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SearchM.A. in School Counseling
The Masters Program in School Counseling prepares students to function as school counselors in a variety of school settings. Teacher certification is required for admission into this program. The program is designed to qualify students to become certified school counselors. Students are exposed to various theoretical models in counseling, including various group counseling and vocational counseling approaches. In addition, students are exposed to the issues of human development, research, and biological perspectives in mental health. Students also learn specific counseling skills through two clinical practicum courses. The two clinical practicum courses are "lecture courses" limited to 12 students where students practice counseling role plays, learn how to integrate theory and practice, and receive feedback about their counseling skills. Students in the school counseling program enroll in the clinical practicum with children in schools as the second course in the clinical practicum sequence. The program emphasizes the reflective practitioner model and encourages students to remain open to ongoing learning experiences so as to increase their sensitivity to the evolving issues of diversity in school counseling.
Students also complete a one year internship at a school of their choosing. The internship usually consists of 10 hours a week and is complemented by enrolling in an internship class during each semester of the internship. The internship class is designed to provide students with the opportunity to discuss their placement, receive feedback about their performance, and learn about others studentsŐ experiences in school counseling.