Professional School Counseling
Director: Jonathan Ricks
Program Description
The Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in Professional School Counseling is designed to assist graduate students in the development of skills and practices necessary for functioning in the role of a professional school counselor in public and private elementary, middle, and secondary schools. The M.A.Ed. in Professional School Counseling meets the standards established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for Professional School Counselor licensure and the National Board of Certified Counselors’ standards for national certification as a professional counselor (NCC). The program is located in the School of Education, Department of Counseling, and shares a common core of classes with the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. This program does not prepare students to be clinical mental health counselors. Students interested in careers in clinical mental health counseling should apply to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at UNCP.
The M.A.Ed. in Professional School Counseling is organized into three curriculum components:
- Core counseling courses: Core counseling courses provide a foundation of professional knowledge and skills for all counseling students. Students are required to take and pass a comprehensive examination before beginning CNS 6130, School Counseling Internship. The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE) is a standardized counseling exam that assesses student learning in the core areas. Students must submit the application and pay the application fee by the required deadline.
- Specialty area and elective courses: Specialty area and elective courses build on the foundation of knowledge and skills established in the core counseling courses by providing instruction in setting-specific and population-specific counseling practices. Specialty area courses may be taken concurrently with clinical field placement courses. Students consult with their academic advisors to determine the specialty and elective courses that will meet degree requirements and be best suited to the students’ needs and interests.
- Clinical field placement courses: Clinical field placement courses integrate the knowledge and skills addressed during academic course work with real world, supervised experience. The clinical field experiences occur in university-approved K-12 school settings and include on-site supervision as well as university-based supervision. The Counseling Practicum is a 3-credit-hour course that consists of a 100-hour field placement experience in an approved site and on-campus group supervision and instruction occurring weekly. The Counseling Internship is a 3-credit-hour course completed twice over two semesters and consists of a total of 600 hours of field placement experience, 300 hours per semester in an approved site with on-campus group supervision and instruction occurring weekly. Students must submit applications for participation in the clinical field placement courses during the semester prior to beginning their practicum courses.
Courses are scheduled in the evenings and during the summer months. The courses are delivered in a variety of modalities including online, face-to-face, and hybrid formats. The program is a 60-credit hour degree.
Program Mission
The mission of the Graduate Counseling Programs at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke is to improve mental health and well-being of individuals across the region and beyond through innovative, interdisciplinary, and effective research, service, and teaching that prepares culturally-responsive clinical mental health counselors and professional school counselors.
Program-Specific Admissions Requirements (see also Graduate Admissions)
In addition to the Graduate School admissions requirements:
- Submit an essay detailing experiences and goals relevant to professional school counseling;
- Submit three letters of recommendation from individuals with whom the applicant has professional affiliation, such as former faculty members or supervisors;
- Complete a brief electronic supplemental skills survey; and
- Participate in an interview with program faculty.
Non-Degree-Seeking Students
Prospective students interested in registering for coursework to achieve credentialing or for continuing education in either of the graduate counseling programs should contact the Department Chair for information. Requests to take courses for credentialing or continuing education purposes must be made to the Department Chair and will be reviewed by program faculty. Non-degree-seeking students, including graduates of either UNCP counseling program, should complete the Graduate School application form following the procedures for Enrollment for Enrichment Purposes and consult with the Non-Degree-Seeking Student Coordinator (Department Chair) two months prior to the start of the semester in which the students would like to register for courses. Students seeking to enroll in courses for summer and fall semesters should apply by April and students seeking to enroll in courses for spring semesters should apply by October. Students who are permitted to take courses as non-degree-seeking students may be required to attend an orientation session with the Coordinator. Non-degree-seeking students are not permitted to take field placement courses at UNCP in either counseling program.
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