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 61 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.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the role and functions of the professional school counselor regarding the provision of school counseling services including individual and group counseling and classroom guidance.
- Develop and demonstrate proficiency in P-12 students’ social/emotional development and career preparedness including proficiency in issues of diversity and providing leadership for a comprehensive school counseling plan for student success.
- Develop and demonstrate skills in using student outcome data to facilitate academic success, career preparedness, and social/emotional development for all students.
- Develop and demonstrate skills in collaboration with other professionals including referral and development of community initiatives that address student needs.
- Apply knowledge of the role and functions of the professional school counselor regarding the provision of school counseling services including individual and group counseling and classroom guidance.\ \ Apply knowledge in P-12 students’ social/emotional development and career preparedness including proficiency in issues of diversity and providing leadership for a comprehensive school counseling plan for student success.\ \ Apply knowledge in using student outcome data to facilitate academic success, career preparedness, and social/emotional development for all students.\ \ Apply knowledge in collaboration with other professionals including referral and development of community initiatives that address student needs.
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 |
| Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling | |
| Counseling Skills I | |
| Research Methods and Design in Counseling | |
| Diagnosis in Counseling | |
| Career Development Counseling | |
| Human Growth and Development | |
| Counseling Theory | |
| Cultural Perspectives in Counseling | |
| Individual Analysis | |
| Group Techniques and Procedures | |
| Crisis and Trauma Counseling | |
| Portfolio/Exit Exam | |
| School Counseling Services | |
| Applied Practice in School Counseling | |
| Internship in School Counseling (take for 6 hours) | |
| Counseling Exceptional Children (Students must earn a grade of B or better in order to be certified to teach in the state of Georgia.) | |
| Counseling Children | |
| Seminar in School Counseling | |
| Seminar: Foundations of Collaborative Student Support | |
| |
| Psychological Aspects of Substance Abuse | |
| Play Therapy | |
| Advanced Counseling Skills | |
| Family Therapy Process and Practice | |
| Advanced Techniques in Marriage and Family Therapy | |
| Marriage and Family Assessment | |
| Marriage Systems Theory and Therapy | |
| |
| Total Credit Hours | 61 |
*Students must also satisfy Georgia certification requirements.
Admission Requirements
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An earned undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
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Minimum grade point average (GPA) of A 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) cumulative undergraduate GPA
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Resume
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Statement of Purpose
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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
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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.
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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.
