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About
The 60-credit Master of Science in School Counseling prepares students for certification as school counselors. The degree includes a core curriculum and specialization courses. The curriculum covers school counseling practice and research, in addition to necessary coursework in human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, helping relationships, group work, career and lifestyle development, appraisal, research and program development, and professional orientation. Practicum and internship experiences provide unique, varied, and intense hands-on school counseling training experiences that meet state certification requirements. The degree satisfies New York State educational requirements for both provisional/permanent and initial/professional certification in school counseling, with SUNY New Paltz recommending graduates for certification. Detailed information on the certification of school counselors in New York is available from the State Education Department (SED) at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert. The degree can be completed full-time in two years, including summer classes. Students may attend part-time, but all degree requirements must be completed within five years after admission to degree candidacy.
Admission
The Counseling Graduate Programs’ Admissions Committee reviews applications. Minimum admissions requirements are as follows:
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
- Minimum grade point average of 3.0 for all undergraduate work with at least a 3.0 average in psychology courses, or strong evidence of recent academic achievement.
- Successful completion of undergraduate General Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods in Psychology.
- Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (General test).
- Completed application for admission to the Master of Science program in Mental Health Counseling.
- One official copy of transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Additional application information for international students.
How to Apply
Students may apply online or via paper application.
* Notice to Persons Who Have Prior Felony Convictions
Curriculum (starting Fall 2018)
60 credits
Counseling Foundations (15 credits)
- COU510 Counseling Theories
- COU515 Counseling Skills
- COU520 Career Development, Counseling, and Assessment
- COU525 Multicultural Counseling
- COU575 Human Growth and Development
Practicum & Internship (9 credits)
- COU535 Practicum in School Counseling
- COU781 Internship in School Counseling 1
- COU782 Internship in School Counseling 2
Professional Practice (15 credits)
- COU545 Group Dynamics and Counseling
- COU550 Couple & Family Counseling
- COU565 Disaster Counseling & Crisis Intervention
- COU570 Substance Use & Addictions Counseling
- SPE565 Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms
Measurement & Diagnosis (9 credits)
- COU610 Research Methods & Program Evaluation
- COU540 Psychopathology
- COU555 Assessment
Professional Identity & Training (6 credits)
- COU501 Ethics & Professional Identity
- COU505 Professional Roles in Counseling
Specialization (3 credits)
- COU585 Contemporary Issues/Title:
- COU561 Evidence Based Assessment/Treatment of Traumatic Stress
- COU562 Assessment & Interventions with Children, Adolescents, and Families
- COU563 Assisting Veterans & First Responders
- COU566 Assisting Vulnerable Populations
- COU567 Grief, Loss, and Bereavement
- COU585 Contemporary Issues/Title:
- EDS546 Conflict Resolution
- EDS581 Issues of Racism & Sexism in Education
- EDS741 Social & Emotional Learning for Social Justice
- SPE761 Families of Children with Disabilities
- SPE750 Collaboration Strategies for Educators
Elective (3 credits)
Mandatory Trainings
- Child Abuse Identification Workshop
- SAVE/School Violence Prevention Workshop
- DASA/Dignity for All Students Act Workshop
- Details on taking these workshops on or off campus.
Curriculum (before Fall 2018)
60 credits
School Counseling Requirement (39 credits)
- COU510 Counseling Theories
- COU515 Counseling Skills
- COU520 Career Development, Counseling, and Assessment
- COU525 Multicultural Counseling
- COU535 Foundations of School Counseling (4 credits)
- COU540 Psychopathology
- COU545 Group Dynamics and Counselingcou545fee
- COU555 Assessment
- COU781 Ethics and Professional Orientation: SC Internship 1 (4 credits)
- COU782 Ethics and Professional Orientation: SC Internship 2 (4 credits)
- SPE565 Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms
- One of these:
- EDS546 Conflict Resolution in Education
- EDS741 Affective Education
Methodology Requirement (3 credits)
- PSY501 ANOVA or PSY503 Correlation and Multiple Regression
- PSY507 Research Methods
Human Growth and Development Requirement (3 credits)
- PSY527 Human Growth and Development
Human Growth and Development Electives (6 credits)
Choose two:
- PSY516 Organizational Psychology
- PSY528 Infancy and Childhood
- PSY529 Adulthood
- PSY531 Middle Childhood and Adolescence
- PSY556 Contemporary Social Psychology
- PSY560 Cognitive Processes
- PSY570 Cognitive Neuroscience
Electives (6 credits)
Two courses to be chosen from the following:
- ANY other three-credit courses from the lists above which have NOT been used to fulfill one of the above requirements
- ANY other three-credit Counseling (COU) or Psychology (PSY) graduate courses not listed above
- Thesis of three or six credits
- ANY of these courses from Education:
- EDS581 Issues of Racism and Sexism in Education
- EDS735 Experiential Workshop Design
- SPE732 Learning Environments for Childhood Learners with Disabilities
- SPE742 Learning Environments for Adolescent Learners with Disabilities
- SPE750 Collaboration Strategies for Educators
- SPE761 Working with Families of Children with Disabilities
Mandatory Trainings
- Child Abuse Identification Workshop
- SAVE/School Violence Prevention Workshop
- DASA/Dignity for All Students Act Workshop
- Details on taking these workshops on or off campus.
