Wake Forest University Department of Counseling
CNS 790: Integrative Learning Capstone
Fall-2 2025
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Syllabus Contents
- Course Faculty
- Course Description
- Course Objectives
- Course Materials
- Live Sessions
- Methods of Instruction
- Instructor Interactions
- Assessments
- Late Work
- Grading Policies
- Grading Scale
- AI Policy
- Academic Policies
- Synchronous Class Recording Notice
- Academic Engagement and Monitoring
- Technical Requirements
- Help Desk Support
- Canvas Support
- AskDeac Help Desk
- A Welcoming Learning Environment for All
- Emergency Contingency Plan
- Course Schedule
Course Faculty
Lead Faculty: Dr. Amy Grybush
Email: grybusa@wfu.edu
Lead Faculty: Dr. Sarah Moore
Email: mooresa@wfu.edu
Course Description
The Integrative Learning Capstone provides an opportunity for students to pull together things they have been working on for the past three years. It will also help them prepare for the next steps after graduation.
Unlike past courses, which often have been content heavy, this course is about the student. Students will have an opportunity to do several things to enhance their professional development such as create an electronic portfolio that provides evidence of growth as a counselor, create a presentation that reflects that growth, and interview a mental health professional who has expertise in a particular field that interests them.
By the end of this course, each student will be prepared to enter the world of professional counseling. Students are already prepared academically and clinically. The Integrative Learning Capstone will give them an opportunity to create a sense of personal ownership over their accomplishments.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to prepare professional documents needed for practice in the profession. (CACREP 3.a.2)
- Select artifacts that will serve as examples of ways each student has met the five program objectives. (CACREP 3.a.1-12)
- Select artifacts that exemplify items that are pertinent to professional practice. (CACREP 3.a.2)
- Identify an article that is significant to learning and growth. (CACREP 3.e)
- Demonstrate mastery of the counseling program’s material by successfully completing a departmental exam.
- Interview a counseling professional who specializes in an area of interest. (CACREP 3.e.8)
- Design a presentation that reflects personal and professional growth throughout the program. (CACREP 3.a.11)
- Create an e-portfolio. (CACREP 3.a)
Course Materials
Readings refer only to the textbook(s), Course Reserves, WFU library readings, or scholarly articles. Refer to the course for all other instructional content (websites, lectures, videos, interactive activities, etc.)
Required Readings
Resources are provided in the online course space.
Additional Materials
Webcam.
Live Sessions
Students will find the day and time in the course:
- Live Sessions: Refer to the Meet Your Lead Faculty page under the Getting Started module for details.
- Office Hours: Refer to the Meet Your Practitioner Instructor page under the Getting Started module for details.
Live Sessions are not mandatory, but student attendance is encouraged.
Methods of Instruction
Instructional methods in this course include project-based learning and experiential activities related to course content.
Instructor Interactions
Apart from clinical courses, WFU online courses are primarily asynchronous in nature, meaning students and instructors can engage with the learning materials at different times. There are a few notable exceptions, however, such as live sessions, office hours, and triad work (skills courses). For the asynchronous portions of our courses, students interact with instructors through virtual discussion boards, weekly video and/or written announcements, email communications, and formative and summative feedback on assignments. For the synchronous portions of our courses, students interact with lead instructors in weekly, recorded live sessions, and with practitioner instructors in office hours. Regarding live sessions, lead instructors meet virtually with students one hour per week in which they present on a topic related to the learning material for the week, as well as answer questions that students have about the course material or assignments. In office hours, practitioner instructors answer students’ questions about course content and assignments. They also, at times, present on topics related to that week’s lessons.
In clinical courses, university supervisors interact with students primarily through individual/triadic and group supervision sessions. University supervisors also monitor students’ time logs, review required practicum and internship documents, evaluate their counseling session recordings and writeups, and submit midterm and final evaluations related to students’ counseling skills development, as well as their professional dispositions and behavior development.
Assessments
This section provides an overview of the items due during this course. See the Course Schedule for additional details.
Assignments and Discussions
These are the assignments and discussions that will be completed and submitted throughout the duration of the course.
