Feb. 1
Application Deadline
Counselor Education-Master of Education
Our curriculum blends synchronous and asynchronous online coursework with an onsite pre-practicum skills component. Graduate students gain practical experience through practicums and internships, which allow them to utilize counseling skills and theories while receiving feedback from qualified supervisors. Practicum and internships are conducted in person with partner schools, hospitals, community clinics, and other settings – where the Counselor Education-Master of Education program has established and approved partnerships. This structure allows for high-quality preparation that is accessible to students who want to pursue a career in counseling.
Quick Facts
60
Credit Hours - Single Track
66
Credit Hours - Dual Track
$700
Cost per Credit Hour - Market Driven Tuition Rate
Counseling Focus Specialization
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University's Master of Education degree with a major in Counselor Education offers students the opportunity to earn a graduate degree specializing in either Clinical Mental Health or School Counseling within two academic years, including one summer term (five semesters; 60 credit hours). Students have the opportunity to declare dual specialties within the graduate program, which requires an additional academic year (three additional semesters; six additional credit hours), including additional coursework and field hours.
Areas of specialization:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- School Counseling
- Dual Track-Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling
Our program courses are currently aligned with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú (CACREP) standards but the program is not currently accredited. The program intends to apply for CACREP accreditation.
Field Experience
Students gain crucial knowledge and skills through practicum and internship experiences. Students must complete an in-person, pre-practicum experience on ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s Oxford campus during finals week of the fall semester of their first year as preparation. During pre-practicum, faculty assess students as they implement acquired counseling skills and theories in a mock setting before continuing on to a practicum.
The practicum and internship experiences are required components for graduation and allow students to implement counseling skills and theories while receiving feedback from qualified supervisors. The program intentionally seeks to identify field placements which give students the opportunity to work with diverse populations and receive strong supervision related to the application of culturally responsive counseling skills.
Students specializing in either clinical mental health counseling or school counseling complete a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship, totaling 700 field placement hours.
Students in the dual-track pathway complete an additional 600-hour internship, totaling 1,300 field placement hours.
While completing field placement hours, students are also enrolled in either the practicum or internship course, where they engage in weekly group supervision with program faculty.
- School counseling students are supervised by a licensed school counselor within a K-12 school.
- Clinical mental health counseling students are placed in various settings such as hospitals, schools, communities, and private practice. They are supervised by licensed professional clinical counselors with supervision credentials (LPCC-S).
What You Will Learn
Explore what you can expect to learn in core, clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling courses.
- Counseling students demonstrate a strong professional counselor identity through the completion of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Assignments in each of the core courses, which are designed to prepare students to form therapeutic relationships with clients/students.
- Graduate students in the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University Counseling Program acquire foundational knowledge centered around becoming culturally responsive counselors. They focus on social justice through engagement in the curriculum, specifically the Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice course, and demonstrate these skills during practicum and internship assignments through the successful completion of KPIs.
- After completing core courses, students are able to apply the necessary foundational counseling therapeutic techniques through a theoretical framework within the helping relationship and demonstrate their knowledge through recordings and case conceptualizations.
- Throughout the program, students are exposed to counseling research that is rooted in advocacy and leadership for advancing the program and advocating for clients/students. Through the evaluation of this research, students create advocacy presentations focused on addressing research gaps that impact underrepresented clients/students.
- School Counseling trainees demonstrate their ability to support students in the K-12 setting to ensure all students’ needs are met in academic, social/emotional (mental health), and career areas. Focusing on support for students from diverse backgrounds, they learn to create a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) through the use of needs assessments and data collection.
- Trainees are able to support students’ social and emotional needs through the implementation of brief individual counseling, small group counseling, and classroom instruction utilizing the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. In the process, they incorporate the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) K-12 Social and Emotional Learning Standards and acquire its five competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making).
- Demonstrating their ability to support clients, Clinical Mental Health Counselor trainees focus on developing the therapeutic relationship through core and specialty courses connecting culturally responsive diagnosis and treatment. In the process, students complete KPI assignments and have their progress monitored through supervision.
- Graduates are able to utilize assessments and knowledge gained through the program to demonstrate effective diagnosis and treatment planning to support clients, as evidenced through case conceptualization and supervision.
Admission and Application Requirements
Learn how to apply to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s Counselor Education Program.
Admission
- 2.75 undergraduate GPA or higher.
- Candidates are required to have a baccalaureate degree (US equivalent).
- CACREP does not require a specific undergraduate degree related to the counseling program. However, students will be scored based on experiences, including undergrad training, prior volunteer/work/internship experiences, or any other experiences that could aid in their ability to form effective counseling relationships with diverse populations. This is a requirement outlined within CACREP.
- As an online program, the Counselor Education Program is not able to admit international students.
- Due to federal licensure notifications and state accreditation requirements for clinical mental health counseling and school counseling, the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University Counselor Education Program recruitment is limited to Ohio.
Required Application Materials
- Submit the Graduate School application fee.
- A personal statement that addresses the following questions:
- Describe why you want to be a counselor.
- Indicate your interest related to the specialty area you are pursuing (clinical mental health or school counseling) and connect this to your previous experiences and future career goals.
- If you are interested in the dual-track pathway, discuss your interest and how this will support your future professional goals.
- Include previous experiences working with individuals, the importance of collaboration, and the importance of relationships within the profession of counseling (specific to the specialty area).
- Three professional letters of recommendation that speak to your career goals, aptitude for a graduate program that is delivered remotely, and potential to be an effective counselor who can form relationships with clients/students from diverse backgrounds.
- A one to two-page resume highlighting professional experiences related to counseling.
Admitted Students
- Admitted students will need to submit official transcripts.
- ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University graduates are not required to submit official transcripts. However, they must provide an unofficial transcript at the time of application, with their term grades, GPA, and earned hours.
Conditional admission
- Students who do not meet minimum criteria for regular admission may, under certain circumstances, be granted conditional admission.
Become a Change-Maker: Earn Your Master’s Degree in Counseling
Graduates of the Counselor Education-Master of Education program have opportunities to seek employment in a variety of settings. These settings can include private practices, hospitals, community centers, schools, government agencies, prisons, and residential treatment centers.
Due to federal licensure notifications and state accreditation requirements for clinical mental health counseling and school counseling, the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University Counselor Education Program recruitment is limited to Ohio. The program is working with the Counselor, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board to obtain temporary licensure approval under the for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty. Additionally, the program is in the final stages of obtaining licensure approval from the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) for the School Counseling specialty.
Our program offers a dynamic blend of online coursework, combining both live (synchronous) and flexible (asynchronous) learning, along with an onsite pre-practicum skills component. As a graduate student, you'll gain invaluable hands-on experience through practicums and internships, where you'll apply counseling skills and theories in real-world settings. These experiences take place in person at our partner schools, hospitals, community clinics, and other approved sites, ensuring you receive personalized feedback from qualified supervisors. This well-rounded approach provides top-tier preparation, making our Counselor Education-Master of Education program an accessible and exceptional pathway for those aspiring to a career in counseling.
Contact Us
McGuffey Hall, 201
210 E. Spring Street
Oxford, OH 45056