Master of Education in School Counseling

On this page:

• Why Choose the School Counseling Program?
• Academics and Curriculum
• Admission
• Practicum
• Internship
• Program Outcomes

Why Choose the School Counseling Program?

The Master’s of Education in School Counseling program at Wright State University has been nationally accredited by the Council of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) since 1989. The current term of accreditation for School Counseling expires on October 31, 2020. Our program prepares school counseling professionals to provide services to students in kindergarten through twelfth-grade educational settings. Our curriculum emphasizes counseling approaches, lifespan development and comprehensive school counseling program models including courses in crisis counseling, counseling exceptional students, student problematic behaviors and family systems. Master’s degree school counseling students develop professional skills such as consultation, collaboration, leadership, and advocacy to work with children and adolescents facing complex social, educational, and other pressures faced in today’s world.

Included in our 60 credit hour program are a one-semester practicum and a two-semester internship. These hands-on practical field experiences allow students to participate in a one and a half academic year professional training under the supervision of a professional school counselor supervisor. When you have completed the program and pass the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) School Counseling licensure examination, you are eligible for an Ohio Pupil Services School Counselor license as regulated by the Ohio Department of Education.  Licensure and certification requirements vary from state to state, and we have not determined if this program meets educational requirements outside of Ohio.  If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information and guidance regarding that state’s licensure or certification requirements.

School Counseling Narrative Report

Year: 2018

Current Students: 33
Number of Graduates: 13
*Completion Rate: 85%

*Represents the percentage of students that graduated within the 3-year (or 9 semesters) expected time frame. Please note, graduate counseling programs do not require students to attend full-time and many choose to attend part-time. 

Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Pass Rate: 92%
Job Placement: 80%

Represents the percentage of students who were employed in the field within six months of graduation.

Contact Information

Related Link

Graduate Student Handbook (PDF)

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Academics and Curriculum

• School Counseling Advising Form (PDF)

Degree Requirements

• CNL 6010 Counseling Theory and Practice, 3 credit hours
• CNL 6020 Techniques of Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 6030 Statistics, Research and Program Evaluation for Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 6210 Crisis Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 6620 Problems in Student Behavior and Development, 3 credit hours
• EDS 6530 Learners with Exceptionalities, 3 credit hours 
  • OR, if offered... EDS 6900 Teaching Individuals with Exceptionalities, 3 credit hours
• EDL 7700 Educational Leadership for School, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7220 Group Process in Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7230 Assessment and Evaluation in Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7240 Career Counseling and Development, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7260 Marriage and Family Counseling, 1 credit hour
• CNL 7261 Systems Theory, 2 credit hours
• CNL 7270 Counseling for Lifespan Development, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7280 Professional Orientation, Ethical Standards, and Legal Issues in Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7290 Multicultural Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7650 Principles and Practices of School Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 7651 Addiction in the K-12 Setting, 3 credit hours
• CNL 8600 Advanced Seminar in Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 8650 Individual and Group Practicum in Counseling, 3 credit hours
• CNL 8670 Internship, 6 credit hours

Total Hours Required: 60

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Admission

Admission Requirements

• 2.7 cumulative minimum GPA or better, and GRE score of 291 (Q&V sections combined) or MAT scaled score of 403

OR

• 3.3 cumulative minimum GPA 

*Applicants can also be admitted conditionally if cumulative GPA is between 2.3 and 2.7

Admission Deadlines

The graduate counseling and rehabilitation counseling programs review and admit new student twice a year. You are eligible to begin your program the following semester after you are admitted (i.e., students admitted in the fall are eligible to start taking classes in the spring semester). The deadline to have all required application materials submitted to the Graduate School is as follows:

• Spring 2020: August 3, 2019
• Summer 2020 or Fall 2020: December 1, 2019 
• Spring 2021: August 7, 2020
• Summer 2021 or Fall 2021: December 1, 2020
• Only complete applications will be forward to the Department of Human Services office for review. Please check with the Graduate School at  937-775-2976 to determine if your application is complete. After department review, successful candidates will be invited to a required group interview (successful candidates will receive an invitation via mail). Group interviews details are provided in the invitation letter.

