School Counseling

The CACREP accreditation standards for School Counseling are as follows based upon student admission date:

FOR STUDENTS ADMITTED PRIOR TO FALL 2020, the School Counseling concentration consists of 16 courses totaling 48 semester hours. Course work is divided into three areas:

  • FOUNDATIONS (3 courses) which must be taken early in the program and are prerequisites to higher level courses;
  • AREA OF CONCENTRATION (12 courses) which are sequenced to build a strong counseling skill base;
  • ELECTIVE (1 course) that allows students to pursue further course work in an area of interest within education or counseling.

Prerequisites are specified within the course descriptions listed in this catalog. "Practice oriented" courses (related to field experience) included in the curriculum are: CHD 790 Practicum and CHD 795 Internship in School Counseling. The Practicum course is designed to provide students with counseling experience under the supervision of the instructor and the individual's Practicum site supervisor. Such experience is necessary to enhance counseling competencies in practitioners. Practicum requires 100 hours of work, of which 40 hours must be face-to-face counseling. Students must obtain Professional Liability Protection prior to starting the Practicum course.

School counseling internship is completed at a school setting under the supervision of a licensed school counselor. Internship includes 600 hours of counseling work with at least 240 hours of direct service with clients/students. The 240 hours of direct service with clients/students must include a variety of activities such as individual and group counseling, career/vocational counseling, and other counseling experiences suitable to a school counselor.

FOR STUDENTS ADMITTED FALL 2020 OR LATER, the School Counseling concentration consists of 20 courses totaling 60 semester hours. Course work is divided into three areas:

  • FOUNDATIONS (3 courses) which must be taken early in the program and are prerequisites to higher level courses;
  • AREA OF CONCENTRATION (16 courses) which are sequenced to build a strong counseling skill base;
  • ELECTIVE (1 course) that allows students to pursue further course work in an area of interest within education or counseling.

Prerequisites are specified within the course descriptions listed in this catalog. "Practice oriented" courses (related to field experience) included in the curriculum are: CHD 790 Practicum, CHD 795I Internship Sch Counsel I and CHD 795II Internship Sch Counsel II. The Practicum course is designed to provide students with counseling experience under the supervision of the instructor and the individual's Practicum site supervisor. Such experience is necessary to enhance counseling competencies in practitioners. Practicum requires 100 hours of work, of which 40 hours must be face-to-face counseling. Students must obtain Professional Liability Protection prior to starting the Practicum course.

School counseling internship is completed at a school setting under the supervision of a licensed school counselor over a period of 2 semesters. Internship includes 600 hours of counseling work with at least 240 hours of direct service with clients/students. The 240 hours of direct service with clients/students must include a variety of activities such as individual and group counseling, career/vocational counseling, and other counseling experiences suitable to a school counselor.