Assignment 1.1: Professional Development Materials
- Value: 100 Points (15% of Final Grade)
- Description: Students will submit their professional disclosure statement, career goal(s), and updated resume.
- Meets CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.10
Assignment 1.2: Setting Up Your ePortfolio
- Value: 0 Points (0% of Final Grade)
- Description: For this assignment, students will need to set up an account using Weebly (or any other platform they feel comfortable using for this purpose). This will provide them with a Home Page and a URL that they will be submitting by the end of the week. Copy and paste the URL into a document and submit that document.
Assignment 2.1: Artifact Selection
- Value: 100 Points (15% of Final Grade)
- Description: students will fill out a template with their selected artifacts and a rationale for their selections. Students will only turn in the template for this assignment; however, the artifacts themselves and the rationales will be placed into the final ePortfolio due at the end of class.
Assignment 2.2: Artifacts Pertinent to Professional Practice
- Value: 100 Points (15% of Final Grade)
- Description: tudents will select three to five artifacts pertinent to professional practice that were not included in the artifact selection for Assignment 2.1. Students will focus on pulling together tips, tricks, and tools that they want to have available to them as they begin their work post-graduation.
- Meets CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.1, 3.a.2, 3.a.3, 3.a.4, 3.a.5, 3.a.6, 3.a.7, 3.a.8, 3.a.9, 3.a.10, 3.a.11, 3.a.12)
Discussion 3.1: Significant or Influential Article (CACREP 3.e)
- Value: 100 Points (13.33% of Final Grade)
- Description: Students will select an article that has influenced their professional growth as a counselor. The article may be about counseling theory, counseling interventions, diversity issues, social justice issues, or many other topics. Students will write a paragraph explaining why they selected that article and how it has influenced their professional or personal growth then post either the full article or a link to the article, along with their reflective paragraph in their initial post.
Discussion 5.1: Interview Synopsis and Reflection Paper (CACREP 3.e.8)
- Value: 100 Points (13.33% of Final Grade)
- Description: Students will write a synopsis describing what they learned during the interview. The synopsis will include information they learned and their personal reflections. The content portion of the paper will include responses to the interview questions listed in the module.
- Meets CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.1, 3.a.2, 3.a.3, 3.a.4, 3.a.5, 3.a.6, 3.a.7, 3.a.8, 3.a.9, 3.a.10, 3.a.11, 3.a.12)
Discussion 6.1: Program Reflection Presentation (CACREP 3.a.11)
- Value: 100 Points (13.33% of Final Grade)
- Description: Students will deliver a creative 15- to 20-minute presentation using the platform of their choice (PPT, Slides, Zoom, etc.). The presentation will reflect their personal and professional development during these past three years. The presentation should include their reflections on their experiences in the counseling program.
Assignment 7.1: Final ePortfolio
- Value: 100 Points (15% of Final Grade)
- Description: Students will pull together all the components of the ePortfolio and incorporate any feedback received during class and any optional items they would like to include. Components are provided as a checklist.
- Meets CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.11
Practice Quiz (Practice Licensure Sample NCE)
- Value: 100 Points (0% of Final Grade)
- Description: The WFU Department of Counseling has created one examination that covers the eight core areas of CACREP. It is recommended that students take this exam as part of the preparation for the NCE (National Counselor Exam). When students take the practice counseling sample NCE, do not use any outside material (e.g., books, notes, Internet resources). Students will have an hour and a half to complete the exam upon starting.
- Note: This practice counseling sample NCE is not a part of the final grade.
Late Work
Students are encouraged to make the same effort to submit all assignments on time that they would use in the workplace. It is, however, understood that sometimes circumstances arise that are beyond our control. To request an extension, students should contact their Lead Faculty as soon as a problem is identified to provide details and determine a realistic deadline. Assignments submitted late without prior approval will not be eligible for full credit.
Unless arrangements have been made, students who submit late assignments will receive a 10% grade deduction for each day beyond the due date.
Grading Policies
This table details the grade points and/or percentages of each assignment.
| Assignment | Points Possible | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Discussions | 300 | 40% |
| Assignments | 400 | 60% |
| Total | 700 | 100% |
Grading Scale
This table lists the letter grade corresponding to ranges of points.
