School of Education

Department Chair: Dr. Alfred Bryant, Jr. Associate Professor Office: Education, Room 317 Phone: 910.775.4009 Email: alfred.bryant@uncp.edu

Prospective students should email the Graduate Office at grad@uncp.edu or visit the website at http://www.uncp.edu/grad.

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 competencies and credentials for functioning in the professional role of a school counselor in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. The M.A.Ed. in School Counseling meets the standards established by the North Carolina State Board of Education for licensure as a school counselor in grades P-12. The Program is housed in the School of Education. For information about admission and policies, see Graduate Programs, Procedures, and Policies.

The Master of Arts in Education in Professional School Counseling is organized into four curriculum components:

1. Professional counseling core courses

2. Professional counseling specialty area courses

3. Practicum and internship experiences allowing the student to apply theories and skills under supervision in a school setting

4. Guided electives chosen to permit the student to satisfy personal goals.

 

Program Goals

The goals for the school counseling program are consistent with the outcomes expected of beginning counselors as described by professional organizations, accreditation agencies, and professional literature. The program addresses the academic and career needs of a diverse group of counselors-in-training by offering a combination of theoretical and applied training. Input for program policies is solicited from the School Counseling Program Steering Committee and the School Counseling Program Advisory Committee which consists of a mixture of faculty members, current students, program completers, and practicing school counselors. The program is designed to provide students with:

• advanced study in the theory of counseling individuals and groups;
• study of applied skills in counseling, consulting, testing, research, ethical practice, and service delivery techniques including technology;
• advanced study in the theory and skills needed for work in public school settings;
• the opportunity for the integration and reflection of theories and techniques into a defendable personal theoretical orientation for counseling in the public schools;
• resources to enhance the potential for mental health within the region and state.

Program Objectives  

Students will

• Demonstrate an understanding of the roles and functions of professional counselors as leaders, advocates, collaborators, and consultants;
• Demonstrate an understanding of and compliance with codes of ethics and standards of practice of the counseling profession;
• Demonstrate ability to use technology to enhance services delivered to students;
• Demonstrate an understanding of and skills to work with and advocate for diverse student populations;
• Demonstrate an understanding and practical application of theories of individual and group counseling and human development;
• Demonstrate ability to facilitate growth, development, success, and health with students in individual and group settings;
• Demonstrate an understanding of approaches to research, assessment, and evaluation and use of data to meet the needs of  students, schools, and/or communities;
• Demonstrate an understanding of career development theories and an ability to facilitate student career decision making and/or opportunities.

Internship Experiences

A supervised practicum and a supervised internship in an appropriate school-based setting are required of all students. Practicum and internship candidates are under the supervision of a licensed school counselor as well as the University supervisor. These courses are graded on a Pass/Fail basis. The prerequisite for enrollment in the practicum is permission of the program director and completion of 36 hours of coursework, not including electives. The prerequisite for internship is the successful completion of practicum, SCN 6000.

 

Portfolio

All candidates will be required to establish, maintain, and present a portfolio that demonstrates competencies in school counseling.  Candidates will receive guidelines for completing this requirement.  Candidates will present and orally defend their portfolios to a panel during the internship class.  The panel consists of a faculty member, a candidate, and a licensed school counselor.

 

Program-Specific Admissions Standards (see also Graduate Admissions)

a) All applicants for the M.A.Ed. degree are required to submit an essay detailing their professional experiences and their objectives in pursuing graduate studies.

b) The applicant must also demonstrate graduate-level writing skills in his/her essay (see item a, above) indicating program-career goal compatibility and evidence of the personal attributes expected of a professional counselor.

c) A personal interview with the program director may be requested.