Counseling Program Annual Reports

New Mexico Highlands University Counseling Department Annual Report

Fall 2020

New Mexico Highlands University’s Counseling Department Annual Report is completed yearly to ensure that the program is frequently evaluated, enhanced, and maintained. The annual report utilizes research and assessments to evaluate the skills, theories, and comprehensive counseling knowledge that the students gain to embody in their practice as counselors. The counseling department utilizes all the data gathered through this report to continuously improve the counseling program as suggested by feedback and research.

Data for the annual report on current students and graduates were retrieved from various sources, including survey responses performed electronically and telephonically. The Current Student Counseling Program Survey received a completion rate of 96 out of 184 currently enrolled students for Fall 2020. The Counseling Department Exit Survey received a completion rate of 51 out of 64 graduates from a year-period consisting of summer 2019, fall 2019, and spring 2020 semester. The surveys’ aim is to assess the perceived quality of the counseling program at New Mexico Highlands University, satisfaction with the program, and general opinions about all aspects of the program. Percentages derived from the data obtained are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Current Student Survey

The Current Student Counseling Program Survey mainly aimed at assessing general information about the current students, such as the year they began the program, expected graduation date, and the quantity of credits completed. In addition to this, its purpose is to determine class schedule preferences in terms of times, the intensity of courses, and how quickly the students aim at finishing the program. The survey also gained insight into some opinions and improvements that the counseling department can incorporate to increase the quality of the program. In addition, the survey serves to provide a more complete understanding of the students enrolled in the counseling program at New Mexico Highlands University.

Counseling Program Exit Survey

The Counseling Department’s Exit Survey aimed at assessing the effectiveness and quality of the counseling program at NMHU. The primary purpose of the survey is to receive feedback from the graduates of the Summer of 2019 through the Spring of 2020, to make improvements, increase the quality of the program and continue to be receptive to the student’s needs. The survey focused on obtaining satisfaction levels, strengths of the program, improvements needed, and any other suggestions or comments from the recent graduates.

The data provided by the survey demonstrates an average of about 85 percent of students satisfied to very satisfied with all aspects of the program aspects of quality and effectiveness. About 78 percent of graduates commented that the coursework prepared them for their internships, and about 69 percent said that they felt prepared to work as a counselor upon graduation. Further, graduates had positive feedback on online classes, as 88 percent stated that they were relevant to their learning environment. When asked to give other comments or suggestions various responses were given. One student said, “Thank you so much for shaping me into the professional I am today. I feel that the foundation I was provided with, the instilling of values, appropriate boundaries, and ethical standards, as well as the kindness I have been shown and the importance of “quality of the therapeutic relationship”, are just some of the really important pieces that shaped my experience as a student that set a standard to which I not only hold myself but potential places of employment, as well as any future educational programs. Thank you.”

State & National Data and Statistics on Therapist & Counselor Occupations

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019) reports the average salary for all counselor occupation titles was about 48,090 dollars a year, with a total of 3,760 counselors employed in 2019 in the state of New Mexico. The data demonstrate annual salary for those employed in counseling positions ranges from 38,310 dollars to 57,500 dollars a year, depending on the concentration. National data for the United States demonstrates a relatively comparable hourly wage, and salary to the New Mexico data. The national data shows a total of 4,066,880 counselors employed in the country, making up about 3 percent of the total employment. workforce.

Counselors in New Mexico make up about 9 percent of the employed counselors in the United States. Average salaries in the state of New Mexico are comparable to the average salaries of the United States. The field shows exponential growth and continues to grow, demonstrating that counselors have a positive prospective job outlook. In conclusion, the state and national data show a positive outlook on the field and profession of counseling for students, graduates, and alumni of the New Mexico Highlands University Counseling Department.

Vital Statistics

*Completion rate for this data is calculated using a 5-year time-frame for completion of a graduate degree.

**Since the NCE cannot be taken until after a student has completed their program, data is inconsistent. Only completers who choose to take the exam and become licensed in NM are reported.

***Students are not required to take the CRC. Currently, there is no State exam for the New Mexico Public Education Department – Rehabilitation Counseling PK-12 license.

****The Counseling Program has only recently requested that students have their NES scores sent to NMHU.

*The complete 2020 Annual Report will include state and national statistics, in-depth analysis of the NMHU survey data, and references.*

Full 2020 Annual Report

Full 2019 Annual Report

Full 2018 Annual Report