Final grading is at the discretion of the faculty.
| Letter Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 93–100 |
| A− | 90–92 |
| B+ | 87–89 |
| B | 83–86 |
| B− | 80–82 |
| C+ | 77–79 |
| C | 70–76 |
| F | 0–69 |
AI Policy
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT) is permitted for the following activities:
- Brainstorming and refining your ideas
- Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts
- Checking grammar and style
The use of generative AI tools is not permitted for the following activities:
- Generating sources for a writing assignment
- Writing a draft of a writing assignment
- Writing entire sentences, paragraphs, or papers to complete class assignments
Using AI in a way that is not permitted is a violation of the Graduate Student Academic Honor Code (PDF). If you are uncertain about whether you can use AI in any other instance, please ask your instructor.
Academic Policies
Every student is required to practice and adhere to the principle of academic integrity while undertaking studies with Wake Forest University. Maintaining academic integrity is considered an essential academic standard of every graduate course and program. The University does not tolerate academic dishonesty.
The graduate faculty at Wake Forest has adopted a formal honor code to provide guidance for student conduct with respect to academic pursuits. Read the Graduate Student Academic Honor Code (PDF).
Academic dishonesty may be an academic issue or a disciplinary issue, or both, depending on its pervasiveness and/or severity. Any student engaged in academic dishonesty may face reprimand, disciplinary warning, a lowered or failing grade(s), and/or probation or suspension from the course, academic program, or University, or expulsion from the University.
The list that follows includes examples, although not all-inclusive, of academic dishonesty:
- Purchase of term papers turned in as one’s own or writing the term paper(s) for another student.
- Submission of same term paper to another class without permission.
- Providing another student answers during an exam.
- Use of notes or books during exam when prohibited.
- Collaboration on homework or take-home exams when instruction called for independent work.
- Providing test question(s) to student(s) in another section of the class.
- Falsifying records or the fabrication of information and/or citation in an academic exercise.
- Violation of computer policies.
- Plagiarism is the appropriating or passing off as one’s work the writings, ideas, etc. of another. This includes (but not limited to) copying without giving credit due, forgery, literary theft, and expropriation of some other’s work. Plagiarism also includes electronic information of all types.
- Assisting someone in doing any of the above.
For the complete academic honesty policy and tips to avoid plagiarism, as well as further information on all academic policies, including the policies for adding and dropping a course, requesting a grade of incomplete, academic probation, termination of enrollment, reinstatement, and student and faculty expectations, see the Wake Forest University Student Handbook (PDF).
Synchronous Class Recording Notice
In accordance with Wake Forest University's policy regarding class recordings, be mindful of this information:
- Recording of Synchronous Class Sessions. All or some in-person and synchronous classes may be recorded. Student images and voices may be captured in these recordings. Recordings will be available for viewing only by students enrolled in the class via Canvas or an alternative platform. The recordings are not available for download. No other recording, including by students, is permitted.
- Recording Tails in Synchronous Class Sessions. Synchronous class recordings may include events that happen before class officially begins or after it officially ends. Students should take care not to discuss any confidential matters during these periods of time.
- Access to Recordings. Students may access the class recordings made available to them solely for the purpose of participating in the course. The recordings may not be used by any person other than a student enrolled in the course or for any purpose other than to participate in the course. Students are prohibited from downloading or distributing any portion of the recordings for any purpose. Students should understand that technical problems or human error may prevent successful recording.
- Copyright Notice. Students are advised that Wake Forest University faculty members hold the copyright in their course materials. The University and the faculty have legal rights in class recordings.
Academic Engagement and Monitoring
It is particularly important that students actively engage in class discussions, and that students communicate in a timely manner with their instructors if unforeseen circumstances negatively affect their academic engagement. WFU monitors student academic engagement through student activity in the course, much of which can be monitored automatically in Canvas (e.g., logging into the course in Canvas, participating in discussion boards, submitting assignments, reviewing learning materials in the modules); attending live sessions, office hours, and individual/triadic/group supervision sessions; and communicating by phone or email with instructors. If an entire week passes without a student submission of an assignment and/or no contact is made with instructors, the following will occur:
- Lead/practitioner instructors or Financial Aid Office staff alert Department Officials that the student has stopped responding or submitting.
