Counseling and Human Development, M.S.

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Academic Quality Standards

The following courses must be completed with a “B” or better:

Comprehensive Examinations

A written comprehensive examination, scheduled in the fall or spring semester, is required of all students who do not elect to write a thesis. Students are eligible to take the examination during the semester in which they complete all required core coursework. Additionally, all students who register to take the comprehensive examination must have an approved letter of candidacy and have a signed copy of their program of study on file with the Graduate College. A student must complete the examination no later than two weeks prior to graduation. The comprehensive examination is a written examination and typically includes essay and objective examination questions. (See “Final Comprehensive Examination” here .)

Thesis Option

Students may elect to write a master’s thesis instead of taking the comprehensive examination. The master’s thesis is directed by graduate faculty in the department. Students who plan to write a master’s thesis should begin designing their research and planning the thesis during their first year in the program. A thesis grade is recorded “Pass” or “Fail.”

Programs of Study

School Counseling (K-12)

The school counseling program consists of 48 credit hours of courses in the Counselor Education Department, including three hours of elective approved by the faculty advisor. The school counseling program educates and trains students to become knowledgeable, thoughtful and skillful counselors at K-12 levels.

The curriculum includes core courses which introduce the student to human growth and development, counseling theory, professional issues in counseling and consulting skills. A blend of other courses is more specifically directed toward continued development of school counseling knowledge and thoughtful application of this knowledge in selfdevelopment and clinical practice. Finally, the curriculum focuses on the integration of knowledge, skills and abilities into a skillful counselor.

Licensure as a Virginia school counselor requires that the candidate have a master’s degree from a state approved program in counseling. The school counseling concentration requires 48 semester hours of course work and is CACREP accredited. It prepares students for state license as school counselors in Virginia and similar states. Graduates of the program are prepared to be licensed by the state at the K-12 grade levels.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The clinical mental health counseling program is a program designed to provide knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for counselors to work in a variety of community settings, including mental health centers, substance abuse programs, marriage and family clinics, career counseling agencies, social service agencies and employee assistance programs in business and industry. Students enrolled in the clinical mental health counseling option are required to take 60 hours within the College of Education and Human Development. Through course work, practica and clinical internship placements, students may prepare to practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Private Practice Counselor, Community Mental Health Counselor, Clinic or Hospital Psychotherapist, Career Counselor, Employee Assistance Counselor, Gerontology Counselor, Marriage and Family Counselor and Substance Abuse Counselor.