Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Education

Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a Concentration in School Counseling

Core courses

• Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice in Counseling
• Theories of Counseling
• Techniques of Counseling
• Group Procedures in Counseling
• Career Information and Exploration
• Assessment Techniques for Counselors
• Multicultural Counseling in Educational Settings
• Wellness Counseling
• Lifespan Development: A Gender Perspective
• Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling
• Addiction Counseling
• Mental Disorders, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
• Research Methods in Education

Elective

• Approved elective

Concentration courses

• Practicum: School Counseling
• Data-driven Comprehensive School Counseling Programs
• School Counseling Services
• Internship
• Democracy, Equity and Ethics in Education

Comprehensive Exam

A final, comprehensive examination is required of all degree candidates. In order to be eligible to take the comprehensive exam, students must have completed CLED/EDUS 615 and EDUS 660 and all counseling core courses (excluding Practicum and Internship). Students are exempt from these requirements if they are graduating in the semester in which the exam is given. Students must be enrolled during the semester in which they take the exam.

The comprehensive exam is a nationally standardized exam for counselors-in-training. It consists of 160 questions. There are 20 items in each of the following areas:

• Human growth and development: studies that provide an understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels.
• Social and cultural foundations: studies that provide an understanding of issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society.
• Helping relationships: studies that provide an understanding of counseling and consultation processes (Theories and Techniques).
• Group work: studies that provide an understanding of group development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods and skills, and other group work approaches.
• Career and lifestyle development: studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors.
• Appraisal: studies that provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.
• Research and program evaluation: studies that provide an understanding of types of research methods, basic statistics, and ethical and legal considerations in research.
• Professional orientation and ethics: studies that provide an understanding of all aspects of professional functioning including history, roles, organizational structures, ethics, standards and credentialing (based on the ACA Code of Ethics).

The comprehensive exam is given two times per year: on the first Saturday in October and on the third Saturday in March (dates are subject to change if there is a conflict with university holidays).

Counselor education core outcomes

• Students will obtain theoretical knowledge grounded in research and reflective of current national and state standards in the areas of individual and group counseling, human development, multicultural counseling, wellness, and career counseling.
• Students will develop the skills and knowledge to support and enhance students’ and clients’ resiliency from a multicultural framework.
• Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills to be critical consumers of research in their roles as counselors.
• Students will develop and demonstrate advocacy, social justice and leadership skills through their professional development and extracurricular learning activities.
• Students will continue their personal and professional development by adhering to the professional ethical codes of professional counseling organizations and the counselor education program dispositions.

School counseling concentration specific outcome

• Students will demonstrate competency in counseling, assessment, program evaluation and consultation skills in K-12 school settings.