Curriculum

M.Ed. in School Counseling

Degree Requirements

Total Hours: 48
Practicum: Required
Comprehensive: 4 hour Proctored Exam
Thesis: None

Length of the Program
Full-time students will complete the program in two years, including at least one summer. Part-time study is also available. Students have five years from acceptance to complete the program. (See SOE Policy: Time Limit for Degree Completion‌)

Curriculum Plan
Completion of the M.Ed. degree program requires 48 semester hours, 700 clock hours of practicum/internship experience, and a comprehensive examination.

Continuous Enrollments
Master's students in School Counseling are required to maintain the status of continuous enrollment during their program of studies. This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in at least one course. (See SOE Policy: Academic Standing - Continuous Enrollment‌)

A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the School of Education’s Associate Dean of Student Academic Services.

Candidates in all programs leading to Illinois certification are required to pass an Illinois State Criminal Background Check.

   Undergraduate Prerequisites
Students should present transcript evidence of successful completion ("B" or better) of the course listed below, or its equivalent. Ideally students will have completed this course prior to the start of the program..

•  Introductory Statistics course

Required Core Courses (27 semester hours):

• CPSY 420 Counseling Skills
• CPSY 421 Professional & Ethical Issues in Counseling
• CPSY 423 Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy
• CPSY 424 Career Development and Counseling
• CPSY 425 Assessment in Counseling
• CPSY 426 Group Counseling: Theory and Practice
• CPSY 433 Multicultural Counseling
• CPSY 454 Human Development: Implications for Education
• RMTD 400 Research Methods OR
  CPSY 450 Research in Counseling

Specialty Courses (15 semester hours):

• CPSY 428 Introduction to School Counseling
• CPSY 435 Selected Topic: Advanced School Counseling and Consultation
• CPSY 457 Child Development and Counseling OR
  CPSY 458 Adolescent Development and Counseling
• CPSY 440 Practicum/Internship (6 semester hours)

Electives (6 semester hours):
Example electives include:

• CPSY 437 Substance Abuse Counseling
• CPSY 444 Family Therapy I
• CPSY 457 Child Development and Counseling
• CPSY 458 Adolescent Development and Counseling
• CPSY 480 Mental Tests: School Age and Adults
• CPSY 485 Career Assessment
• CIEP 401 The Exceptional Child
• CIEP 414 Instructional Strategies for Diverse Populations
• CIEP 478 Behavior Intervention: Assesments and Support
• ELPS 460 School Administration

Additional Coursework
School counselor certification in Illinois requires a teaching certificate or additional coursework in education. Students in the M.Ed. program in School Counseling who do not hold teaching certificates must complete the following additional coursework to be certification-eligible in Illinois:

• CIEP 401 The Exceptional Child
• CIEP 414 Instructional Strategies for Diverse Populations
• ELPS 460 School Administration

Comprehensive Assessment
Comprehensive proctored examination is required (four-hour exam). See Handbook for details.

Comprehensive examination application deadlines:

• Fall Exam - August 1
• Spring Exam - December 1

See School of Education Academic Calendar for comprehensive exam dates

Degree Conferral
While the commencement ceremony is every May, degrees can be conferred May, August, and December. Students must apply for graduation/degree conferral. Students should apply for graduation in the semester they anticipate completing all degree requirements. Failure to meet application deadlines may result in a delay of the conferral of the degree to the following semester. Applications for Degree Conferral are due:

• August 1 for December conferral
• December 1 for May conferral
• February 1 for August conferral

Please note the degree conferral application is valid for only one semester. If the degree is not conferred for the semester requested, a new application is required for a subsequent semester.