Master of Science in Counselor Education: School Counseling Track

Program Leader: Dr. Maureen C. Kenny
E-mail: kennym@fiu.edu
Phone: 305-348-3506
Department: Educational and Psychological Studies

Brief Description of the Program:

The Master of Science in Counselor Education: School Counseling Track prepares individuals for professional counseling positions in schools. Nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the program meets all requirements as outlined by the Florida Department of Education for certification as a school counselor at the elementary, middle, and/or high school levels. This program emphasizes the blending of research and theory with practical applied experience. It also emphasizes and reflects the urban and multicultural nature of our community, as well as general trends within specified counseling fields.

It is important to note that a substantial amount of time is spent in fieldwork to meet practicum and internship requirements. The practicum requirement is the equivalent of one workday per week spent in a field placement during one academic semester. The internship is the equivalent of a full-time position (five days per week) for the period of one academic semester. The student should plan for this fieldwork to be during the day, rather than during evening hours, as the field experiences must be completed in an elementary, middle school or secondary school setting.

The program caters to working professionals with evening and Saturday classes and offers courses at both the University Park Campus in Miami and the Broward-Pines Center in Pembroke Pines.

Admission Requirements:

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum GPA of 3.2 or better on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 credits of upper-division undergraduate coursework;
2. Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a person familiar with the applicant’s undergraduate work and able to comment knowledgeably on his or her ability to perform graduate-level work;
3. A personal statement of 1,000 words or less explaining any personal and professional goals you plan to achieve with the accomplishment of the degree. Please list any recognitions of achievement that you have received (e.g. licenses, publications, awards). Provide any additional information that you would like considered in the evaluation of the application;
4. A résumé describing at least the past five years of employment history and significant community, professional, or college extracurricular activities;
5. A personal interview scheduled by the department of Educational and Psychological Studies;
6. Passing scores for one of the following exams: College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), General Knowledge Test (GKT), or Praxis I depending upon criteria below:
1. For applicants who passed all sections of the CLAST exam prior to July 1, 2002, an official copy of passing scores on the CLAST exam or a combined score of 1000 or better on the GRE;
2. For applicants who passed the CLAST July 1, 2002 or after, an official copy of passing scores for one of the following: CLAST (all portions); or General Knowledge Test (GKT) (all sections); or Praxis I; or a minimum score of 1000 or better on the GRE (verbal and quantitative sections combined).

 Program Requirements:

1. Total credit: 58
1. Professional Studies Core credits: 9
2. Counseling Core credits: 22
3. Specialization Core credits: 15
4. Clinical Core credits: 12

For Non-Education Majors

Students in School Counseling with an “out of field major” (non-education) and/or who do not hold a Florida Teacher's Certificate are required to successfully complete 15 credit hours of co-requisite education courses at the graduate level during the counseling program (unless similar courses were taken during their undergraduate degree program). These professional education courses (covering social, historical, and philosophical foundations; classroom management; general methods of teaching; TESOL, and reading) are required by the Florida State Department of Education in order to meet state certification requirements. They must also pass the Florida Professional Educational teacher Competency Examination. Students who plan on working in a state other than Florida are advised to check the certification requirements of the particular state. Certification is an individual, personal responsibility. Courses that satisfy these requirements include:

Program of Study:

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updated: 08/12/08