School Counseling, MS

Wilkerson Class

Professional school counselors assist all students with academic success and applying achievement strategies; facilitating students' social/emotional development and applying interpersonal skills; and increasing students' awareness, exploration and planning for postsecondary options. 

As certified educators and vital members of the school leadership team, school counselors' roles and responsibilities are integral to the fulfillment of schools' educational mission creating a culture of success for all students. 

Trained as leaders, advocates, coordinators, collaborators and systemic change experts, school counselors work with the entire school community and all school stakeholders to develop, implement, and deliver data-informed, comprehensive school counseling programs. Professional school counselors provide services through individual counseling, group counseling, classroom lessons and school-wide programs. 

Program Specific Admission Requirements

In addition to the fall, the School Counseling program accepts applications for admission into the spring and summer terms at the discretion of the Program Director and based on seat availability.

Students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, may be required to submit other evidence of their ability to successfully complete a graduate program, such as grades in other graduate-level courses, a record of progressively higher work responsibilities, or scores from the Miller Analogies Test or Graduate Record Examination.  

Applicants must complete specially developed recommendation forms for the program and provide a detailed personal statement in order to finalize and submit the application.  These documents are requested and collected as part of the on-line application process. 

Applicants are expected to have completed a course in each of the following three areas: Introduction to Statistics (Descriptive Statistics or Basic Inferential Statistics), Introduction to Theories of Personality, Counseling or Psychotherapy and Lifespan Development (Developmental Psychology, Adulthood, Adolescence, Childhood, Growth and Development).

Personal interviews with program faculty members prior to acceptance are required. School Counseling applicants participate in a group interview. All interviews are scheduled by program faculty shortly after the application deadline. Program directors review applications and pay particular attention to each applicant’s ability to address program specific professional goals and professional identity in the statement of intentions.

For general application requirements, please Visit Our Admissions Webpage.

Curriculum

The School Counseling Program is a 60-credit curriculum leading to the Master of Science degree. The curriculum prepares students for certification as a PreK-12 Elementary and Secondary School Counselor and is divided into three separate content areas: School Counseling Core, Counseling Practice Sequence, and Foundations of Professional Counseling. Students have the opportunity to pursue additional credentials, such as the National Certified Counselor (NCC), National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). A three-credit practicum and six-credit internship experience are among the required courses. Additionally, a student must satisfactorily complete his or her Professional Counselor Portfolio. The School Counseling Program manual specifies four submission dates for a student’s portfolio during the program of study. Students are also required to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) near the conclusion of their graduate program. 

For additional information on the curriculum, visit the Loading... Catalog.

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    Why Choose Scranton?

    Nationally Ranked

    US News & World Report rated The University of Scranton among the 10 top master’s universities in the North in its “America’s Best Colleges” ranking.

    Reduced Tuition

    At $757 per credit, the tuition cost for our Counseling programs is among the most competitive in PA and for regionally accredited universities.

    Jesuit Education

    As one of the 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, The University of Scranton is dedicated to developing the whole person.

    Mission Statement of School Counseling Program

    The mission of the School Counseling Program at The University of Scranton is to prepare students to become professional school counselors in elementary, middle, or high schools. There is also emphasis placed on counselors as general practitioners so that students have opportunities to seek employment opportunities outside of school settings, too. The program emphasizes professional school counselors working to improve educational practices that impact all students through the development and implementation of comprehensive results-based school counseling programs.

    Driven by a team effort and a vision of educational equity, the School Counseling Program trains students to contextualize their counseling competencies by developing skills in leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, and to develop an appreciation of diversity in meeting the varied needs of school students. As a member of a team with other school personnel and helping professionals, school counselors assist students to achieve academic success, choose appropriate career paths, make effective decisions, and develop personally and socially.

    Beyond the Classroom

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    Counselor Training Center

    Students work with clients from the University and local community, completing at least 40 hours of direct practicum experience.

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    Assistantships

    Graduate Assistants assist faculty in the delivery of course content/research and receive a stipend and a tuition scholarship.

    Graduate Honor Societies photo

    Graduate Honor Societies

    Eligible students can join Chi Delta Rho, the local chapter of the International Honor Society of Counseling.

    Already have a Master's degree? photo

    Already have a Master's degree?

    We offer a post-master's certificate program designed to meet the educational requirements for a licensed professional counselor

    Successful Graduates

    Career Opportunities

    Pre K-12 school counselor, higher education settings, admission offices, career counseling, college counseling, private practice

    Accreditation

    The School Counseling Program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). As a nationally accredited program by CACREP, the School Counseling Program prepares Professional Counselors for direct entry into a variety of school, mental health, career, and higher education positions. The program prepares students for this work by providing a learning environment in which they acquire the academic competencies of the profession, refine these competencies through application, and experience personal and professional development to meet the standards of Fitness for the Profession.

    Combined/Accelerated Degree Program

    Undergraduate Human Services majors with outstanding academic records may be eligible for early admission to the School Counseling graduate program through the Accelerated Baccalaureate/Master's Degree Program. (Other relevant majors may also be considered for admission.)

    Interested students must commit to this program no later than the end of their junior year of academic study, adhere to the time frame for application as outlined in the Graduate Course Catalog, and meet specific admissions criteria. Visit the Accelerated BS/MS Degree website for more information.

    Contact Information

    Kevin Wilkerson, Ph.D, NCC, ACS  photo

    Kevin Wilkerson, Ph.D, NCC, ACS

    School Counseling Program Director

    Education

    Ph.D., Syracuse University M.S., University of Vermont B.A., Colgate University

    Contact

    570-941-6649

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