- The student services team will attempt to make contact through email and telephone.
- While being contacted, faculty and student support staff will inform the student that, if they are not noted as participating by the end of the two-week period, the Department will proceed with the withdrawal procedures.
- If the two-week mark is met with no activity and there has been no communication from the student, an email will be sent notifying them of administrative withdrawal from the Counseling Program, for lack of activity.
- If the student responds to the lead and/or practitioner instructors after the two-week mark and expresses plans to continue in the course, the lead instructor will advise them and the PI about any deduction for late work and implications for any missing assignments. The student will again be considered active in the course.
- If the student responds and decides to withdraw, withdrawal procedures will be initiated. The student will be advised that their response to this email is time sensitive and must be received in the next two days.
- If the student does not reply within that time frame, the withdrawal procedure will begin.
- If the student becomes active in the course, an administrative withdrawal will not be initiated.
Technical Requirements
Identify the minimum device configuration requirements for this institution.
Identify the minimum technical requirements to view the online course.
Help Desk Support
Assistance to resolve technical problems is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Students can access the Help Desk at: Wake Forest Help Desk.
Help Desk services are restricted primarily to problems associated with the functionality of the course delivery platform. Responsibilities include:
- Assisting students having difficulties accessing course email, the course itself, including discussion forums—such as the ability to view responses to comments posted in a forum—viewing multimedia files, submitting/posting assignments, and accessing quizzes.
- Support for basic hardware, software, ISP, and Internet browser issues.
Sometimes students may not be sure whether a problem they are having is caused by their computer system or the online learning management system. The Help Desk will help students figure out where the problem lies and attempt to resolve issues immediately. However, some highly advanced hardware issues may require additional assistance. If this is the case, the Help Desk may suggest seeking assistance from a local computer repair establishment.
Canvas Support
Call a Canvas Expert: 833.383.5792
For Canvas technical support, select the Help icon in the navigation bar, where students will find several options including:
- Call a Canvas Expert—phone support hotline
- Chat with Canvas Support—live chat for students and faculty
- Search Canvas Guides—answers to common questions
- Submit a ticket to Canvas Support
When submitting a ticket, be as specific as possible in the description of the issue. Include the name of the course and the date the issue occurred, the browser being used and, if possible, screenshots to help Canvas support personnel troubleshoot the issue and expedite service.
Note: Lead Faculty and PIs do not provide Canvas support.
AskDeac Help Desk
AskDeac services include most technology issues outside of the scope of course delivery. Common requests include assistance setting up a VPN, setting up a WFU Zoom account, using Google Drive, and resetting WFU email passwords.
Assistance to resolve technical issues is available through Email or Live Chat from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Phone support is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
Access AskDeac at: AskDeac.
A Welcoming Learning Environment for All
Pro Humanitate—As a part of the Wake Forest community, the faculty and staff of the Department of Counseling fully embrace the concept of Pro Humanitate. In each of our classes (graduate, undergraduate, face-to-face and virtual), we strive to affirm every person and every identity. We embrace the development of critical thinkers that consistently aspire to become culturally responsive and encourage you to challenge your own biases while developing the necessary skills to enter your chosen profession. We hope that you will join us along this journey, with a commitment to advocacy and opportunity in both your personal and professional lives. Pro Humanitate, to better the lives of all humans!
To learn more about WFU’s commitment to ensuring a welcoming learning environment for all, read the Non-Discrimination Statement and policy on Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability, or explore campus resources such as the Intercultural Center, LGBTQ Center, Women’s Center, and more.
Accessibility and Special Accommodations
Wake Forest strives to provide equal access for all learners. Learning content contained within the Canvas Learning Management System is designed to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Throughout our course development process, we test the capabilities of our learning content against these standards.
Wake Forest University recognizes its responsibility for creating an institutional climate in which students with differing needs and abilities can thrive.
