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Lynelle Buchanan Teaching

Dr. Lynelle Buchanan to Lead New School of Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Lynelle Buchanan to Lead New School of Behavioral Sciences

May 27, 2020 in News

To keep up with the demand for growth in the flourishing Counseling and Criminal Justice programs, Clarks Summit University has created a new School of Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Lynelle Buchanan has been appointed dean of this new academic school. She will continue to develop and direct the Criminal Justice and Counseling programs by scheduling courses, hiring faculty, assigning faculty to courses and leading faculty and program development. Creating this new school and leadership position is an exciting mark of growth as CSU continues to extend its mission of creating Christ-centered, career-ready graduates in these important fields.

Meet Dr. Buchanan

Buchanan, a nationally certified counselor, graduated with honors from Clarks Summit University with a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Pre-Counseling, and then Magna Cum Laude with her Master of Science in Counseling. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology from Northcentral University in 2016.

Buchanan has also been very involved in CSU’s campus life. She worked in the mail room for a year and served for more than a decade as resident director of Barndollar Hall and as a campus counselor.

Her passion for CSU stems from her own experience at the school as a student. “God changed me here,” she says. “I discovered my faith and my love for the Word of God. I know what God can do through this school, and I feel privileged that He has allowed me to be a part of that for so many students over the last two decades.” After working as an adjunct professor and secretary for the Office of Student Development, Buchanan moved to teaching as a full-time counseling professor in 2002, which she has been doing faithfully ever since.

CSU’s Counseling and Criminal Justice Programs

The new School of Behavioral Sciences encompasses undergraduate and graduate degrees in on-campus and online offerings. Undergraduate options include Addictions Counseling, Counseling, Counseling Ministries and Criminal Justice.

At the master’s degree level, students can pursue a Master of Arts with an emphasis in counseling or choose to pursue certification through the Master of Science in Counseling.

In addition, the Accelerated Counseling program offers a unique option to earn two degrees in just five years. In this program, students earn both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in counseling in five years by taking undergraduate and graduate classes at the same time.

All of CSU’s Counseling and Criminal Justice programs prepare students to help hurting people from a basis of Biblical truth. Dr. Buchanan believes that this is what sets CSU’s programs apart for students, saying: “our Biblical foundation and focus are a critical part of the preparation for them to serve the Lord as professionals in their fields.”

 

The CSU Difference

CSU’s dedicated and knowledgeable professors play a large role in what makes the academic programs so beneficial. Buchanan says, “our professors are experts in their fields, and they love to mentor students to develop their abilities. That dynamic has built a reputation for us as the best place to get a professional degree with the Bible as its foundation.”

-Taylor Stuck, Communications-Writing Major

Learn more about earning your degree in Counseling:

CSU offers counseling degrees both online and on campus. Each program is rooted in a Biblical worldview and packed with rigorous learning that prepares students for careers in both ministry environments and secular professions.

On campus students benefit from real counseling observation and experience in the Foundations Christian Counseling Center on campus. An Addictions Counseling minor is also available.

CSU’s online Counseling degree earned a top spot on The Best School’s list for “Best Online Bachelor’s in Counseling Programs.” Students can choose to major in Counseling, Addictions Counseling or Counseling Ministries as they study in a flexible online format.

At CSU, you can learn how to succeed in the criminal justice field by truly making a difference in the lives of the people you serve. CSU’s criminal justice program not only prepares you for careers in law enforcement, courts and corrections systems; it gives you a unique foundation in theology, sociology and psychology, which enables you to bring a redemptive, ethical and service-minded approach to the field.

This unique degree helps students fast-track their degrees to prepare for professional licensure. Students train with licensed counselors and get guided experience in real counseling sessions through the on-campus Foundations Christian Counseling Center. An internship and several practicums provide hands-on learning.

The Master of Science in Counseling program prepares students for career opportunities in professional positions that require state licensure and for doctoral work in the fields of counseling or psychology. Since the beginning of the program more than 20 years ago, every graduate of CSU’s Master of Science in Counseling program who went on to take the National Counselor Exam for licensure passed on the first try. With six specialization tracks, students can focus on the area that most interests them.

With flexible options for adult learners, all master’s classes, with the exception of modules, are offered online, or students can take classes on campus in the evening. Three on-campus modules are required, with one week spent on campus to jump start the remainder of study at home.

Learn how to best help people within your ministry in this 30-credit fully online degree, completable in just two years. The Counseling concentration within the Master of Arts degree will help you give others wise, biblical council. (Those interested in pursuing state licensure as a professional counselor should choose the Master of Science in Counseling.)

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