to their work. Chart 10 compares current students ratings of the perceived benefit of each course with ratings of the quality of instruction. Courses in the charts are ranked in order of perceived benefit. Note: some courses received a small number of ratings because only those students that have taken the class were able to rate it. Current students identified HCE 609, HCE 612, HCE 615 and HCE 686 as the courses that were most beneficial (all received a top two box score of 100%). Those courses received quality of instruction ratings of 100% except HCE 686 which received a rating of 80%. HCE 640, HCE 620 and HCE 643 were considered by current students to be the least beneficial courses (56%, 59% and 64%, respectively). 100 Chart 9: Current Students: Skills Knowledge Gained in Course Beneficial to Work Compared with Quality of Instruction Beneficial to Work Quality of Instuction 90 80 % Top 2 Box (Very Much/Excellent) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10

Overall ratings of the Counselor Education program were high. 88% of graduates and 90% of current students rated the program has excellent or very good. 91% of graduates and 87% of current students rated the overall quality of instruction as excellent or very good. Table 1: Overall Assessment Data Presented as Percentages Graduates N=41 Current Students N=67 Course Poor Excellent Poor Excellent Mean Mean What is your overall rating of USM s Counselor Education Program? 2 2 7 59 29 4.10-2 9 45 4 5 4.33 What is your overall rating of the instruction you received? - 2 7 54 37 4.24-2 12 32 5 5 4.39 Current students and graduates were also asked whether or not they would recommend the Counselor Education program to others. 82% of graduates and 97% of current students said, yes. 93% of current students also said that the Counselor Education program is meeting their expectations. In addition, graduates were asked to rate how well prepared they were to pursue a job in their specialty area upon completion of the Counselor Education program. More than three quarters (77%) indicated they were either well prepared or very well prepared. Perception of Program Job Preparation Table 2: Job Preparation Not Prepared Graduates N=39 Very Well Prepared Upon successful completion of your program, how well prepared were you to pursue a job in your specialty area? 3 3 18 49 28 11

Both graduates and current students were asked to rate the instructional capability of the distance learning modalities (see Table 3). Current students rated all three types of modalities higher than graduates of the Counselor Education program, perhaps reflecting the improvements made in each of those areas over the past several years. If you took courses via distance learning, how would you rate the instructional capability of the modality? Table 3: Instructional Capability of Distance Learning Modalities Graduates N=41 Current Students N=67 Poor Excellent Poor Excellent Mean Mean Online - 13 50 38-3.25 9 6 16 28 41 3.84 ITV 4 17 33 29 17 3.38 6 6 41 19 28 3.56 Video Conferencing 4 12 27 39 19 3.58-9 9 39 44 4.17 Conclusions Conclusions The results of the survey demonstrated an overall positive response to the Counselor Education Program on the part of graduates and current students. (NOTE: 36 of the 41 graduates that responded to the survey indicate they were employed but only 9 surveys were received from employers. Given this very low response rate, employer responses were not included in this analysis). Both graduates as well as current students in the Counselor Education Program feel that the overall quality of the program is high, that the instruction they have received is good and most would recommend the program to others. The majority of current students reported that the program is meeting their expectations. The most frequently mentioned strengths were the knowledgeable and supportive program staff. Students also value the flexibility of the program. Many travel great distances and balance work, school and family while completing their degree. Distance learning is valued and rated highly, although some students acknowledge that not all courses are suitable to distance learning. 12

Concerns reported included a desire for even more course scheduling flexibility there is frustration among students at not being able to take the classes they need when and where they need them. Students also indicated that finding internships and practicum clients is very difficult and they do not feel they receive enough assistance from the University in making those arrangements. In summary, most respondents gave the program, courses, and faculty high marks. Respondents also did raise some concerns, and the faculty are encouraged to consider these in any future program developments. 13

Appendices

College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation Counselor Education Current Students 1. What year were you admitted to the program? 2. What is your anticipated graduation date? Month Year 3. Age: 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60 & over 4. Gender: M F 5. Current Program: School Counseling Mental Health Counseling Clinical Psychosocial Rehabilitation Counseling/MHRT IV Rehabilitation Counseling 6. Please circle the number that best describes your reaction to the following statements. Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree a. The program requires rigorous intellectual discipline. b. The program provides a balance of theoretical and practical skills. c. The program is helping me develop expertise in my area of interest. d. The program objectives are consistent with my professional objectives. e. The program is helping me examine the connections between theory and practice. f. The program is helping me refine my skills of critical inquiry. g. The program is helping me develop a better understanding of diversity issues. h. The faculty uses examples of diversity (different cultures, religions, races, sexual orientation, people with disabilities, etc.) in their presentations. i. Faculty appropriately assesses student performance. j. The program provides opportunities to work effectively as a team member and collaborative change agent. k. The program provides opportunities to work effectively with individuals and groups. l. Program advising is available when I need it. m. Program advising is helpful. n. The accessibility of counselor education faculty in person is satisfactory. 1

