Program Overview: Mission and Goals

Consistent with the standards and beliefs promulgated by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), the CSPA course of study offers opportunities to experience the dynamic reciprocity between theory and practice. Students are expected to meet the intellectual challenges of coursework, assistantships and professional involvement. Students participate in learning experiences leading to an understanding of college student development, various collegiate subcultures, organizational dynamics, and the nature of higher education as an institution in the United States. Another important learning goal is to encourage appreciation of a variety of psychological perspectives while developing communication, consultation, and interpersonal relations skills. Graduates of the JMU CSPA program are expected to demonstrate competency in areas designated below through successful completion of coursework, assistantships, practica, participation on university and divisional committees, professional development opportunities, and a portfolio.

Core Competencies

1. Acquire an understanding of the form and substance of American Higher Education including its history, legal foundations and major areas and their influence on contemporary trends and practices.
2. Understand student affairs as a profession and the influence student affairs has on contemporary higher education.
3. Knowledge of selected student development theories, career development theories, counseling theories, and organizational theories and their application to student affairs practice.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of student development, counseling and organizational theories through purposeful application in practicum, assistantship, case studies, written papers, examinations.
5. Develop analytical skills through knowledge acquisition and application vis a vis research methods, problem solving techniques, evaluation techniques, case studies, computer technology, and assessment methods.
6. Demonstrate insight into one's own personal dynamics, exhibit values and ethics that reflect the highest professional standards, and show effective interpersonal skills.