School Counseling, M.Ed.

Program Description

The School Counseling Program is a 48 semester-hour M.Ed. graduate program designed to prepare candidates for licensure as counselors in an elementary, middle, or high school setting. The program meets Ohio Department of Education, Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Council on the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards for school counselor education programs

If an applicant already has a master’s degree and is seeking only licensure as a school counselor, it is possible to be admitted to a post-master’s licensure program.

Program Learning Goals

Students will:

1. Identify as a school counselor who is knowledgeable about the history and development of the school counseling profession, is aware of the challenges facing the profession, and is prepared to advocate for the profession.

2. Plan a developmentally appropriate school-counseling program that supports academic, personal/social, and career development. The program should be modeled on the ASCA standards and should take into consideration the specific needs of a particular school setting.

3. Communicate, collaborate, and consult with school-age students, their families, school staff, and community agency representatives to promote a safe, healthy, and effective learning environment.

4. Implement a system of ongoing program evaluation by establishing a framework for record-keeping and continuous feedback from program stakeholders.

See also the CACREP  Standards.

Note: The Graduate Studies Learning Outcomes also apply to students in this program.

Admission Criteria for Degree Programs

• An undergraduate major in a recognized area, together with advanced undergraduate coursework (12-18 semester hours) in the social and behavioral sciences, or teaching licensure is required. Applicants who do not have prerequisites for specific graduate courses will be required to make up deficiencies.

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for the role of counselor are required. Ideally, these letters will come from former professors and/or employers who can comment on the suitability of the applicant for graduate study.

• A letter of intent from the applicant outlining career objectives and goals. The letter should be 400-600 words in length. It will be evaluated for content and grammatical and mechanical correctness. 

• Resume which includes both work and volunteer experience. 

• Applicants must participate in an on-campus interview process that may include: 

• A writing sample composed in response to a provided written prompt.

• An individual interview.

• A group interview.

The on-campus group interviews are scheduled during each semester. Applicants will be notified of the date when they apply. The letters of recommendation, letter of intention, and resume should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences.

No application will be evaluated until all of the materials listed above, along with a Graduate Application form and appropriate official transcripts, are submitted.

The Department of Counseling accepts applications on a rolling basis. For best consideration, applications should be received by May 1 for fall semester and February 1 for summer semester. Applicants applying for graduate assistant positions should submit all materials for admission by the February 1 deadline.

The application material will be evaluated by the admissions committee. Possessing the minimum admission requirements, e.g., a 2.75 GPA, does not guarantee admission.

Retention Criteria

The unique interpersonal nature of the counseling profession requires that counseling students should be evaluated for their fitness as counselors. This comprehensive evaluation focuses on assessing the student’s academic achievement, the student’s demonstration of the personal dispositions needed in order to be an effective counselor, and the student’s adherence to the ethical standards of the profession defined by either the ACA (American Counseling Association) or the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) code of ethics.

If a student is found to be deficient, a concern conference will be held with the student in order to implement a remediation plan. If, after attempts at remediation, the student is still demonstrating inappropriate behaviors, or not achieving at an appropriate academic level, the student will be asked to leave the program. More detailed information about the department’s retention criteria can be found in its Graduate Student Handbook. Students should also review the Policies and Procedures section of this Bulletin.

Assessing students in this way is a requirement of both the major counseling accreditation body, CACREP, and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Required Courses

Core Sequence

CG 514 must be taken for 3 credit hours.

School Counseling Sequence

Field Experience Sequence

Electives

Three credits of electives should be selected in consultation with advisor.

Subtotal: 3

*Students will need to obtain permission from their academic advisor in order to register for CG 571, CG 572, CG 573, or CG 574.

Candidates who wish to become licensed as school counselors in Ohio must complete an internship (CG 598A and CG 598B) at a school site acceptable to John Carroll University with the approval of the school system involved. The internship consists of 600 contact hours over a minimum of one calendar school year. At least 240 of the intern’s 600-hour requirement shall be in direct counseling service to children under the supervision of a certified school counselor at the internship site as well as the supervision of the University’s internship coordinator.

To qualify for Practicum (CG 591), a student must receive a grade of B- or greater in Counseling Techniques (CG 562). A student who has not received a B- or greater in Counseling Techniques after taking the course twice may be dismissed from the program. Applications for Practicum (CG 591) must be submitted no later than October 1 for the spring semester of March 1 for the fall semester. The intern must register for CG 598A and CG 598B, complete a detailed case study and presentation, and demonstrate progressive attainment of skills and experience commensurate with what would be expected of a school counselor.

Candidates are carefully reviewed in their work and evaluated during their entire internship experience. A successful final evaluation is a prerequisite for endorsement of the intern for licensure. The candidate must also successfully pass all applicable sections of the State Of Ohio assessment for licensure as a school counselor. Submission of logged contact hours during Practicum and Internship is required for graduation.

The Master of Education degree is conferred upon the satisfactory completion of the above courses, the state licensure assessment, and a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination requirement is satisfied through successful completion of the Master’s Comprehensive Examination.

Program Faculty