Counseling and Psychology in Education-School Counseling (M.A.)

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Program Overview

If you are pursuing a master’s degree, you may specialize in school counseling or clinical mental health. Our small class size allows you to develop one-on-one relationships with faculty as you gain the necessary skills to serve the educational and mental health needs of children. The program has been accredited by CACREP since 1993. Learn more at usd.edu/cpe.

DELIVERY: On campus

Degree Requirements for Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychology in Education - School Counseling Specialization

The School Counseling specialization is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) under the 2009 standards. The accreditation runs until March 31, 2024. However, the current School Counseling specialization meets the CACREP 2016 standards as required by CACREP.

Total 60 credit hours (non-thesis)

Counseling specialization and supporting courses 60 credit hours

Comprehensive Examination

A comprehensive examination is taken near the end of a student’s program of study and before internship.

Performance Requirements

Retention decisions at all levels require demonstration of consistently high academic and clinical performance. These requirements are in accordance with the Annual Evaluation of Student Progress policies and procedures (see the Counseling Student Handbook), as well as those set forth in the Graduate Catalog. A student’s character, personal, and professional behavior is evaluated during the course of the program. Students must demonstrate qualities of good character consistent with the program’s mission and policies, the ethical guidelines of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Student performance is evaluated bi-annually by Counselor Education faculty. A rating of acceptable or higher on semester evaluations of student progress, including grades of B or higher in all coursework, is required for retention in the program. If retention requirements are met, students are retained under the Guidelines of the Annual Student Evaluation Process.

Note

The program faculty reviews each student’s performance using the minimum grade expectation (3.0 overall grade point average; 3.0 in each of the clinical courses) and other criteria (knowledge, skills, ethical behaviors, and dispositions). These criteria must be met each semester.

Required clinical courses must be completed with no less than a “B” in each course.

School Counseling Specialization: 60 credit hours

COUN 725 - Counseling Issues- Family, Children, and Adolescents 3 cr
COUN 731 - Counseling Issues in Culture, Diversity, and Advocacy 3 cr
COUN 736 - Appraisal Procedures in Counseling 3 cr
COUN 737 - Diagnosis and Intervention in Counseling 3 cr
COUN 740 - Psychopharmacology for the Nonmedical Mental Health Professional 3 cr
COUN 742 - Career and Life Span Development 3 cr
COUN 743 - Foundations of Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders for Professional Counselors 3 cr
COUN 755 - Human Development and Psychosocial Intervention 3 cr
COUN 761 - Counseling Theories & Socio-Cultural Foundations 3 cr
COUN 766 - Group Counseling 3 cr
COUN 770 - Clinical Supervision Training and Ethics 3 cr
COUN 780 - Crisis Intervention in Professional Counseling 3 cr
COUN 786 - Pre-Practicum 1 to 3 cr (3 cr required)
COUN 790 - Seminar (C) -Law and Ethics in Counseling 3 cr
COUN 794 - Internship/Field Experience (M.A.) (C) 1 to 6 cr (6 cr required)
COUN 795 - Counseling Practicum 3 cr (3 cr required)
COUN 862 - Administration of Counseling Services in Educational Settings 3 cr
EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr
Select one of the following courses for 3 credit hours:
SPED 703 - Education of Persons With Exceptional Needs 3 cr
SPED 709 - Special Education Collaboration Or Consultation in the Schools 3 cr
SPED 711 - Educating Students With Cognitive Disabilities 3 cr
SPED 770 - Survey: Early Childhood Special Education 3 cr
SPED 780 - Assessment of Persons With Disabilities 3 cr

School Counseling specialization (Course Rotation)

*School Counseling students are required to take all courses in-person during the first semester.

Counseling and Psychology in Education-School Counseling M.A. (Course Rotation)

General Application Requirements

Completed application
$35 application fee
Official transcripts*
Letters of recommendation*
Statement of purpose
Resume/CV*

*Requirements for admission vary by program and may require different documentation and have different deadlines. This list is not all-inclusive, to view specific program requirements and submission deadlines, follow the “Admissions Information” hyperlink at the top of this page OR visit the specific program/dept. page found here: link.usd.edu/grad-catalog

Program Leading to Professional Licensure

Location Matters. This program allows only on-campus courses during the first semester and is designed to meet the educational requirements for a professional license or certification required for employment in South Dakota. If you intend to apply for licensure or certification outside of South Dakota upon completion of your program, please review and understand the licensure or certification requirements in that state. For more information, visit USD’s Licensure-Track Programs page for links to the USD program websites and state licensure board websites.

This program is authorized to offer supervised field study experiences (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) in South Dakota. Please be aware that there may be some restrictions on your ability to engage in supervised field study outside of South Dakota. If you have questions regarding supervised field study, please contact a program representative.

Questions?

Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education
605-658-6623 | cpe@usd.edu | usd.edu/cpe

Graduate Admissions
605-658-6140 | gradadmissions@usd.edu | usd.edu/grad