The school counseling program is designed to prepare students to serve the multiple mental health or counseling needs within schools in an urban setting. Students will be given a strong preparation in clinical intervention with a specific emphasis on meeting needs of urban youth and their families. Additionally, students will learn how to develop a primary intervention program that impacts the entire school community through implementation of the Developmental Counseling Model. Students will also learn how to organize counseling interventions, which are integrated into the school curriculum. Prevention and early intervention will be the primary goals taught to our students.
Degree Requirements
Completion of at least 51 credit hours at the graduate level with grades averaging B or better.
Must not earn more than two C’s and must earn a B or better in all three clinical courses.
Passing score on the comprehension examinations and Type 73 Certification Exam for School Counselors
Completion of all degree requirements within six years.
Admission Requirements
Completion of twelve hours of prerequisite courses, which must include:
Application materials (including official transcripts and two reference forms) must be received by the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (NLB 239) by March 1 for the Fall Semester.
Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 for the last 60 semester hours of course work to be fully admitted to the program (or 2.75 through 2.99 may qualify for conditional status).
Applicants who satisfy the above criteria must successfully complete a written essay and interview by the department.
Completion of six hours of prerequisite courses, which must include a developmental psychology course (i.e. childhood development, lifespan development, etc.) and psychological statistics with a grade of C or better in at least one course and B or better in the remaining course.
Applicants for the School Counseling Track or the Endorsement in School Counseling Certificate Program must have passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test before applying. Applicants without a valid Illinois Teaching Certificate must have passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test within 10 years of applying.
In addition, applicants without a valid initial Illinois Teaching Certificate must take the course ED 4820/5820, Educational Fundamentals in School Counseling as a program perquisite. Providing they have passed the Illinois Basic Skills Exam, students who do not have a valid Illinois Teaching Certificate may be admitted conditionally pending successful completion of ED 4820/5820 within the first year.
Due to limited class size, we are unable to accept all qualified applicants into the program.
