School Counseling, M.A.

The graduate program in school counseling prepares students for careers as professional school counselors who work in elementary and/or secondary settings. Throughout the course of study, students have the opportunity to develop a sound theoretical foundation and acquire effective techniques for counseling school-aged youth. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for state certification as a school counselor. In addition to schools, various public and private agencies outside of the educational field are interested in obtaining the services of counselors.

The course of instruction involves the successful completion of 48 credits of study on the graduate level, including a practicum of 100 hours and an internship of 600 hours. Students have the option to complete the 600-hour internship requirement within one semester (GC 728 ) or over two semesters (GC 722 , GC 723 ).

Those students who have entered the School Counseling program prior to the Fall 2015 are eligible to take internship within the following: Four semesters (GC 735 , GC 736 , GC 737 , GC 738 ). Those students who are Howard County employees and have entered our program prior to Fall 2015 may complete internship over three years (GC 739 , GC 740 , GC 741 , GC 742 , GC 743 , GC 745 ).

Students entering into their clinical experiences are required to complete criminal background checks prior to beginning work at a school site. All students are required to have valid background checks on file for the duration of their experience. Procedures and fees for this process may vary slightly depending upon the clinical experience site. More information on this process will be given to students as they apply for practicum and internship.

Requirements for the Major

Notes:

Students seeking a Master of Arts (M.A.) in School Counseling must substitute the six elective credits for thesis credits. For additional information, visit the School of Education's website.

Master's Comprehensive Examination

A candidate's mastery of course content is assessed near the end of the candidate's program using a comprehensive examination. The examination is given twice a year in March and November and each candidate must pass it in order to graduate. Degree candidates must request and complete an application to sit for the examination. A candidate may take the comprehensive exam no sooner than one semester before the semester the candidate is scheduled to graduate. No candidate may take the examination more than three times. Students who can show documentation that they are a Licensed Professional Counselor (LCPC) are not required to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).

This program has been approved by the Maryland State Department of Education using recognized state or national standards. The program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).