Admission Process

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Practicum

• Practicum and Internship Prerequisites (PDF)
• Semester Schedule (PDF)
• Graduate Counseling Practicum Manual (PDF)

The practical experience provided through a practicum experience is a critical component of all counselor education programs. The counseling practicum is meant to be a culminating experience, in that the student should be able to display essential knowledge, skills, and values in an actual kindergarten - 12th-grade school setting. Through this experience, students engage in all of the day-to-day responsibilities and roles of professional school counselors. All School Counseling Master’s Degree students are required to secure a practicum site and professional school counselor supervisor from whom students will receive direct professional guidance and direction.

Practicum Requirements

Students normally enter the practicum with a common core of academic experiences. Practicum students will have completed coursework related to the basic principles and procedures utilized by professional counselors and will have been exposed to the major theories and techniques of counseling. A Program of Study form must be completed and on file in the Department of Human Services Office prior to students submitting an application for practicum. It is recommended that School Counseling Master’s Degree students complete the practicum during the spring or fall semester at a kindergarten-12th-grade educational facility.

Prerequisites

All counseling students are required to have completed the following courses with a grade of “B” or better:

• CNL 6010 Counseling Theory and Practice
• CNL 7290 Multicultural Counseling
• CNL 6030 Statistics, Research and Program Evaluation for Counseling
• CNL 6020* Techniques of Counseling

*CNL 6020 Techniques of Counseling, must be completed within TWO semesters prior to  Practicum

School Counseling Students must complete the following courses PRIOR to beginning practicum.

• CNL 6210 Crisis Counseling
• CNL 7220 Group Process in Counseling
• CNL 7280 Professional Orientation, Ethical Standards, and Legal Issues in Counseling
• CNL 7650 Principles and Practices of School Counseling
• CNL 6620 Problems in Student Behavior and Development
• CNL 6200* Clinical Pathology in Counseling

*CNL 6200 Clinical Pathology in Counseling is only required if completing practicum at a clinical mental health counseling site.

Application for Practicum

The following application materials must be submitted and approved prior to enrolling in CNL 8650 Individual and Group Practicum:

Practicum Forms and Appendices

• Completed Program of Study (signed by the student, assigned faculty advisor, and department chair)
• Appendix 1 (Application for Practicum) (PDF)
• Appendix 2 (Practicum Contract) (PDF)
• Appendix 3 (Practicum Site Supervisor Information) (PDF)
• Appendix 4 (Practicum Site Information) (PDF)
• Independent Contractor Acknowledgement (completed by site supervisor)

Additional Practicum Appendices

• Appendix 5 (Site Supervisor's Evaluation of Practicum Student, School Counseling) (PDF)
• Appendix 6 (Student's Evaluation of Practicum Site) (PDF)
• Appendix 7 (Time Log, Traditional Format) (PDF)
• Appendix 7 (Time Log, Electronic Format) (Excel File)
• Appendix 8 (Counselor Trainee (CT) Status) (PDF)

*Note: these appendices and the information regarding them can be found in the practicum manual. 

Application Due Dates

February 15 for Practicum enrollment during Summer and Fall semester

Other graduation requirements include widened of student learning based on the 7 content strands listed below:

• Content Knowledge
• Pedagogical (Application of)
• Content Knowledge
• Diversity
• Technology
• Professionalism
• Emotional Intelligence

Students must submit applications for both practicum and internship each semester. Please see handbook for specific information related to the application on materials.

• Verification of Insurance
• Application
• Site supervision information

Applications and paperwork apply for one-semester only-students MUST apply each semester they plan to register for Internship. The student must supply verification of liability insurance at the time of each application. A photocopy of the insurance application and check will not fulfill this requirement. The student can provide a copy of the policy or anything that states their name and the dates that they will be covered by the insurance. Student applications to join the American Counseling Association (ACA) and applications for ACA Professional Liability Insurance are available in 108 Allyn Hall. Students may also join the ASCA for Professional Liability Insurance.

Practicum Requirements

The following indicates the minimum requirements for counseling practicum placements (based on a 15-week semester). 

