Incoming students are introduced to the MEd in School Counseling program with foundational coursework in Summer quarter, and then an experiential course in Autumn Quarter. EDCO 6600 Introduction to Systems Theory, conducted at SPU’s Blakely Island Field Station, provides new students with a clear understanding of the School Counseling program, including requirements, expectations, faculty, mission, and philosophy.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
Coursework for the MEd in School Counseling with ESA (School Counseling) Certification includes the following:
Foundations and Research Core
- EDU 6120 American Education: Past and Present (3)
- EDU 6085 Moral Issues in Education (3)
- EDU 6975 Interpreting and Applying Educational Research I (3)
- EDU 6976 Interpreting and Applying Educational Research II (3)
- EDCO 6107 Program Evaluation (3)
- EDCO 6974 Qualitative Research (3)
School Counseling Core
- EDCO 6600 Introduction to Systems Theory (2)
- EDCO 6670 Introduction to School Counseling (4)
- EDCO 6685 Counseling Theory (3)
- EDCO 6682 Positive Psychology and Spirituality in the Schools (3)
- EDCO 6674 Intro to Psychoed Assessment in School Counseling (3)
- EDCO 6675 Legal and Ethical Issues in School Counseling (3)
- EDCO 6676 Resiliency/At-Risk Assessment and Intervention (3)
- EDCO 6679 Career Counseling in the Schools (3)
- EDCO 6677 Multicultural Counseling in the Schools (3)
- EDCO 6683 Group Counseling Theory (3)
- EDCO 6686 Counseling Skills and Techniques (3)
- EDCO 6673 Group Counseling Practicum (3)
- EDCO 6930 Individual Counseling Practicum I (3)
- EDCO 6130 Strengths Based Classroom Management (3) if required
- EDCO 6931 Individual Counseling Practicum II (3)
- EDCO 6680 Special Education: Programs and Methods (3)
- EDCO 6672 K–12 Comprehensive School Counseling (3)
- EDCO 6681 Family Advocacy in K–12 Settings (3)
- EDCO 6901 Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling (3)
- EDCO 6902 Substance Abuse Counseling (3)
- EDCO 6903 Family Systems Theory and Consultation (3)
Education Block
The goal of the Education Block is to provide the non-certified teacher with practical experience in a school and the opportunity to learn about the life and issues of a classroom teacher. It is also intended to provide you with more credibility in the hiring process.
The Education Block consists of 100 hours of work in one classroom where you actively work with students. The situation should require only a minimal level of administrative/clerical work and may be a paid or volunteer activity with no course credit attached. You may also fulfill this requirement by paid employment in a school (e.g., as a paraprofessional or teaching assistant).
One minimum education class is also required during the Education Block: EDCO 6130 Classroom Management (3 credits). The goal of this course practical experience in education.
Internship
The 600-hour internship is a vital, integrative experience in which students conduct supervised counseling in a school setting over the course of an entire school year (three quarters). You are expected to begin your work at your internship school site at the beginning of the school year and finish the experience the last week of the K–12 school year.
This internship’s primary objective is the provision of practical experiences in the duties and activities of the school counselor. It requires the cooperative efforts of the student, a faculty supervisor from the SPU School of Education, and an approved school district site supervisor who is certified as an ESA school counselor with a minimum of three years’ experience as a school counselor and training in supervision. To correspond with CACREP standards for the counselor education program, the internship includes a minimum of 600 hours. A thesis option is also available.
Comprehensive Examination
A written Comprehensive Examination is required for this program as a tool to help synthesize and apply information gained throughout the course of study. The online exam consists of multiple choice questions and open-ended questions.
Certification
Upon successful completion of the program, you will be recommended to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for an Initial Educational Staff Associate Certificate in Washington state. Candidates are required to submit a formal application to the Certification Officer in the School of Education to be recommended for certification. Most states have reciprocal agreements that allow certificates to be transferred between states.
ESA CERTIFICATION IN SCHOOL COUNSELING ONLY
People who otherwise qualify to enter the MEd in School Counseling program and already have a master's or other advanced degree need not complete a second master's degree in school counseling in order to obtain Educational Staff Associate Certification as a school counselor.
It is generally only necessary to complete the major courses (minimum of 69 credits), the internship (9 credits), and the comprehensive exam. If you do not already have a background in education, you will be assigned the Education Block requirement.
Upon successful completion of the program, you will be recommended to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for an Initial Educational Staff Associate Certificate in Washington state. Candidates are required to submit a formal application to the Certification Officer in the School of Education to be recommended for certification. Most states have reciprocal agreements that allow certificates to be transferred between states.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
The MEd in School Counseling coursework is generally spread over a three-year period, beginning in Summer Quarter with Professional Core coursework. During the regular academic year, each class meets one night a week, generally from 5:00–7:35 p.m. In the second and third year of the program, students are required to take intensive Summer Session courses, which meet two to four days a week over four weeks. The Professional Core classes can be taken on campus or online. During the first two years, students can expect to take two or three classes each quarter.
SUGGESTED COURSE SEQUENCE
Your Three-Plus Year Course Plan may be customized to meet your needs.