Hours: 51
Thesis: None

The M.Ed. degree program in Elementary School Counseling is designed to develop those competencies necessary for an individual to function as a counselor in an elementary school setting. The program is structured to enable graduate students to develop personal awareness of self as a counselor, knowledge of counseling and educational concepts, and skills in counseling elementary school students. Included in this program is an emphasis on developing assessment and research skills and using research findings in school counseling.

This program consists of fifty-one (51) semester hours and a comprehensive examination. Upon successful completion of the degree program, the specialist certification is granted through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Admission requires The Graduate Record Examination, an autobiography, and an interview. Applicants are notified of the date of the interview after ALL general admission requirements have been completed. All students accepted into this program must complete all requirements within eight (8) calendar years. Students will complete seventeen (17) courses, fifty-one (51) hours. Upon completion of the program, students will have met the academic requirements to sit for the PRAXIS examination for the Pennsylvania Certification in Elementary School Counseling. (NOTE: This degree does not meet the academic credit requirements for the Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor Examination.)

Professional credits students who intend to apply for admission to this program are limited to THREE courses prior to admission.

The Supervised Counseling Experience Internship is 6 semester hours: No more than 3 semester hours of Internship Experience may be completed per semester; therefore, two consecutive semesters (Fall/Spring) of Internship Experience must be taken. The internship will be scheduled during the final semesters. Students are expected to have completed ALL course work prior to taking COU 590 The Supervised Counseling Experience. (Exceptions to this  MUST be cleared by the Student’s Faculty Advisor.) Internship requires a pre-registration, permission form, professional liability insurance, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, and a Pennsylvania Criminal Records Clearance.

The faculty members of the Department of Counseling and Human Services reserve the right to terminate the training or supervision of any candidate who does not show himself or herself capable of achieving an acceptable standard of personal and/or professional behavior. This standard also applies to candidates for admission.

NOTE: Upon admission, all students are given a copy of the Department Student Evaluation Policy. A copy of this policy is also on file in the Department Office.

Please check with your advisor concerning the appropriate PRAXIS testing.

Click here to view the advisement form.

The Master of Education Degree in Elementary School Counseling (Certification) Program Guide