College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation Counselor Education Current Students 6. Please circle the number that best describes your reaction to the following statements. o. The assistance provided by counselor education faculty outside of class is helpful. Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree p. Assistance in finding an internship placement is helpful. q. The library hours are convenient. r. The resources available in the library are sufficient to complete course requirements. s. If the materials are not on campus, library personnel are able to get them for me in a reasonable amount of time. t. The course registration process is convenient. 7. The following student services were satisfactory: Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree a. Financial Aid b. Student Billing c. Food Services d. Career Services e. Computer Labs f. Dial-up/Modem Access g. Student Health 8. Please rate the following courses on two dimensions: RESPOND ONLY FOR THOSE COURSES YOU HAVE COMPLETED. 1. the quality of instruction Poor Excellent Very 2. the value of knowledge and skills gained Very Little Much a. HCE 500 Orientation to the Counseling Profession b. EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques c. HCE 604 Career Counseling d. HCE 605 Psychological Measurement and Evaluation e. HCE 607 School Guidance Programs and Services f. HCE 609 The Practice of School Counseling g. HCE 610 Introduction to Rehabilitation Services 2

College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation Counselor Education Current Students 8. Please rate the following courses on two dimensions: RESPOND ONLY FOR THOSE COURSES YOU HAVE COMPLETED. h. HCE 611 Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability and Rehabilitation i. HCE 612 Disability and Family in a Multicultural Society j. HCE 614 Principles of Psychosocial Rehabilitation k. HCE 615 Vocational Counseling and Placement in Rehabilitation 1. the quality of instruction Poor Excellent Very Little 2. the value of knowledge and skills gained Very Much l. HCE 619 Myth, Madness and Mental Illness m. HCE 620 Fundamentals of Counseling Theories n. HCE 621 Fundamentals of Counseling Skills o. HCE 622 Counseling Children and Adolescents p. HCE 626 Group Process and Procedures q. HCE 627 Group Counseling r. HCE 640 Professional Issues in Mental Health Counseling s. HCE 642 Perspectives in Chemical Dependency t. HCE 643 Psychopharmacology and Substance- Related Disorders u. HCE 644 Crisis Intervention v. HCE 645 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning w. HCE 650 Basic Concepts of Systems Theory and Family Therapy x. HRD 664 Culture, Tradition and Diversity y. HRD 668 Human Development z. HCE 686 Internship in Counselor Education aa. HCE 690 Individual Counseling Practicum 3

College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation Counselor Education Current Students 9. Overall Assessment Poor Excellent a. What is your overall rating of USM s Counselor Education Program? b. What is your overall rating of the instruction you are receiving? 10. If you have taken courses via distance learning (online, ITV, compressed/video conferencing), how would you rate the instructional capability of the modality? Poor Excellen a. Online b. ITV c. Video conferencing (compressed video) 11. Did you find some course content not suited to distance learning? Yes No If yes, please specify: t 12. Is the Counselor Education Program meeting your expectations? Yes No Why or not? 13. If such a program existed, would you be interested in enrolling in a doctoral program (Ed.D.) in counselor education at USM? Yes No If yes, when might you seek admittance to the program? in 0 1 year in 2 4 years in 5 years or more 4

College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation Counselor Education Current Students 14. What would you identify as the strengths of the Counseling Education program? 15. What would you identify as the weaknesses of the Counseling Education program? 16. What recommendations would you make to improve the Counseling Education program? (Feel free to list additional courses). 17. Would you recommend the Counseling Education program to others? Yes No Why or why not? 18. Please add any other comments here: 5

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 1. Age: 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60 & over 2. Gender: M F 3. Specialty Area: (Please select only one) School counseling Rehabilitation counseling Psychosocial rehabilitation counseling/mhrt IV Clinical mental health counseling Substance abuse expertise 4. Enrollment Information: a. Did you participate in your graduate program: part-time part-time/full-time full-time b. Year of admittance: year: c. Year of graduation: year: d. Time required to complete program: years months 5. Credentialing: a. Do you currently hold certification from the Maine Department of Education for school counseling? Yes No Not Applicable b. Are you a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)? Yes No Not Applicable c. Are you a National Certified Counselor (NCC)? Yes No Not Applicable d. Are you a Maine certified alcohol and drug counselor (LADC)? Yes No Not Applicable e. Do you hold any of the following licenses? (Choose all that apply) Licensed Professional Counselor Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 1

