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School Counseling, M.A.
Lead and serve the developmental needs of children in a school community
The School Counseling M.A. will teach you to support a student’s growth toward full academic and psychosocial potential.
The School Counseling program is offered full-time or part-time in a cohort format. This serves to build a strong learning community for students and allows for a richer graduate education experience. A student in the program can expect an instructional approach that combines lecture, interactive problem-based learning, individual project work, and peer to peer discussion.
Program Fact Sheet Program Curriculum
Program Benefits
- Focuses on the wide range of issues that confront students, teachers, and parents across the full span of the school years (K-12)
- Prepares to assist all students with the types of challenges they face as they grow and develop
- Facilitates self-understanding and development through individual and small group activities across a variety of educational domains that pertain to counseling practice
Department and Mission
Department of Counseling & Applied Behavioral Studies
The Department of Counseling and Applied Behavioral Studies houses the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs. The mission and purpose of the school and the Department are in concert with the Mercy Values upon which the University was founded.
Mission and Purpose
The University of Saint Joseph, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in the Catholic tradition, provides a rigorous education in a range of programs for a diverse student population in an inclusive environment that encourages strong ethical values, personal integrity, and a sense of responsibility to the needs of society.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling Master of Arts programs are committed to educating counselors who will provide effective growth-oriented interventions, advocacy, and leadership when serving the needs of individuals in the many diverse communities in which they work and reside.
Plan of Study for the Full-Time School Counseling Program
The master’s degree in School Counseling requires that a student complete 60 graduate credits (as outlined below) and pass a comprehensive exam administered during the final phase of the program.
Fall Year 1
COUN 515: Ethics and an Orientation to the Counseling Profession
COUN 541: Skills and Techniques in Counseling
COUN 543: Counseling Theories
Spring Year 1
COUN 514: Multicultural Counseling
COUN 529: Crisis and Trauma Counseling
COUN 585: Advanced Counseling Skills
Summer Year 1
COUN 506: Counseling Children and Adolescents
COUN 552: Developmental Theories and Applications
Fall Year 2
COUN 531: Group Process and Dynamics
COUN 544: Mental Health Diagnosis
COUN 560: School Counseling Program Development and Implementation
Spring Year 2
COUN 516: Psychology of Exceptional Children
COUN 550: Appraisal and its Application in Counseling
COUN 566: Practicum in School Counseling
Summer Year 2
COUN 565: Counseling for Postsecondary Planning
COUN 597: Applied Research Methods for Counselors
Fall Year 3
COUN 533: Career Development and Counseling
COUN 570: Internship I
Spring Year 3
COUN 547: Substance Use and Treatment
COUN 571: Internship II (CMHC)
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for the School Counseling program reflect the competencies required of counselors who provide services to clients. They are as follows:
- Skill Competencies
Learn the culturally appropriate skills and techniques necessary for successful pre-session, in-session, and post-session counseling behaviors - Case Conceptualization
Gain skills to formulate a clear understanding of the client’s struggle, and frame a counseling plan that reflects a theoretical orientation and is respectful of the contextual nature of the client’s world view - Counseling Process
Identify any aspect of counselor-client interaction, total or in part, that can be understood to directly or indirectly affect you, the client, the direction of sessions, and movement toward the resulting outcome of counseling - Personal Growth
Recognize the aspects of your character that enhance work as a counselor, as well as those aspects that serve as obstacles to work as a counselor; work to utilize strengths in addressing any personal obstacles
Application and Enrollment Requirements for the Program
Documents Required for Admission to the School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs
The Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) has two primary tasks. The first is to assist students through the application process and the second is to collect all the admissions requirements submitted by each student. Once this application documentation is collected, the OGA forwards the information to the faculty in the Department of Counseling and Applied Behavioral Studies for review.
Each graduate program at the University of Saint Joseph has specific admissions requirements. Below, is a specific list of admissions requirements used by our graduate programs in counseling.
Application
The application is the single most important document submitted by the student because it provides the necessary contact, background, and previous degree information as well as the selection of the student’s program of interest. Furthermore, the application is used to create/start the student’s file at the University of Saint Joseph.
Application Fee
The application fee is a one-time payment of $50 that validates the student’s interest in applying to the University of Saint Joseph. The application fee can be paid online directly after completing the application.
Transcripts
The transcript provides information about a student’s academic background. The courses, grades completed, and degree information listed on a transcript provide a great deal of information about the student’s past academic experiences. A student should contact the Registrar’s Office from their previous institution to have an official copy of their undergraduate transcript sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Academic Services. All transcripts should be sent to the following address:
University of Saint Joseph
Graduate Admissions and Academic Services
1678 Asylum Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117
The University of Saint Joseph will always require the transcript showing degree conferral of a Bachelor degree program from a regionally-accredited institution. If you are applying prior to completing your undergraduate degree, please submit your transcript showing the academic work you have completed at this point in your academic career. This transcript will be reviewed by faculty for the purpose of admission and then a final transcript after you have graduated can be submitted prior to the beginning of classes.
