The aim of the School Counseling Program at Concordia University is to prepare school counselors who exhibit high standards of professional competence and ethical practice. Graduate students receive a high quality educational program that emphasizes Christian beliefs. The program also recognizes, values and encourages the development of skills and competencies that will be needed throughout the candidate’s career as a school counselor. Specifically, the School Counseling Program at Concordia University offers training in providing individual and group work as well as development and refinement of skills necessary to work in elementary, middle and high school settings in both public and private schools.
The School Counseling Program is specifically and carefully designed to prepare candidates for work as school counselors in elementary, middle and high school settings. The program of study meets certification requirements of the State of Illinois. Upon completion of the program, candidates are eligible for Type 73 certification (School Service Personnel Certificate K-12) and may be able to sit for licensing as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois.
To be eligible to receive this master of arts degree, students must complete of 48 semester hours of coursework and the capstone experience.
Students who do not hold a standard teaching certificate in the State of Illinois are required to complete the following three courses with demonstrated competencies. These courses are required, cannot be used towards elective requirements in the 48 hour portion of the program and must be completed prior to starting CED-6925 Internship: School Counseling.
Students are provided with an understanding of the nature and needs of persons throughout the lifespan including developmental and multicultural domains. Counseling approaches and issues are discussed in relation to developmental stages. Resiliency factors and ethical issues are applied across the lifespan.
Individual, couple and systems theories of counseling/psychotherapy. Examination of the helping process, client and counselor characteristics that influence the process consistent with current professional research and practice in the field allowing the development of a personal model of counseling.
This course addresses the competencies, attitudes, and skills essential to developing the character and identity of a professional counselor. Foundational and advanced counseling skills and therapeutic interventions examined as they apply to the personal, social and academic realms. Counseling techniques from the major schools and orientations including crisis intervention, multicultural and ethical issues. This course will use role playing and videotaping to fortify burgeoning skills and interventions.
Will provide an understanding, both theoretical and experiential, of school counseling groups for grades K-12. The purpose, development, dynamics, theories, methods, skills, ethics, and other group approaches in a multicultural society will be covered. Students will experience and participate as group members in small group activities. Prerequisite: CED-6010 and CED-6015.
Historical, current and expected uses of testing and assessment procedures in educational settings. Statistical concepts, ethics and ethical factors in the appropriate use of various assessment techniques and tools with emphasis on benefits and limitations.
History, purpose, principles and methods of assessment; techniques and instruments employed in measuring abilities, achievement, interests, and personality; statistical procedures, limitations of measurement, especially among children. Relationship of assessment to the objectives of the school and counseling procedures.
Introduces students to the importance of research methods and program evaluation in advancing the counseling profession. Identifying and reading research, critically evaluating results, analyzing and using data to enhance program quality.
Introduces the purpose, methods, and ethics for conducting and interpreting research in psychology and behavioral sciences. Emphasis on understanding research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment and program evaluation allowing the development of necessary knowledge to critique research studies.
Addresses the competencies, attitudes and skills essential to the developing character and identity of a professional counselor. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of ethics and applicable laws in the profession of counseling as well as allowing them to examine their own moral values. Prerequisite: CED-6000.
Training, role and professional identity of counselors and other professions in the helping profession. Professional organizations, publications, certification and licensing. Roles and functions of counselors in various settings. Ethical and legal issues in counseling.
Assessment and therapeutic treatment of diverse populations with special emphasis on understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural society. Emphasis on specific problems associated with age, race, disability, religious preferences, etc., and how these affect the counseling relationships.
Career counseling approaches through the lifespan. Developmentally appropriate career programming in educational and agency settings. Occupation information sources and self-awareness emphasized.
Examination of the role and function of the school counselor in a comprehensive school counseling program. Emphasis on developmental counseling and the components of an effective developmental school counseling program. Discussion of school counseling, historical roots, present and future trends. Role of counseling in total education program.
Counseling and consulting strategies used by counselors in the school setting for academic, career and personal/social issues. Examination of specific problems of children and adolescents.
Any graduate level course chosen in consult with your advisor
On-site and campus-based experiences in school counseling designed to introduce the student to the various functions of school counseling. Students should consult the School Counseling Practicum and Internship manual for additional information and requirements. Prerequisite:Completion of 24 semester hours in the program.
Supervised experience in one or more schools to acquire competence in the full range of counseling and guidance services, integrated with an on-campus classroom component designed to synthesize theory and practice. Students should consult the School Counseling Practicum and Internship Manual for additional information and requirements.Prerequisites: CED-6920 and all other specifically required courses.
The School Counseling Program is designed to prepare candidates who are competent school counselors in the elementary, middle and high school settings. The program will enable students to:
In addition to the overall objectives of the counseling department and its programs, candidates will acquire the following knowledge and competencies in the School Counseling program:
School sites that have provided clinical experiences for our school counselors have been at more than 150 locations. Following is a listing of participating schools in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as an alphabetical listing by school name.