MEd in School Counseling

You'll be ready to work in an elementary or secondary school setting, applying skills in research evaluation and implementation of interventions for student success. You'll also be adept at collaborating with multiple parties within a school context (e.g., students, parents, teachers, administrators, community, etc.).

You'll practice as a culturally sensitive professional who thinks critically and bases your work on scholarly inquiry. You'll be committed to social justice, and embrace the role of change agent and advocate in our education system.

Our dedicated Counseling Faculty are experts in their fields who will support students throughout each stage of the program.

Check out this video to learn more about their experiences and expertise in the field.

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.

Continuous Enrollments
MEd 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. A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the School of Education’s Assistant Dean of Student Academic Affairs.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

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

Required Core Courses (27 semester hours)

• CPSY 420: Counseling Skills
• CPSY 421: Professional 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
• CPSY 433: Multicultural Counseling
• CPSY 454: Human Development
• RMTD 400: Introduction to Research Methodology

Specialty Courses (18 semester hours)

• CPSY 428: Foundations of Professional School 
  Counseling
• CPSY 431: Advanced School Counseling and 
  Consultation
• CPSY 458: Adolescent Development and Counseling
• CPSY 440: Practicum (3 semester hours)
• CPSY 441: Internship (3 semester hours)
• CIEP 423: Advanced Literacy Instruction

Elective (3 semester hours)
Example electives include:

• CPSY 437: Addictions Counseling
• CPSY 444: Family Therapy I
• CPSY 485: Career Assessment
• CIEP 401: The Exceptional Child
• CIEP 414: Instructional Strategies for Diverse Populations
• CIEP 478: Behavior Intervention: Assessments and 
  Support

Additional Coursework

The school counselor endorsement in Illinois requires a teaching endorsement or additional coursework in education. Students in the MEd program in School Counseling who do not hold a teaching license must complete the following additional coursework to be eligible in Illinois. These courses are:

• The Exceptional Child
• Instructional Strategies for Diverse Populations
• School Administration

A school counseling exam is required during your practicum/internship. See program handbook for details. Comprehensive examination application deadlines are as follows (see the School of Education Academic Calendar for comprehensive exam dates).

The Chicagoland area provides a wealth of clinical training opportunities for the students in community, school, and clinical mental health counseling programs. Students receive generalist training, but through site selection can begin to acquire population-specific competencies in working with children, adolescents, families, gay/lesbian/bisexual clients, and other groups of individuals. To discuss typical practicum settings and sites in Chicago and its suburbs, please contact Rufus Gonzales, Practicum Coordinator, at 312.915.6378

The curriculum of the MEd program reflects current requirements for licensure in the State of Illinois. Licensure is handled by individual states, and portability of licensure across state lines differs according to each state. The Department of Professional Regulation in the State of Illinois has adopted the certification exam developed and administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors. Many states use this exam for licensure purposes, so scores from the exam can be transferred. Coursework, including the number of hours required, differ across states. Students interested in completing licensure or certification in another state are strongly advised to consult the professional regulation boards prior to enrolling at Loyola to determine the appropriate coursework required. Students should also stay apprised of licensure requirements throughout the program.

Students seeking school counseling licensure without a teaching endorsement must take the school counseling licensure exam in the semester prior to beginning CPSY 441: Internship, in the spring semester. The ISBE website provides information on dates exams are administered, fees, and registration procedures. The school counseling is administered by ISBE (not Loyola), and you must register with ISBE to take the exam.