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - Conditional Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor Licensed Pastoral Counselor Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor f. How well did your coursework prepare you for any certification/licensure examination you took? very well somewhat well not at all not applicable 6. Current Work Status: a. Are you currently employed? full-time part-time not employed b. Job Title: c. How long have you been in this position? years months d. Did you change jobs as a result of obtaining your master s degree? Yes No e. Who are your primary clientele: (i.e. children, substance abusers, mentally ill, physically disabled, co-occurring disordered) f. Average annual salary: less than $10,000 $30,000-39,999 $10,000-19,999 $40,000-49,999 $20,000-29,999 $50,000+ g. What are your job functions: h. In which state do you work? i. If employed in Maine, do you intend to stay in Maine? yes no unsure 2

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 7. Please circle the number that best describes your reaction to the following statements. Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree a. The program required rigorous intellectual discipline. b. The program provided a balance of theoretical and practical skills. c. The program helped me develop expertise in my area of interest. d. The program objectives were consistent with my professional objectives. e. The program helped me examine the connections between theory and practice. f. The program helped me refine my skills of critical inquiry. g. The program helped me develop a better understanding of diversity issues. h. The faculty used examples of diversity (different cultures, religions, races, sexual orientations, people with disabilities, etc.) in their presentations. i. Faculty appropriately assessed student performance. j. The program provides opportunities to work effectively as a team member and collaborative change agent. k. The program provided opportunities to work effectively with individuals and groups. l. Program advising was available when I needed it. m. Program advising was helpful. n. The accessibility of counseling education faculty in person was satisfactory. o. The assistance provided by counseling education faculty outside of class was helpful. p. The library hours were convenient. q. The resources available in the library were sufficient to complete course requirements. r. If the materials were not on campus, library personnel were able to get them for me in a reasonable amount of time. s. The course registration process was convenient. t. The process in finding an internship placement was helpful. u. The sites provided for field-based experiences offered excellent training opportunities. 3

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 7. Please circle the number that best describes your reaction to the following statements. Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree v. The on-campus, individual supervision for practicum was excellent. w. The on-campus, individual, group supervision for field-based experiences was excellent. 8. The following student services were satisfactory: Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree a. Financial Aid b. Student Billing c. Food Services d. Career Services e. Computer Labs f. Dial-up/Modem Access g. Student Health 9. Please rate your degree of expertise in the following. Poor Excellent N/A a. Individual counseling (theory and skills) knowledge and skills in counseling, assisting and understanding clients (e.g. verbal and nonverbal communication) b. Group counseling knowledge of skills and concepts needed to run groups (e.g. leadership behaviors) c. Consultation skills skills in processing and responding to the needs of staff and other service providers d. Consultation skills ability to propose, plan, and implement environmental change strategies e. Assessment and appraisal skills in selecting, administering and interpreting instruments used to assess group and individual characteristics f. Research and program evaluation knowledge and skills related to relevant research as it relates to practice and program effectiveness g. Career development knowledge and skills in assessing and exploring client career and vocational needs h. Life-span development concepts knowledge of behavioral, cognitive and psychological needs across the life span 4

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 9. Please rate your degree of expertise in the following. Poor Excellent N/A i. Multicultural sensitivity/knowledge knowledge of the role that cultural factors play in the counseling/rehabilitation process j. Professional ethics Understanding and application of ethical principles k. Work related crises ability to handle different crisis situations relevant to your work l. Commitment to professional development seeks out opportunities to increase professional knowledge and skills m. Commitment to professional development Working collaboratively with colleagues n. Seeking out and utilizing supervision utilizes information shared by colleagues and supervisor o. Knowledge representation of the counseling and/or rehabilitation profession current in terms of knowledge of the counseling field p. Administrative and record/report skills committed to following paperwork guidelines and management duties q. Sensitivity to worth, dignity and capacities of individual individual is client-focused r. Working collaboratively with clients is able to work with both clients and colleagues s. Diagnosis and treatment planning able to describe behaviors, symptoms and etiology for major mental disorders and focus on an appropriate treatment plan 5

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 10. Please rate your degree of expertise in each of the following this set of questions are applicable for rehabilitation counseling students only: a. Vocational assessment selecting, administering and analyzing vocational interests, abilities, needs, and supports b. Vocational placement translating vocational, individual and setting-specific information into relevant educational and/or employment decisions, actions, and/or supports c. Family issues knowledge and skills relating to family issues and disability and rehabilitation d. Social and psychological issues in disability and rehabilitation knowledge and skills relating to psychosocial effects of disability and individual responses to rehabilitation e. Social and psychological issues in disability and rehabilitation understanding and application of psychosocial (psychiatric) rehabilitation principles and practices f. Medical issues knowledge and skills relating to medical perspective and issues in disability and rehabilitation g. Pursuit of individual rights full social participation Poor Excellent N/A h. Pursuit of individual rights informed choice and control of services i. Ecological (e.g. professional, systemic, and societal) perspective in rehabilitation applies effective environmental change strategies in practice 11. Upon successful completion of your program, how well prepared were you to pursue a job in your specialty area? (choose the best response) not prepared marginally prepared somewhat prepared well prepared very well prepared 6

