School Counseling and Guidance Program Description
An outline of the planned program and required coursework for all school counseling degree programs follows this program description. The M.Ed./Ed.S. and M.AE./Ed.S. program in School Counseling and Guidance is designed to equip students with the pre-professional competencies required for Florida Department of Education Certification in School Counseling. The entry-level, 72 credit hour program provides students with the specialized knowledge and skills required for placements as school counselors in public or private elementary, middle, or secondary schools. Students enrolled in the School Counseling and Guidance program, a state-approved and NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education) and CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) accredited school counselor preparation program, must provide passing scores for all pertinent sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) including the General Knowledge test (math, English language skills, reading comprehension, and essay), the Professional Education examination, and the Subject Area Examination in Guidance and Counseling K-12 prior to graduation from the program. Questions about this requirement or any other certification related questions may be addressed to the College of Education Office of Student Services or the Department of Counselor Education.
The central purpose of the entry-level School Counseling & Guidance program is to teach students to conceptualize and organize a school-based program around the eight goals, which characterize developmental guidance and counseling. Therefore, the School Counseling program prepares competent graduates who:
- Understand and facilitate positive change in school environments;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in self and others;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' attitudes and behaviors;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' decision-making and problem-solving skills;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' interpersonal and communication skills;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' school success skills;
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' career awareness and educational planning; and
- Understand and facilitate positive change in students' community pride and involvement.
Each goal has a set of objectives that specify the skills that our graduates acquire and are able to implement in a school setting. Graduates of the School Counseling and Guidance program are able to:
- Provide individual counseling;
- Provide small group counseling;
- Present large group/classroom guidance;
- Organize and implement peer facilitator programs;
- Develop counseling and guidance activities for students who are not succeeding in school;
- Provide leadership in organizing developmental guidance experiences for all students within a school;
- Lead parent education groups;
- Consult with teachers, parents, and administrators;
- Consult with child study teams; and
- Demonstrate counselor effectiveness through accountability studies.
The doctoral-level SCG program (PHD or EDD) prepares school counselors for administrative, coordinating, supervisory, or managerial positions such as school guidance coordinators, state supervisors, consultants in school guidance, or university professors who specialize in school guidance and counseling. The program encompasses the basic requirements of the entry-level SCG program, and extends preparation through advanced study which addresses consulting, professional accountability, providing professional leadership, research, specialized studies, supervised clinical and administrative experiences, teaching, and writing for publication.
School Counseling & Guidance Planned Program Outline
Entry-Level M.Ed./Ed.S. Requirements (72 credits)
Pre-Professional Requirement
Basic Statistics (2000-level or higher)
CACREP Core Counseling Courses (28 credits)
Introduction to Counseling (3 credits)
Assessment in Counseling & Development (3 credits)
Career Development (3 credits)
Counseling Theories & Applications (4 credits)
Multicultural Counseling (3 credits)
Developmental Counseling Over the Lifespan (3 credits)
Group Counseling: Theory & Practice (3 credits)
Professional Identity & Ethics in Counseling (3 credits)
Research in Counseling & Development (3 credits)
School Counseling Clinical Core (12 credits)
Counseling Children (3 credits)
Counseling Adolescents (3 credits)
Play Counseling & Play Process with Children (3 credits)
Organization & Administration of Guidance & Personnel Programs (3 credits)
School Counseling Practicum & Internship (10+ credits)
Practicum I in Counseling (3 credits)
Group Supervision in School Counseling (1 credit)
Internship in Counseling & Development (5 credits) [clinical internship may be completed over one or two semesters; course registration varies depending on full- or split-internship status]
Group Supervision in School Counseling (1 credit)
School Counseling Electives (18+ credits)
Electives may be tailored to meet School Counseling certification, Mental Health or Marriage & Family licensure, the M.AE. thesis requirements, or may be selections from elective courses inside or outside the Department.
Ph.D. Requirements (90+ credits beyond entry-level)
M.Ed./Ed.S. Requirements (72 credits)
Counselor Education Core (9+ credits)
Personality & Advanced Counseling Theories (3 credits)
Seminar in Counselor Education (3 credits)
Consultation Procedures (3 credits)
Doctoral Integrative Seminar (3 credits)
Research Block (37+ credits)
Individual Work or Supervised Research (2+ credits)
Quantitative Foundations of Educational Research (6 credits)
Minimum of 2 additional, advanced statistics, research methodology, or measurement theory courses that meet the College of Education's Research Methodology Requirements
Doctoral Seminar in Counseling Research (3 credits)
Doctoral Dissertation (20+ credits)
Doctoral Practica & Internships (16+ credits)
Practicum in Counseling Supervision (4 credits)
Internship in Counselor Education (6; max 12 credits)
Internship in Counseling & Development (5 credits) [clinical internship may be completed over one or two semesters; course registration varies depending on full- or split-internship status]
Group Supervision in School Counseling (1 credit)
Doctoral Electives (varies)
Selected in consultation with Doctoral Committee
