It is the policy of the Department of Psychology that school counseling program graduates will be endorsed only for those licenses or certificates appropriate to the emphasis of their training. It is further understood that this endorsement will only be made upon successful completion of practicum and internship experiences. The department also offers M.S. degrees in Mental Health Counseling and General Psychology and houses the Center for Cross-Cultural Research . Coordination with these programs greatly enhances the experience of students in the School Counseling Program. The program conforms to the state school counselor certification standards and requires 83 quarter hours of graduate study.
Most students complete the program by attending full-time for two academic years, excluding summers.
A thesis option is also available for students who are interested in completing a research project. Laboratory and field experiences comprise a significant part of the academic program, providing students the opportunity to obtain supervised experiences in individual, group and family counseling in a work setting consistent with the student's career objectives. Training in cross-cultural interviewing and counseling is included. Psychology courses taken during the program include Developmental School Counseling, The Role of the School Counselor, Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy, Individual Counseling Techniques, Group Processes in Counseling, Standardized Tests, Testing and Appraisal in Counseling, Psychology of Occupations and Career Development, Developmental Psychopathology, Personality and Psychopathology, Lifespan Development, Cross Cultural Psychology, Family, Marital, and Sex Counseling, Laboratory in Family Counseling, Professional, Legal, and Cultural Issues, Counseling Practicum, and a School Counseling Internship. Other course requirements include Introduction to Educational Research, Seminar in Educational Philosophy, and Seminar in Psychology and Sociology of Education.