Counselor Education (M.S.Ed.)

Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)
School of Education
College of Professional Studies

Neff Hall 240 ~ 260-481-6861

Student Learning Outcomes:

The counselor education program provides the following options:

Couple and Family Counseling consists of 60 credits and can be completed in three years.
School Counseling consists of 54 credits and can be completed in three years.

Each of the above options emphasizes:

Theory, skills, and strategies of counseling
Research on counseling issues
Supervised counseling experience (on-campus practicums and off-campus internship).

Completion of the school counseling option is designed to lead to a School Counselor educator license for the State of Indiana. Completion of the couple and family counseling option is designed to lead to subsequent licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Indiana.

The Degree:

To earn the master’s degree with a major in counseling, you must satisfactorily complete either the Couple and Family Counseling option or the School Counseling option curricula. You also must satisfactorily complete supervised off-campus internships and two (School Counseling) or three (Couple and Family Counseling) on-campus practica. You must satisfy the requirements of Purdue University Fort Wayne (Regulations ) and the College.

Subject to approval by the Director of Counselor Education, you may substitute up to 6 credits of graduate-level counseling courses you have successfully completed at Purdue Fort Wayne, or earned at another comparably accredited institution.

Accreditation:

The School Counseling program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (currently seeking reaccreditation via the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation [CAEP]) and is recognized as a high-quality program through the Indiana Department of Education. This program is currently seeking national accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students who meet specified requirements are eligible for a School Counselor license in the state of Indiana. Indiana holds reciprocal licensing agreements with other states.

Acceptance to the Counselor Education Program:

Acceptance to the program is available only for the Summer II Semester. Preference is given to applications received on or before February 15th. To be considered, you must provide the following materials with your application for admission to graduate study in education:

A completed Counselor Education program application form, official transcripts from all colleges you have attended, three professional recommendation letters, and copies of all applicable licenses
A current résumé or curriculum vitae
A statement, approximately two pages in length, that summarizes your
- Professional goals, including preferred professional setting(s), examples of typical employment activities, and any specialized interests
- Past experiences contributing to the development of your cited professional goals
- Unique skills and characteristics aiding your pursuit of your cited goals

After the Director of Counselor Education has determined that you qualify for admission to graduate study in education, your application to the Counselor Education program and the additional material you have provided will be referred to the to the Dean of the School of Education. The Dean and appropriate faculty will evaluate your demonstrated academic ability and evidence of your aptitude for working with people. You will also be required to participate in an interview process. Applicants are accepted to the program with the stipulation they adhere to the curriculum of their elected option.

Program Requirements

You are required to follow the curriculum plan for your elected counseling track. Any variation from specified elements of these curricula can be granted only by written permission of the director of counselor education and may delay your anticipated graduation date.

Supervised Experience

The Counselor Education program requires the following supervised counseling experience with clients:

On-Campus Practica

You must enroll in and satisfactorily complete two practica for School Counseling and three practica for Couple and Family Counseling in the PFW Community Counseling Center. Your work in these courses will be closely supervised by selected faculty.

Counseling Internship

For the school counseling option, all students must complete a 600-hour counseling internship in an accredited K - 12 school. Students pursuing the couple and family counseling option must complete 500 face-to-face client contact hours divided between the internship (in an approved agency setting) and the three practicums. Before you are permitted to work with clients, you must:

Earn a minimum grade of B- in each practicum course; and

Comply with the Ethical Standards of the American Counseling Association, the American School Counseling Association, or the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Your specific responsibilities in the client/counselor relationship are detailed in the following school publications: Graduate Student Orientation Handbook and The Counselor Education Program Handbook. You are expected to conduct yourself professionally, uphold confidentiality, avoid dual relationships with clients, and refrain from any unsupervised counseling activities. Your failure to meet these expectations will result in your censure or dismissal from the program.

Couple and Family Counseling Courses (60 credits)

EDU 50200 - Professional Orientation and Ethics Cr. 3.
EDU 58000 - Counseling Skills and Techniques Cr. 3
EDU 51400 - Life Span Development: Birth to Death Cr. 3.
EDU 50300 - Counseling Theories and Techniques I: Humanistic and Existential Cr. 3.
EDU 50100 - Lab/Field Experience Cr. 1
EDU 50400 - Counseling Theories and Techniques II: Behavior and Family Systems Cr. 3.
EDU 56300 - Foundations of Mental Health Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 50100 - Lab/Field Experience Cr. 1
EDU 58000 - Child and Adolescent Counseling Cr. 3
EDU 50500 - Individual Appraisal: Principles and Procedures Cr. 3.
EDU 52400 - Practicum in Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 56700 - Introduction to Marriage and Family Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 52501 - Advanced Counseling Practicum Cr. 3.
EDU 59001 - Research in Counseling and Guidance Cr. 1-3.
EDU 57500 - Multicultural Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 55000 - Internship in Counseling and Guidance Cr. 3-5.
EDU 58000 - Addictions Cr. 3
EDU 53200 - Introduction to Group Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 50100 - Lab/Field Experience Cr. 0
EDU 55100 - Advanced Internship in Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 57000 - Human Sexuality Cr. 3.
EDU 5800 - Career Counseling Cr. 1
EDU 55100 - Advanced Internship in Counseling Cr. 3
EDU 58000 - Contextual Dimensions of Mental Health Counseling Cr. 0-3

School Counseling (54 credits)

EDU 50200 - Professional Orientation and Ethics Cr. 3.
EDU 58000 - Counseling Skills and Techniques Cr. 3
EDU 51400 - Life Span Development: Birth to Death Cr. 3.
EDU 50300 - Counseling Theories and Techniques I: Humanistic and Existential Cr. 3.
EDU 50100 - Lab/Field Experience Cr. 1
EDU 50400 - Counseling Theories and Techniques II: Behavior and Family Systems Cr. 3.
EDU 54200 - Organization and Development of Counseling Programs Cr. 3.
EDU 50100 Lab/Field Experience Cr. 1
EDU 58000 - Child and Adolescent Counseling Cr. 3
EDU 50500 - Individual Appraisal: Principles and Procedures Cr. 3.
EDU 52400 - Practicum in Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 56200 - School Counseling: Intervention Consultation and Program Development Cr. 3.
EDU 52501 - Advanced Counseling Practicum Cr. 3.
EDU 59001 - Research in Counseling and Guidance Cr. 1-3.
EDU 57500 - Multicultural Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 58000 - Professional Seminar in School Counseling Cr. 1
EDU 53200 - Introduction to Group Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 55000 - Internship in Counseling and Guidance Cr. 3-5.
EDU 50100 - Lab/Field Experience Cr. 0
EDU 55100 - Advanced Internship in Counseling Cr. 3.
EDU 55200 - Career Counseling: Theory and Practice Cr. 3.

Student Responsibility