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Mission
Degrees
Knowledge and Skills
Program Objectives
Curriculum
Accreditation, Certification and Licensing
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites to Master's Programs
Professional Associations
Library Resources
Career Opportunities
Mission
Students who select this specialty have an interest in working as elementary school, middle school, or high school counselors. The curriculum of this specialty is based on the scientist-practitioner model of training as well as the comprehensive school guidance and counseling program model, both of which emphasize the best in counseling psychology theory, research, and practice. The missions of the MU School Counseling Masters and Specialist degree programs are to prepare individuals to practice successfully as entry-level multiculturally sensitive professional school counselors in socially and economically diverse work settings.
Degrees
The program offers two graduate degrees leading to certification at the elementary level (K-8) and secondary level (7-12). The first degree is the Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) and the second degree is the Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S.).
The M.Ed. degree prepares individuals with or without a teaching certificate and teaching experience to become entry-level professional school counselors. Individuals without a teaching certificate who complete the M.Ed. are required to complete 11 additional hours of education courses before they are recommended for full certification. The M.Ed. is a 42-semester-hour program.
The Ed.S. degree, thirty hours beyond the M.Ed., has three purposes. The degree (a) allows professional counselors from all other counseling specialties to fulfill all of the requirements to become fully certified in Missouri, (b) enables teachers who have a masters degree the opportunity of pursuing an advanced degree while working on the requirements for certification as an entry-level professional school counselor, and (c) provides practicing professional school counselors who have an M.Ed. to continue to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills.
In addition to completing degree requirements, all individuals preparing to become entry-level professional school counselors in Missouri must complete the following: a 20 page reflection paper that demonstrates mastery of the 16 MOSTEP Standards for School Counselors, a two page professional development plan, and the Praxis II School Guidance and Counseling examination.
Knowledge and Skills
To work effectively as a professional school counselor, a substantial knowledge and skill base is required. The knowledge and skills required are embodied in the MOSTEP Standards for School Counselors. The standards contain 16 criteria that guide the preparation of school counselors-in-training at the University of Missouri - Columbia. The 16 criteria are (1) human growth and development, (2) social and cultural diversity, (3) assessment, (4) career development and planning, (5) helping relationships, (6) group work, (7) structural components of a comprehensive guidance program, (8) guidance curriculum, (9) individual planning, (10) responsive services, (11) system support, (12) technology, (13) professional relationships, (14) ethical standards, (15) legal standards, (16) and professional orientation, identity, and well-being.
To assist counselors-in-training to achieve the specified knowledge and skills, particular attention is given in the program to the application of personality and human development theories, counseling and guidance work including theories of career behavior and development, learning, personality, and child and adolescent behavior and development. Theories, research, and techniques that focus on individual and group counseling; appraisal, assessment, and measurement; multicultural/diversity issues; parent consultation; professional ethics and legal issues; and guidance program planning, management and evaluation are integral parts of the program.
Program Objectives
To achieve the goal of the mission of the program - to prepare individuals to practice successfully as entry-level professional school counselors in the multiculturally, socially, and economically diverse work settings - sixteen program objectives have been established. The professional school counselor candidate in the program:
1. knows and understands theories of human development, learning and personality and applies these theories in their work with all students.
2. knows and understands how human diversity affects learning and development within the context of a global society and a diverse community of families. The professional school counselor candidate uses this understanding to assist learners, parents, and colleagues in developing opportunities for learning and personal growth.
3. knows and understands the principles of measurement and assessment, for both individuals and groups, and can apply these in their work with all students in a diverse and multicultural society.
4. knows and understands career development and planning processes across the lifespan, and assists all students in their career exploration, decision-making and planning.
5. knows and understands the counseling and consulting processes in a diverse society.
6. knows and understands both the theoretical and experiential aspects of group work.
7. knows and understands the structural components of a fully implemented comprehensive guidance program including a philosophy and definition, facilities, advisory council, resources, budget and staffing patterns.
8. Guidance Curriculum; knows and understands classroom and school-wide, results-based guidance activities that facilitate all students' academic, career, and personal/social development.
9. Individual Planning; knows and understands the planning, goal setting and decision making processes that all students need to enhance their academic, personal/social and career development.
10. Responsive Services; knows and understands various methods for delivering individual counseling, small group counseling, consultation, and referral for students who need these services.
11. System Support; knows how to implement district-wide comprehensive guidance programs, aligned with district missions and goals, and how to support other district educational programs.
12. knows and understands technology as a management and counseling tool in promoting the academic, career and personal/social development of all students.
13. knows and understands the importance of professional relationships with the school, family and community to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students.
