Graduate Study in School Counseling
Program Director: Richard Hobbs, MS
This master's program is designed to equip students to become school counselors who lead, advocate and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students. In addition to intellectual understanding, the student will develop proficiency and competence in specific skills of this helping profession. This program encourages emerging skills in trauma-informed practice, transformative leadership, and cultural competence. Students in our program can look forward to this journey of growing personally and professionally as a school counselor with support from the faculty throughout the program. Upon graduation from this program, students will be qualified for certification through the Nebraska Department of Education. Most states have reciprocal certification requirements with Nebraska.
Program Goals
The School Counseling Program is approved by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The program is modeled after the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) national model and aligns with the NDE's endorsement for school counseling.
Admission Requirements
- Completed application and application fee
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- 3.00 GPA (minimum undergraduate)
- One-page resume
- Writing sample: Personal statement on "Why I want to be a school counselor"
- Notarized Convictions Statement and Mental Health capacity forms
- Successful background check
- TOEFL scores for students from countries in which English is not the native language
The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) oversees each teacher education institution in the state. The NDE requires individuals seeking a school counselor certification without a teaching certificate to complete an additional 12 credits of teacher preparation courses. In the absence of a teaching certificate, a student in Creighton’s school counseling program must complete COU 617, COU 618, COU 619, and COU 620.
Internship commences with the student completing all prerequisite coursework and culminates with the student practicing in school counseling settings. A student may not enroll in internship until the core requirements for practicum (or field experience) have been completed. Students who do not plan their course work to accomplish this will need to return during another semester or summer session to complete the degree requirements. Occasionally, a student may have completed a core course on another campus before transferring to Creighton. Even though the credit is accepted in the transfer, the competencies assigned to that course must be demonstrated prior to being permitted to enroll in internship. The internship requires 600 clock-hours on site at a school during normal business hours with a minimum of 240 clock-hours identified as direct, face-to-face service. It is expected that the internship will extend over a two-semester period. The course requirements demand two or more semesters for students who cannot gain released time from their present employment.
NOTE: The Graduate Program in School Counseling is based on the standards identified within the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) national model.
PLEASE NOTE: The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) oversees each teacher education institution in the state. The NDE requires individuals seeking a school counselor certification without a teaching certificate to complete an additional 12 credits of teacher preparation courses. In the absence of a teaching certificate, a student in Creighton’s school counseling program must complete COU 617 Practicum I: Introduction to School Climate and Procedures - Year One, Fall I, COU 618 Practicum 2: Trends in School Policies and Practices - Year One, Fall II, COU 619 Practicum 3: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Year One, Spring I and COU 620 Practicum 4: Differentiated Learning: Instruction, Classroom Management and Special Education - Year One, Spring II.
All degree candidates are required to take the following required courses and choose one track:
Degree Requirements (36 credits):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Year One | ||
| Summer | ||
| COU 613 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 605 | Individual and Program Assessment in School Counseling | 3 |
| Fall I | ||
| COU 604 | Issues in Child and Adolescent Development for School Counselors | 3 |
| Fall II | ||
| COU 603 | Action Research in School Counseling | 3 |
| Spring I | ||
| COU 606 | Theoretical Perspectives in School Counseling | 3 |
| Spring II | ||
| COU 609 | Individual Planning and Counseling Techniques for School Counselors | 3 |
| Year Two | ||
| Summer | ||
| COU 660 | Group Counseling Approaches for Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| COU 663 | Diagnosis and Mental Health Issues in Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| Spring I | ||
| COU 667 | Social Justice and Diversity in School Counseling | 3 |
| Choose from one track below | 9-12 | |
Elementary School Counselor Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COU 664 | Issues in Elementary School Counseling (Year Two, Fall II) | 3 |
| COU 682 | Internship In Elementary School Counseling (Year Two, Fall I) | 3 |
| COU 683 | Advanced Internship in Elementary School Counseling (Year Two, Spring I) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Secondary School Counselor Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COU 665 | Issues in Secondary School Counseling (Year Two, Fall I) | 3 |
| COU 684 | Internship in Secondary School Counseling (Year Two, Fall I) | 3 |
| COU 685 | Advanced Internship in Secondary School Counseling (Year Two, Spring I) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
PK-12 School Counselor Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COU 664 | Issues in Elementary School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 665 | Issues in Secondary School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 682 | Internship In Elementary School Counseling | 3 |
| or COU 684 | Internship in Secondary School Counseling | |
| COU 683 | Advanced Internship in Elementary School Counseling | 3 |
| or COU 685 | Advanced Internship in Secondary School Counseling | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The programs are competence based so that a candidate must demonstrate competency in a number of skills in each course in the counseling core before receiving a satisfactory grade.
Magis Catholic Teacher Corps option (39 credits):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COU 613 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 603 | Action Research in School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 604 | Issues in Child and Adolescent Development for School Counselors | 3 |
| COU 605 | Individual and Program Assessment in School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 606 | Theoretical Perspectives in School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 609 | Individual Planning and Counseling Techniques for School Counselors | 3 |
| COU 660 | Group Counseling Approaches for Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| COU 663 | Diagnosis and Mental Health Issues in Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| COU 664 | Issues in Elementary School Counseling | 3 |
| or COU 665 | Issues in Secondary School Counseling | |
| COU 667 | Social Justice and Diversity in School Counseling | 3 |
| COU 682 | Internship In Elementary School Counseling | 3 |
| or COU 683 | Advanced Internship in Elementary School Counseling | |
| COU 684 | Internship in Secondary School Counseling | 3 |
| or COU 685 | Advanced Internship in Secondary School Counseling | |
| EDU 685 | Magis Capstone: Forming lgnatian Educators | 3 |