Career Counseling, M.A.

Counselor Education - Department of Allied Professions

Career Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling

Dr. Peggy Whiting, Coordinator

Counselor Education Program

Program Telephone:  (919) 530-6182

Fax:  (919) 530-5328

Email:  pwhiting@nccu.edu

Dr. Edward Moody, Chair

Department of Allied Professions

Program Telephone:  (919) 530-5180

Fax:  (919) 530-5328

Email:  emoody@nccu.edu

Graduate programs in Career Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling, offering courses leading to the Master of Arts degree in Counselor Education.

Counselor Education Program Mission

The Counselor Education Program prepares counselors to work in mental health, school, and career counseling settings who promote social justice and responsibility, serve as leaders in a diverse and global community, and respond to the complexity of human needs across the lifespan. Faculty is expected to teach and mentor students, serve the community and counseling profession, and promote intellectual advancement through conducting and disseminating research.

Objectives

The program develops counselors who:

1. Develop a theoretically solid philosophy of practice;
2. Apply knowledge, skills, and dispositions consistent with the ACA Code of Ethics;
3. Formulate a professional identity that responds to the needs of their client populations;
4. Utilize cultural competence in practice;
5. Act with expertise in individual, group, and family counseling with diverse clients on personal, social, emotional, career, and educational issues that impact development across their lifespan;
6. Develop leadership ability and advocate to meet client needs and to remove individual and systemic barriers to development;
7. Build and sustain collaborative partnerships with stakeholders for promoting social justice, equity, and access;
8. Utilize appropriate assessment tools and procedures;
9. Consult with others concerning the developmental needs of culturally diverse clients;
10. Integrate research data into evidence-based practice.

The Counselor Education Program is housed within the Department of Allied Professions in the School of Education and is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is approved by the International Registry of Counselor Education Programs (IRCEP).  Classes are offered in three delivery formats - on-campus, online, and hybrid.  Applicants must complete an online application including transcripts, references, GRE scores, and a professional statement.  A select number of applicants will be contacted for an admission interview before final decisions are made.   All materials must be submitted by February 1st for fall semester admissions.  Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in good academic standing (see University policies on earning grades of C or F).  Financial aid information can be located through the Financial Aid Office.  A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to fully admitted students.

Each of the three concentrations is divided into three phases of courses.  These are sequenced for matriculation through the student’s specific program of study.  Students may opt to complete a thesis for 3 semester hours of credit by enrolling in EDGR 5900 (Phase 3).  The preparation of the thesis should show the capacity of the student under guidance to accomplish independent investigation, and it must demonstrate mastery of the methodology of research.

A brief overview of the three concentrations is as follows:

• The graduate program in Career Counseling is designed to prepare counselors to assist clients in career exploration, career decision-making and career development.
• The graduate program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to give adequate breadth and depth of training to prepare counselors to perform counseling activities in mental health settings.
• The graduate program in School Counseling is designed to prepare counselors to work in K-12 settings.

Letters of recommendation prepared by the counseling faculty will indicate the program in which each student was enrolled (i.e., career counseling, clinical mental health counseling, school counseling) and will describe the nature of the internship which the individual completed (i.e., setting, population served). In addition, program faculty will only recommend individuals for licenses and certificates for which they are qualified by having met the requisite standards.

Curriculum Requirements

Total 48 credit hours

Career Counseling Plan of Study

Phase 1

• CON 5201 - Ethical and Prof Orient to Counseling (3)

• CON 5310 - Theories and Techniques of Counseling (3)
• CON 5331 - Psychosocial Development and Behavioral Dynamics (3)
• CON 5320 - Vocational Theory and Career Development (3)
• CON 5360 - Multicultural and Gender Issues in Counseling (3)
• CON 5351 - Principles and Procedures of Group Counseling (3)

• Advisor Approved Elective (3)

Phase 2

• EDGR 5910 - Introduction to Statistical Methods in Education (3)
• CON 5371 - Pre-practicum Counseling Skills (3)
• CON 5361 - Assessment, Evaluation and Analysis in Counseling (3)
• CON 5373 - Consultative/Referral Processes in Counseling (3)
• CON 5325 - Advanced Career Counseling (3)

Phase 3

• CON 5372 - Supervised Practicum in Counseling (3)
• CON 5390 - Internship in Counseling (3-6)
• EDGR 5920 - Procedures in Education Research (3)

Total Hours: 48