Along with the mission of the Division of Student Life, Disability Services exists to enable students with disabilities to experience equal access to the academic, social, and recreational activities and programs at Wake Forest University. To achieve this goal, the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS) is available to offer academic support for all Wake Forest Students. CLASS staff works with students, faculty, and staff to implement services and accommodations that are in accordance with both state and federal laws and our own commitment to this goal.
If a student has a disability that may require an accommodation for taking this course, use the Student Portal Login located on the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS) website. Alternatively, contact the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success at the contact information provided.
Contact Information:
118 Reynolda Hall, WFU
Winston-Salem, NC, 27109
Phone: 336-758-5929
Email: class@wfu.edu
Emergency Contingency Plan
Disaster Planning/Catastrophic Event Policy: In the event the University calendar is disrupted by disaster or catastrophic event, please continue with the assigned lessons and adhere to the due dates of assignments and discussions. The instructor will be available by email or by phone, unless the internet or phone is inaccessible.
Course Schedule
The course week runs from Monday (Day 1) to Sunday (Day 7). Due dates for assignments and discussions are stated in day numbers. Unless otherwise noted, all assessments are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on the designated day.
There will be Live Sessions and Office Hours each week unless otherwise communicated. Students will find the day and time in the course:
- Live Sessions: Refer to the Meet Your Lead Faculty page under the Getting Started module for details.
- Office Hours: Refer to the Meet Your Practitioner Instructor page under the Getting Started module for details.
Please Note: Readings refer only to the textbook(s), Course Reserves, WFU library readings, or scholarly articles. Refer to the course for all other instructional content (websites, lectures, videos, interactive activities, etc.)
Week 1: The Electronic Portfolio (October 13–October 19)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Purpose and Expectations Course Objectives: CO1 CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.10 |
None |
None |
None |
None |
|
Lesson 2: Professional Development Materials Course Objectives: CO1 CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.10 |
None |
None |
Assignment 1.1: Professional Development Materials (Due Day 7) Assignment 1.2: Setting Up Your ePortfolio (Due Day 7) |
None |
Week 2: Portfolio Artifacts (October 20–October 26)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Determining Appropriate Portfolio Artifacts Course Objectives: CO2, CO3 CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.1, 3.a.2, 3.a.3, 3.a.4, 3.a.5, 3.a.6, 3.a.7, 3.a.8, 3.a.9, 3.a.10, 3.a.11, 3.a.12 |
None |
None |
Assignment 2.1: Artifact Selection (Due Day 7) Assignment 2.2: Artifacts Pertinent to Professional Practice (Due Day 7) |
None |
Week 3: Significant and Influential Articles (October 27–November 2)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Selecting a Significant or Influential Article Course Objectives: CO4 CACREP Standard(s): 3.e |
None |
Discussion 3.1: Significant or Influential Article (Initial Post Due Day 4, Reply Posts Due Day 7) |
None |
None |
Week 4: Specialties in Counseling (November 3–November 9)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Interviews with Counseling Specialists Course Objectives: CO6 |
None |
Students conduct an interview with a clinician who specializes in an area of interest. |
None |
None |
Week 5: Practice Licensure Sample NCE (November 10–November 16)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Preparing for the Practice Licensure Sample NCE Course Objectives: CO5 CACREP Standard(s): 3.e.8 |
None |
Discussion 5.1: Interview Synopsis and Reflection Paper (Initial Post Due Day 4, Reply Posts Due Day 7) |
None |
Practice Licensure Sample NCE (Due Day 7) |
Week 6: Program Reflection Presentations (November 17–November 23)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Creating Your Presentation Course Objectives: CO7 CACREP Standard(s): 3.a.11 |
None |
Discussion 6.1: Program Reflection Presentation (Initial Post Due Day 7) |
None |
None |
Fall Break (November 24 – November 30)
Week 7: Final Portfolios (December 1–December 7)
| Lesson | Readings | Discussions | Assignments | Quizzes/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lesson 1: Final ePortfolio—Putting it All Together Course Objectives: CO8 CACREP Standard(s): 3.a |
None |
Discussion 6.1: Program Reflection Presentation (Reply Post Due Day 4) |
Assignment 7.1: Final ePortfolio (Due Day 7) |
None |