Dilek Yelda Kagnici
Asist. Prof. Dr., Ege University, Faculty of Education, Turkey

ABSTRACT
Problem Statement: Integrating multicultural competencies into counseling education has been a concern of scholars and professionals in the field. Various multicultural models have been designed. Multicultural competencies are commonly taught in separate courses in counseling programs. These courses’ effectiveness is a matter of concern. In Turkish counseling education, multicultural counseling is still a neglected area. The course examined in the present study is one of few courses in Turkey that
teaches multicultural counseling. This study both introduces the course briefly and examines its effectiveness. 
Purpose of Study: The study had two purposes: (1) to explore the effectiveness of a multicultural counseling course, in terms of developing counseling students’ multicultural effectiveness, and (2) to gather counseling students’ opinions regarding the teaching and learning processes used in the course.
Method: A mixed data collection method was used. A one-group pre-test posttest design study with a control group was carried out with a sample of 57 senior counseling students. Quantitative data were gathered with the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ), and qualitative data were collected with a self-reported written evaluation form.
Findings and Results: The results indicated that students experienced an increase in cultural empathy and open-mindedness. A comprehensive assessment of the course, with a focus on students’ experiences, was conducted, focusing especially on instructional strategies, the main duties and responsibilities of students and instructors, the contributions of the course to students’ professions and students’ suggestions for improvements to the course. 
Conclusion and Recommendations: More studies regarding the effectiveness of various training approaches are needed, in order to integrate multicultural counseling into counseling education. Turkish counseling educators should also start to consider multicultural counseling a part of counseling education as soon as possible.
Keywords: Counseling education, multicultural counseling, multicultural counseling course, experiential teaching strategies.