14. knows and understands the ethical standards of the school counseling profession.
15. knows and understands the legal requirements that govern the work of school counselors.
16. knows and understands how to develop and maintain their professional identity and promote their well-being.
Curriculum
To meet state requirements for certification and College of Education degree requirements, the program requires 42 semester hours of coursework. The general psychology core contains nine semester hours while the counseling psychology core contains 15 semester hours. Nine semester hours are required for practicum. Finally, nine semester hours are required for specialty requirements. The "program planner," which guides the curriculum for this degree can be found here.
The specific courses that meet these requirements are as follows:
General Psychology Core (6 semester hours)
8082 Foundations of Educational and Psychological Measurement (3 credits)
8015 Child and Adolescent Development (3 credits)
Counseling Psychology Core (15 semester hours)
7120 Foundations of Counseling Psychology (3 credits)
8135 Foundations of Career Psychology (3 credits)
8110 Methods of Group Counseling (3 credits)
8040 Counseling Methods and Practices (Secondary) (3 credits)
8145 Psychological Interventions with Children & Adolescents (Elementary) (3 credits)
8165 Psychological Interventions with Children & Adolescents II: Evidence Based Therapies (Elementary) (3 credits)
Practicum (9 semester hours)
8940 Counseling Psychology Practicum (Elementary and Secondary School
Counseling - Public Schools) (6 credits)
8940 Counseling Psychology Practicum (Elementary and Secondary School
Counseling - Public Schools)
(3 credits)
Specialty Requirements (12 semester hours)
7130 Parent Counseling and Consultation (3 credits)
8410 School Guidance Programs (3 credits)
8415 Seminar: Program Evaluation for School Counselors (3 credits)
9000 Multicultural Issues in Counseling (3 credits)
or
8580 Social and Cultural Identity Development (3 credits)
42 Total Credit Hours
Accreditation, Certification and Licensing
The MU School Counseling Masters and Specialists degree program is approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to recommend to the state, certification as an elementary school counselor (K-8) or secondary school counselor (7-12) upon completion of the necessary coursework.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the M.Ed. master's degree requires a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA from an accredited undergraduate institution, a completed Department application form, at least three letters of recommendation, and an official report of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Verbal and Quantitative scores. Although the Department does not have required cut off scores for the GRE, scores on each of the two GRE subtests of at least 500 or higher are preferred. Similar preferences hold for Ed.S. applicants. We do not accept GRE scores that are more than 5 years old.
The preferred TOEFL score for International students is 580 for the paper test or 237 on the computer test for the masters, educational specialist, and Ph.D. degrees. In all cases, the Department seeks qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds with regard to race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability status. If admitted to a program, a Non-degree Graduate Student (NGS) may apply up to 12-hours from the following list to that program: 8015, 8135, 8280, 8410.
Prerequisites to Master's Programs
In order to apply for any master's degree program in the Department of Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology, an applicant either must have completed or plan to complete 15 hours of prerequisite course work as indicated below:
Statistics. A Course in statistics covering descriptive statistics, correlation, t-tests and Chi-square.If you are deficient in one or more of these areas, you may still be admitted with the provision that you make up any prerequisites during your graduate enrollment. Such make-up work will not count toward the hours required for any degree.
Psychological Theory. Two courses in psychological theory (not including the introductory course in psychology) for example: personality, social, developmental or learning.
Additional Courses. Two additional courses in education, psychology and/or sociology.
Professional Associations
Students are encouraged to join and become actively involved in the associations of the profession.
- American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- Missouri School Counselor Association (MSCA)
- Mid-Missouri School Counselor Association (MMSCA)
- American Counseling Association (ACA)
- National Career Development Association (NCDA)
Library Resources
The hours of operation for the library are published in the University of Missouri Graduate Catalog, page 21. The University library system consists of the MU Libraries and the MU Law Library. Included in the MU Libraries are Ellis Library (the main library), the University Archives, and the following six branch libraries: engineering, geology, health sciences, journalism, mathematics and veterinary medicine. The collection of the University libraries includes 2.85 million volumes, 6.46 million microfilms, and 23,522 journal subscriptions. The University library system carries these major school counseling journals including:
- Journal of Counseling and Development
- Career Development Quarterly
- Professional School Counseling
Career Opportunities
The primary places of employment for school counselors are elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. Upon successful completion of all program requirements individuals are eligible for certification as school counselors in Missouri. If individuals wish to work in schools in other states it will be necessary for them to contact the certification office of those states. In addition, given the training school counselors receive in the program, there are many opportunities for employment outside of schools in such settings as public and private clinics, human service agencies, post-secondary educational setting, and business and industry.