Counseling, School Concentration, M.S.

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The Master of Science in Counseling (MSC) degree provides graduates with the counseling knowledge and skills used in school, clinical mental health, and rehabilitation settings. Students study human development and behavior, individual counseling theory, group theory and dynamics, research methodology, and psychological measurement and evaluation, in addition to courses in individual concentrations-school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and rehabilitation counseling. The Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C) post bachelor certificate program may be taken independently of the master’s degree (applications through Rehabilitation Counseling). The certificate of advanced study in counseling is a post-master’s program for current counselors who are interested in pursuing advanced coursework.

Depending on the MSC concentration, we offer face-to-face, online, hybrid, blended, or any combination of for synchronous and asynchronous course delivery. Course instruction includes a variety of teaching and learning strategies, depending on the nature of the course, such as lectures, group discussion (synchronous and asynchronous), in class exercises, supervised case review, cooperative learning, service learning, guided practice, introspection and critical thinking. In addition to coursework, each student must successfully pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).

The counselor education program holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).

Program Requirements

School Counseling Concentration (60 credits)

The school counseling specialty requires a total of sixty credit hours of coursework. Upon completion, students are eligible for certification from the Maine Department of Education in the area of school counseling, levels K-12. Certified graduates are qualified to become employed in elementary, middle, and secondary schools in Maine. Students are trained to become specialists in the planning and delivery of data driven comprehensive developmental school counseling programs that promote the academic, career, social/emotional development of all children/adolescents. Students in this concentration also learn advocacy and collaboration skills to better serve their student clients in educational environments. Graduates of this specialty are eligible to sit for the National Counselor Examination. The school counseling specialty holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).

Core Courses (36 credits)

Required Concentration Courses (21 credits)

Elective (3 credits)

Certification Note: To receive certification as a school counselor in the state of Maine, students must take an exceptionalities course. This may be an undergraduate or graduate course. This can be taken in place of the elective.

Transfer Credit Policy

A maximum of six credit hours may be approved as transfer credit, provided these credits were earned no more than three years prior to matriculation and grades of B or better were received. Additional transfer credit may be approved by the program chair in exceptional circumstances, including certificates of graduate study program courses. Students who complete the MHRT-C before admission may request up to the 15 credits taken for transfer upon admission to the Rehabilitation Counseling concentration provided they meet approval criteria.

Graduate students in master’s level counseling programs at other accredited universities may transfer into the program if they take their final 21 hours, including the internship requirement, in USM’s counselor education program.