Counseling and Human Services
Our Mission
The Department of Counseling and Human Services of East Tennessee State University prepares culturally responsive, competent, ethical, self-reflective, and caring counseling and human services professionals committed to improving the human condition and affirm the unique intersectional identities of the individuals they serve through supportive wellness, counseling, advocacy, leadership, and educational services. In addition, we seek improvement in accessibility, accountability, and coordination of services for all. Each of our degree and service programs provides students with the skills, knowledge, and awareness to succeed in their chosen field.The Department of Counseling and Human Services, and the program within, do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual/affectional identity, marital status, veteran status, or socioeconomic status. See our Mission, Purpose, and Goals statements.Specific opportunities and curricular/extracurricular requirements are listed under the respective programs. Each of our programs incorporates clinical or service opportunities, such as practicums, internships, or other field placements congruent with program standards and the professional goals of students.This is an exciting time for us. We continue to have new initiatives as well as review current offerings to assure we are offering quality programs and services to our students, the College of Health Scienes, ETSU, and our community. Our continued educational goals include a trauma-informed and anti-racist approach to education for counseling, human services, and leadership professions. We hope you find what you are looking for on our site. Please contact us for more information!
Human Services
The undergraduate program in Human Services leads to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and is designed to provide a human, social, and behavioral science background for persons to work in a variety of settings for a broad range of organizations dedicated to helping others transition through their developmental and contextual issues and processes.
We offer three minors that are complementary to a variety of majors: Human Development and Learning, Family Studies, and Trauma and Resilience The HDAL minor is designed to provide students with a solid knowledge base in human development through the life span. The Family Studies minor offers students a theoretical and practical understanding of the family as a social institution and a vital social system.
Our brand new Child Life concentration is now available to Human Services undergradate students as well! This concentration will help you understand the developmental impact of illness and injury and the potentially traumatic events that can impact a patient’s ability to cope and provide tools to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain in hopes of improving the overall experience of patients and their families.
The M.S. degree in Individual, Family, and Community Sciences enhances the capability of human service professionals to implement key services competently while addressing a variety of client needs throughout their life stages. Graduate preparation maximizes the academic and professional growth of students seeking additional qualifications to advance in their careers.
Both programs are available fully online or on-ground and in person.
Counseling
The Counseling Program prepares highly skilled practitioners to work in a wide range of professional settings. Our Master's of Arts degree in Counseling has two CACREP accredited concentrations:
This degree is only offered on-ground and in-person on the Johnson City campus.
Nature-Based Therapy
The Graduate Certificate in Nature-based Therapy critically examines a wide array of nature-based therapeutic contexts and perspectives. In addition, the certificate develops skills relevant to individual and community healing, development, and wellness, including practical skills for programming logistics, implementation, administration, and risk management. Additional topics covered throughout the certificate include ecopsychology, ecotherapy, Leave No Trace (LNT) philosophy, land stewardship practices, common US nature-based program models, multicultural perspectives in nature-based therapeutics, and outdoor behavioral healthcare.
PEACEFUL Scholarship
We are pleased to share that we have received the Preparing Educators and Counselors for Exceptional Learners (PEACEFUL) grant, funded by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs. This grant enables us to offer scholarships through a competitive application process to a minimum of 21 PEACEFUL Scholars over the next five years. The program will stress the importance of collaboration among special education teachers, school counselors, and other professionals involved in providing mental health support.