School Counseling MEd

Overview

The Master of Education in School Counseling is a 48-hour NCATE accredited program that offers flexible scheduling. Courses are offered in face-to-face and online formats. To accommodate working professionals, fall and spring classes are offered online. Summer courses meet face-to-face on the Hattiesburg campus. To build professional counseling skills, students engage in three semesters of hands-on field experience in K-12 school settings.   

The program focuses on the integration of theory, research, and experiential learning. It builds on a foundation in counselor-first identity, creating comprehensive school counseling programs with an emphasis on school counselor leadership, critical thinking skills, ethical decision-making, and the connection between research and practice. Students are equipped with knowledge and skills necessary to promote academic, social, and emotional success for students and to serve as advocates in primary and secondary school settings. Graduates are prepared to pursue board certification as a National Certified School Counselor in the state of Mississippi. Students who intend to seek licensure in another state should verify that this program of study meets the desired state’s licensure requirements. For assistance with out-of-state licensure questions, please complete the Professional Licensure Form.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the requirements detailed in Admissions Requirements and Procedures , applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Statement of Purpose - In a 2-3 page essay, describe your educational training and experiences working with children/adolescents and families. Also, discuss your professional goals and describe how they are compatible with the program’s mission.
2. Résumé
3. Letters of Recommendation - Three (3) letters of recommendation from previous professors and/or employer supervisors who can attest to your academic performance and readiness for graduate work.
4. Submission of an essay. This essay should be your original writing, two-three pages in length, and use APA 7th edition formatting. Address the following prompt: “Discuss some of the major challenges facing school-aged children at a certain grade level (choose elementary, middle, or high school). What does the professional research suggest school counselors can do to help students navigate these challenges?”

Program Requirements and Academic Policies

In addition to the requirements detailed in General Degree Requirements  and General Academic Information , students must:

1. Maintain the requisite minimum 3.00 GPA with no grade below a “C” and with no more than one “C” to graduate. Students who make two “Cs” must retake one course to bring the grade up to a “B” or higher and into compliance with degree requirements. Failure to make the requisite grades will result in program dismissal.
2. Pass a criminal background check and purchase professional liability insurance prior to placement in a K-12 school field experience.
3. Take the Praxis II: Professional School Counselor exam (#5421) and report the scores to The University of Southern Mississippi prior to graduation.

Course Requirements (48 hours):

• SCS 610 - Foundations, Organization, and Administration of Guidance 3 hrs.
• SCS 611 - Career Development and Information Services 3 hrs.
• SCS 612 - Counseling Theory and Practice 3 hrs.
• SCS 616 - Individual Analysis & Group Counseling for School Counselors 3 hrs.
• SCS 617 - Pre-Counseling Lab 3 hrs.
• SCS 618 - Group Processes 3 hrs.
• SCS 621 - Ethical Practice of School Counseling 3 hrs.
• SCS 651 - School Counseling Practicum 1-3 hrs.
• SCS 653 - School Counseling Internship 2-12 hrs. (6 hrs. required)
• SCS 711 - Theory and Practice of Consultation 3 hrs.
• FAM 535 - Families in Crisis 3 hrs.
• FAM 615 - Gender and Culture in Therapeutic Relationships 3 hrs.
• FAM 650 - Development of School-Aged Children and Families 3 hrs.
• FAM 655 - Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy Theories 3 hrs.

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• FAM 675 - Practice of Family Research 3 hrs. or
• REF 601 - Educational Research: Interpretation and Applications 3 hrs.