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 12. Overall Assessment of the Program: Poor Excellent a. What is your overall rating of USM s Counseling Education Program? b. What is your overall rating of the instruction you received? 13. If you took courses via distance learning (online, ITV, compressed/video conferencing), how would you rate the instructional capability of the modality? Poor Excellent a. Online b. ITV c. Video conferencing (compressed video) 14. Did you find some course content not suited to distance learning? Yes No If yes, please specify: 15. What would you identify as the strengths of the Counseling Education program? 16. What would you identify as the weaknesses of the Counseling Education program? 17. What recommendations would you make to improve the Counseling Education program? 7

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Program Evaluation: Counseling Education Graduates Survey 18. Would you recommend the Counseling Education program to others? Yes No Why or why not? 19. Please list some professional development topics for possible training workshops, summer courses, or institutes sponsored by USM. 20. Do you participate in the Counselor Ed Student/Alumni Association s annual conference? Yes No 21. Are you involved in professional associations? Yes No If yes, please list. 22. Would you be interested in pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) program at USM? Yes No Note: We now have a CAS program in counseling. Call (207) 780-5306 for more information. 23. If such a program existed, would you be interested in pursuing a doctoral (Ed.D.) program at USM? Yes No 24. Please add any other comments here: 8

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Department of Human Resources Employer Questionnaire As one of several ways of evaluating the USM program, we ask work supervisors to assess the preparation of our graduates. Would you please take time to assess the University of Southern Maine graduate who has given this form to you? Please rate your employee/supervisee on the following knowledge/skills/attributes: Weak Strong 1. Individual Counseling (theory and skills): knowledge & skills in counseling, assisting and understanding clients (e.g. verbal and nonverbal communication) 2. Group Counseling: knowledge of skills and concepts needed to run groups (e.g. leadership behaviors) 3. Consultation Skills: ability to propose, plan, and implement environmental change strategies 4. Assessment and Appraisal: skills in selecting, administering and interpreting instruments used to assess group and personal characteristics 5. Research and Program Evaluation: skills & knowledge related to program organization and development, and evaluation of effectiveness 6. Career Development/Vocational Placement: knowledge and skills in assessing and exploring client career and vocational needs 7. Life-Span Developmental Concepts: knowledge of behavioral, cognitive & psychological needs across the life-span 8. Multicultural Sensitivity/Knowledge: knowledge of the role that cultural factors play in the counseling process 9. Professional Ethics: understanding and application of ethical principles 10. Work Related Crises: ability to handle different crisis situations relevant to your work 11. Commitment to Professional Development: seeks out opportunities to increase professional knowledge and skills 12. Seeking Out and Utilizing Supervision: utilizes information shared by colleagues and supervisor 13. Knowledge Representation of the Counseling or Rehabilitation Profession: individual current in terms of knowledge of the field 14. Administrative and Record/Report Skills: committed to following paperwork guidelines and management duties 15. Sensitivity to Consumer/Client Issues: individual is consumer oriented 16. Working Collaboratively with Colleagues and Clients: able to work with both clients and colleagues 17. Diagnosis and Treatment Planning Relevant to Work Setting: able to describe behaviors, symptoms and etiology for major mental disorders & focus on an appropriate treatment plan 1

University of Southern Maine - College of Education and Human Development Department of Human Resources Employer Questionnaire Please rate your employee/supervisee on the following knowledge/skills/attributes: Questions 18 24 are applicable for employers of rehabilitation counseling graduates. 18. Social and Psychological Issues in Disability and Rehabilitation: knowledge and skills relating to psycho-social effects of disability and individual responses to rehabilitation; and understanding and application of psychiatric rehabilitation principles and practices 19. Medical Issues: knowledge and skills relating to medical perspective and issues in disability and rehabilitation 20. Vocational Assessment: selecting, administering and analyzing vocational interests, abilities, needs and supports 21. Vocational Placement: translating vocational, individual and setting-specific information into relevant educational and/or employment decisions, actions, and/or supports 22. Family Issues: knowledge and skills relating to family issues and disability and rehabilitation 23. Client Rights and Responsibilities: focuses on full social participation and informed choice and control of services 24. Ecological (e.g. professional, systemic, and societal) Perspective in Rehabilitation: applies effective environmental change strategies in practice Weak Strong 25. Overall, please indicate the strengths of the USM program as you have experienced these strengths through working with an alumnus. 26. Overall, please indicate the weaknesses of the USM program as you have experienced these weaknesses through working with an alumnus. 27. Type of Employment Setting: (please check one) hospital mental health center community agency rehabilitation agency college/university private practice school other (please specify) 28. Please include any additional comments here: 2