On-Site Requirements:

• The student is required to spend a minimum of 7 hours per week* (for a minimum total of 100 hours per semester) at his/her site; however, a site may require additional hours. Students are strongly encouraged to exceed the minimum number of required counseling hours per week.
• Of the 100 hours, a minimum total of 40 hours must involve direct client/student contact. Of these 40 hours, at least 25 percent (10 hours) must be of individual counseling and at least 25 percent (10 hours) must be of group counseling. The remaining 50 percent (20 hours) may be a combination of counseling: individuals, groups, couples, families, consultation, and appraisal.
• In addition, one hour per week must be direct individual supervision of the practicum student by the site supervisor.
• For purposes of critique and evaluation, two videotapes are required for review during site supervision sessions and class meetings. Intake interviews alone will not fulfill these requirements. Students have the responsibility for following site procedures, both for securing permission to tape and ensuring the confidentiality of the obtained tape.

*Wright State University’s summer semesters are scheduled for 12-weeks. Students registered for Practicum during a summer semester will be required to spend a minimum of 9 hours per week at the practicum site, in order to obtain the minimum 100 hours required for practicum. However, it is recommended that School Counseling Master’s Degree students enroll in practicum only during the regular academic year (fall or spring semester).

Students must be supervised by a professional school counselor licensed or certified by the Ohio Department of Education with a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and at least 2 years of experience as a school counselor.

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Internship

• Practicum and Internship Prerequisites (PDF)
• Graduate Counseling Internship Manual (PDF)

CNL 8670 School Counseling

The student is required to complete a total of 6 credit hours of CNL 8670 for a minimum of 600 clock hours at his/her internship site with a minimum of 240 direct client contact clock hours. One credit hour equals 100 clock hours on site. The following are minimum internship requirements.

Prerequisites

In addition to completing the requirements for practicum, the practicum (CNL 8650) must be completed.

Applications and paperwork apply for one semester only-students MUST apply each semester they plan to register for Internship. The student must supply verification of liability insurance at the time of each application. A photocopy of the insurance application and check will not fulfill this requirement. The student can provide a copy of the policy or anything that states their name and the dates that they will be covered by the insurance. Student applications to join the American Counseling Association (ACA) and applications for ACA Professional Liability Insurance are available in 108 Allyn Hall. Students may also join the ASCA for Professional Liability Insurance.

Summer Semester and Fall Semester- February 15

Internship Requirements

*Please refer to the Practicum and Internship PowerPoint presentation on the DHS homepage for additional information. The following procedures are required in order to register for
CNL 8670:

Application Steps

• The student needs to submit an application, proof of liability insurance, an unofficial academic advising report, and a copy of the program of study by the dates specified below for each semester of CNL 8670:

Last semester Internship submissions:

• OAE School Counselor Exam or department comprehensive exam results (evidence of passing).

Note: Students must pass the OAE School Counselor Exam for Ohio School Counselor licensure. Students who pass the OAE are not required to take the department comprehensive exam. 

• Submit all Key Assessments to Task Stream before the last semester of internship.

Internship Appendices

• Appendix 1 (Internship Application) (PDF)
• Appendix 2 (Internship Contract) (PDF)
• Appendix 3 (Internship Site Supervisor Information) (PDF)
• Appendix 4 (Internship Site Information) (PDF)
• Appendix 5 (Site Supervisor's Evaluation of Intern, School Counseling) (PDF)
• Appendix 6 (Intern's Evaluation of Site) (PDF)
• Appendix 7 (Time Log, Traditional Format) (PDF)
• Appendix 7 (Time Log, Electronic Format) (Excel File)
• Appendix 8 (Counselor Trainee (CT) Status) (PDF)

*Note: these appendices and the information regarding them can be found in the internship manual. 

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Program Outcomes

School Counseling Learner Outcomes 

In 2018, there were 13 graduates of Wright State University's School Counseling program. Currently, we have 33 students enrolled in our School Counseling program. Our graduates consistently achieve high pass rates on licensing examinations. The pass rate for graduates taking the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) licensure examination in 2018 was 92%. Of the admitted students, 85% graduate from the program in the expected time period.  80% of School Counseling graduates were employed in the field within six months of graduation. 

Download the School Counseling Annual Assessment report below:

• 2017-2018