Counseling, MA

48 credit hours

The counseling program offers students the opportunity to complete coursework for MO K-12 school counselor certification. Graduates of the master’s in counseling program are qualified to work in a variety of schools and other settings.

The Master of Arts in counseling program is intensive and comprehensive, requiring a minimum of 48 credit hours of coursework and applied experience.

Admission to the counseling program school counseling certification preparation (48 credit hours) is selective. To be considered for admission applicants must submit the following:

Evidence of an earned bachelor’s degree
Completed application to Graduate Admissions
Current résumé with 3 professional references
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better at the highest degree awarded

Requirements

Major Coursework

45 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

IPC 51000 - Foundations of School Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 51200 - Ethics and Professional Issues Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 51300 - Principles of School Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 52100 - Human Growth and Development Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 52300 - Adjustment and Learning Issues in Children and Adolescents Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 54100 - Research Methods and Program Evaluation Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 55300 - Theories of Counseling Children and Adolescents Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 56100 - Group Dynamics, Process and Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 56200 - Social and Cultural Foundations of Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 57500 - Family and School Consulting Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 58100 - Appraisal of the Individual Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 58200 - Lifestyle and Career Development Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 58300 - Analysis of the Individual Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 62100 - Field Placement 1 Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 62400 - Field Placement 2 K-12 Credit Hour(s): 3

Elective Coursework

3 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

IPC 52200 - Personality Theories and Psychopathology Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 52401 - Adult Diagnosis and Treatment Planning Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 53100 - Family Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 53200 - Marital Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 54200 - Statistical Analysis Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 56400 - Crisis Intervention Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 56500 - Introduction to Substance Abuse Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 59000-59999 - Special Topics in Counseling Credit Hour(s): 1-6
IPC 61002 - Peer Helping Programs Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 61003 - Spirituality and Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 61004 - Adult Survivors of Trauma Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 61005 - Clinical Hypnotherapy Credit Hour(s): 6
IPC 61006 - Grief Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 61007 - Core Communication Credit Hour(s): 3
IPC 62101 - Field Placement 1 Extension Credit Hour(s): 0
IPC 62201 - Field Placement 2 K-8 Extension Credit Hour(s): 0
IPC 62301 - Field Placement 2 7-12 Extension Credit Hour(s): 0
IPC 62401 - Field Placement 2 K-12 Extension Credit Hour(s): 0

Education Coursework

9 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

Students seeking certification under this degree program must hold a valid Missouri teaching certificate as required to teach in public schools in Missouri or complete the following education classes to be eligible for certification.

The Counseling Department offers a cluster of these three education courses, to be taken concurrently, which requires access to and familiarity with the internet and Canvas. If students elect to take these education courses separately (or have taken one or two equivalent education classes previously), they may take the education classes through another program, such as Curriculum and Instruction. Undergraduate equivalent courses are accepted.

EDC 52100 - Classroom Teaching/Management for Counselors Credit Hour(s): 3
EDC 53500 - Teaching Methods for Counselors Credit Hour(s): 3
EDC 54100 - Education of the Exceptional Child for Counselors Credit Hour(s): 3

Field Placement Requirement

Students in the school counseling track are required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of supervised field placement experience. Field Placement 1 (IPC 62100) requires a minimum of 200 clock hours. Field Placement 2 (IPC 62400) requires a minimum of 200 clock hours. All field placements must be in K-12 settings under the supervision of a certified school counselor with a minimum of 3 years full-time experience as a certified school counselor. A minimum of 100 hours must be spent at an alternative grade level building. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to begin Field Placement 1 or Field Placement 2 and be placed at an approved K-12 site through the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences. Students are expected to earn a grade of A or B in Field Placement (IPC 62100 and IPC 62400 ) in order to graduate. Students will be required to repeat the course if they earn less than a B. If students take an incomplete in IPC 62100 and are unable to complete at least half the required field placement hours, they must enroll in Field Placement 2 K-12 Extension (IPC 62101) for zero credit hours to allow them to attend field placement classes while completing the required hours. If students take an incomplete in Field Placement 2 , regardless of how many hours are needed, they must enroll in IPC 62401 for zero credit hours to allow them to attend field placement classes while completing the required hours. A fee of $50 will be incurred for each extension.

MO K-12 Certification Requirement

If a student was MO certified prior to September 1, 2021 as K-8 or 7-12 certification levels and is seeking to become K-12 certified, they are required to earn 100 hours at an alternative grade level building other than their current certification level. In such cases, students may enroll in a 3 credit-hour IPC 62499 , K-12 bridge course.

Exit Requirements

In order to fulfill degree requirements, each student completes IPC 60500 (Comprehensive Examination) by passing the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA): Missouri Content Assessment, test MO056 MEGA Counselor. During the program, each student will also complete all state required assessments. In addition, each student will purchase and compile an electronic portfolio demonstrating competencies as delineated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education standards, to be completed by the end of Field Placement 2 . Further information regarding exit requirements is provided in the School Counseling Handbook.