The School Counseling and School Counseling with Bilingual Extension Programs consist of a 60-credit Master of Science in Education degree, which prepares counselors-in-training for fulfilling the roles of the urban school counselors serving elementary, middle, and high school students in grades K-12 in the areas of academic, personal/social, and career development, according to the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA’s) new vision. The specific roles of the school counseling professional are outlined in the ASCA Website.
School counselors-in-training are encouraged to join this professional organization, which includes a variety of professional development opportunities, subscriptions to relevant journals, and affordable student malpractice insurance, the purchase of which is a program requirement: schoolcounselor.org/ . The School Counseling Programs consist of 16 graduate courses, 3 of which involve supervised field experiences, and completion of the CPCE as the required exam. This is a CACREP-accredited program and it fulfills the NYS academic requirements for professional certification as a school counselor.
School Counseling Program Objectives
To educate professional School Counselors about the roles to be effective leaders, team members and collaborators, systemic change agents and advocates in the profession to improve the quality of education and access for all students.
To educate professional School Counselors about models of comprehensive school counseling programs so as to develop activities for a school counseling program based on the American School Counseling Association model
To train professional School Counselors to utilize data to develop comprehensive, accountable counseling programs that address the academic, career and social-emotional needs and development of all students.
To prepare skilled and multiculturally competent school counselors who are capable of identifying and responding to the needs of diverse clients by providing a wide range of guidance and counseling services for children, adolescents and their parents.
To train professional school counselors to explore community resources, referral sources, and legal and ethical considerations specific to school counseling.
Career and Program Outcomes
School counselors provide a number of responsive services for students in grades K-12, including directly- and indirectly-delivered services such as individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, career/college counseling and academic advisement, transition planning, and facilitating peer mentoring programs, among many other services. School counselors focus on the three domains of students’ development, i.e. academic, personal/social, and career.