School Counseling (MEd)

Program Overview

The Master of Education in School Counseling at Columbus State University will prepare you to deliver a data informed comprehensive counseling program in P-12 school settings. As a certified School Counselor, your diverse experience and training will empower others to transform their future. The program‘s creative design offers a combination of hybrid, online, and face-to-face courses to facilitate multiple learning environments.

The School Counseling program at CSU is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The 60 semester hour degree program with flex your creative muscles in the eight areas of:

Human Growth and Development
Social and Cultural Foundations
The Helping Relationship
Group Dynamics and Processes
Lifestyle/Career Development
Appraisal of Individual
Research and Evaluation
Professional Orientation

Program Mission Statement

The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling program’s mission is to prepare professional counselors who are committed to providing culturally competent counseling services that enhance the mental health and well-being of families, groups, couples, and individuals, including school students across the lifespan, and to advocate on behalf of our clients and our profession. The program is committed to academic and clinical excellence through educating counselors to be leaders and practitioners.

The counseling program at Columbus State University is designed to prepare professional counselors to demonstrate the knowledge and experience necessary to be productive contributors to the counseling profession. Faculty members, with many years of practice, research and training, are contributing members of professional counseling organizations and provide direct training and supervision to students. The faculty’s primary objective is to serve the students in the program by providing a variety of learning opportunities (i.e. coursework, lectures, experiential activities and direct counseling experiences) that will prepare them to work as professional counselors in a variety of settings. The counseling program serves a diverse student population and the counseling faculty is committed to assisting students in the development of a strong counselor identity.

Career Opportunities

School Counselors are leaders and change agents working collaboratively with professionals from various disciplines to maximize impact and to prepare students for post-secondary opportunities. When you earn your Master of Education in School Counseling degree, you will be prepared to earn certification as a school counselor. Certified school counselors can provide services to students at the elementary, middle, and high school level (neither teaching experience nor teacher certification is required for admission to the program).

Program of Study

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Area 1 Professional Core Required Hours		33
COUN 6115	Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling
COUN 6225	Counseling Skills I
COUN 6110	Research Methods and Design in Counseling
COUN 6117	Diagnosis in Counseling
COUN 6118	Career Development Counseling
COUN 6119	Human Growth and Development
COUN 6155	Counseling Theory
COUN 6175	Cultural Perspectives in Counseling
COUN 6245	Assessment in Counseling
COUN 6265	Group Techniques and Procedures
COUN 7225	Crisis and Trauma Counseling
COUN 6000	Portfolio/Exit Exam
Area 2 Concentration Required Hours		21
COUN 6187	School Counseling Services
COUN 6415	Practicum in School Counseling
COUN 6697	Internship in School Counseling (take for 6 hours)
COUN 6190	Counseling Exceptional Children (Students must earn a grade of B or better in order to be certified to teach in the state of Georgia.)
COUN 7165	Counseling Children
COUN 7786	Seminar in School Counseling
Area 3 Electives Required Hours		6
Select two courses from the following (or approved alternative):
COUN 6105	Psychological Aspects of Substance Abuse
COUN 6255	Play Therapy
COUN 6226	Advanced Counseling Skills
COUN 7215	Family Therapy Process and Practice
COUN 7275
COUN 7285
COUN 7286
Students must also satisfy Georgia certification requirements
Total Credit Hours		60

*Students must also satisfy Georgia certification requirements.

Admission Requirements

An earned undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum grade point average (GPA) of A 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) cumulative undergraduate GPA
Resume
Statement of Purpose
Successful completion of an interview with departmental faculty

Deadlines: Priority deadline-December 1st; All applications and related materials are due no later than March 1st for consideration for Fall admission

Additional Program Requirements

Interviews will be conducted only after potential candidates have applied for admission and are qualified, based on an assessment of a completed application file. Applicants who reach the minimum scores designated above are not guaranteed admission or may be provisionally admitted since multiple factors are considered in these decisions.
Evaluation of the student's performance is continuous and involves consideration of the student's academic progress as well as professional dispositions.
In order to graduate, students must complete the required exit assessment/ comprehensive exam.

Academic Catalog 2026-2027