Praxis Core Exam Score (School Counseling Only)
The PRAXIS Core Examination is a standardized test for mathematics, reading, and writing. It is used to assess a student’s readiness to enter the profession of school counseling. It is not an admission requirement. A student may submit PRAXIS Core scores prior to admission or during their first semester in the school counseling program. At the University of Saint Joseph, only the School Counseling program requires PRAXIS Core scores. Those applying for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling do not need to take the PRAXIS Core.
Resume
Provide a resume that documents your education and work experience.
Professional Letters of Recommendation
Professional letters of recommendation are an important admissions requirement because they provide information that is not visible on a transcript or standardized test. A professional letter of recommendation is a reflection of not only academic/work experience spoken on behalf of a professor, advisor, or employer, but how that experience could benefit or make the student more successful in graduate school. Letters of recommendation should not come from friends, family, spiritual leaders, or public officials.
Professional letters of recommendation must meet the following requirements:
- A one to two-page typed letter
- Written on letterhead
- Signed by the recommender in pen (no electronic or blank signatures)
All students applying to the Masters degree programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling have to submit two letters of recommendation.
Proof of Immunization
The proof of immunization requirement is designed to make sure all graduate students attending courses on the University of Saint Joseph campus have been vaccinated for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella. This is a requirement set out by the State of CT. All students that did not graduate from an undergraduate program offered by the University of Saint Joseph will have to submit a completed copy of the Proof of Immunization Form with the proper attached documentation. Students can obtain the required documentation by getting a report from their physician, transferring these records from their undergraduate institution, or getting a laboratory report after having titers drawn.
Graduate students that did not graduate from an undergraduate program offered by the University of Saint Joseph should submit the Proof of Immunization Form with proper attached documentation to Health Services (860.231.6794.)
Program Essay
The program essay is a document used in the admissions process to determine the student’s ability to discuss their past experiences in this area or how the student’s program of interest will affect both the student’s professional and personal life. The essay for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs have specific elements that the applicant must address. Follow the instructions provided in the online application materials
Program of Study (POS)
The planned program of study is a document completed during the student’s meeting with an advisor from the program of interest. The planned program of study provides information about when the student plans to take the courses that make up their program of interest. The planned program of study may also be used by departments to determine upcoming course schedules and it is also used in the degree audit process. The POS will be provided to the applicant during the on-campus information/interview session. Call Dr. Rick Halstead (860.231.5213) to schedule a meeting.
Financial Aid Information
Students interested in obtaining financial aid should contact the office of Student Financial Services (860.231.5223).
Accreditation
The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the following programs within the Department of Counseling and Applied Behavioral Studies at the University of Saint Joseph: School Counseling (M.A.) and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.)
Practicum & Internship
All school counseling students must complete a 100-hour practicum and a 700-hour internship as part of the Master’s Degree in School Counseling. The internship is a part-time experience (three days a week) covering the 10-months of the academic year in a public school.
School Counseling Certification Requirements
School counselors in the state of Connecticut are certified by the State Department of Education. Students are approved for certification upon completion of their master program in school counseling.
School counseling students can also qualify for licensure as a professional counselor by completing the two semester clinical mental health internship.
For further details contact the School Counseling Program Director, Dr. Marte de Wilde at (860.231.5324).
Vital Program Statistics – 2019
Minimum Required Credits For Degree
- MA in School Counseling – 60 credits
- MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – 60 credits
Current Enrollment (Fall 2019)
- 34 School Counseling
- 68 Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Total: 102
Number Of Applicants For The Fall 2019 Cohort
- 59 applicants
- 39 admitted
Average Undergraduate Gpa For Admitted Cohort
- 3.37
Number Of Graduates – 2019
- School Counseling Program – 6 Students
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling – 15 Students
Students Who Pursue License/Certification
- School Counseling Program – 100% (certification is received upon graduation)
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program – 92%
Employment Rate Within One Year Of Graduation
- School Counseling Program – 94%
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling – 87%
Graduation Rate:
- School Counseling Program: 100% Graduation Rate
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling: 72% Graduation Rate
Students With Disabilities
| Female Students – 3 | Male Students – 0 |
Master’s Student Demographics-Fall 2019
| Female Students – 92 | Male Students – 10 |
| African American Females – 11 | African American Males – 0 |
| Asian American Females – 3 | Asian American Males – 1 |
| Caucasian Females – 63 | Caucasian Males – 10 |
| Hispanic Females – 14 | Hispanic Males – 0 |
| Native American Females – 0 | Native American Males – 0 |
| Multiracial Females – 0 | Multiracial Males – 0 |
Learn More
For more information about the application and enrollment process contact Dr. Rick Halstead 860.231.5213 or [email protected].
