Counseling and College Student Personnel
As society has become more complex and the tasks of living more demanding, people in need of assistance have come to rely upon trained specialists who are better able to facilitate the search for self-sufficiency. The complex stresses of today demand that helpers be specialized and highly trained.
The Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel teaches the skills necessary for the professional practice of counseling and college student personnel work. With our emphasis on the personal growth, we encourage each student to gain competencies, values, and beliefs that will enhance and facilitate the helping process. Our program also facilitates the conceptualization of a professional role, which is not only relevant for the present, but also flexible enough to grow as new knowledge and development occurs.
The mission of the Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel, as an entity of Shippensburg University, its Graduate School, and the College of Education and Human Services, is to develop students' academic and personal potential through a comprehensive counselor education program for graduate counseling and college student personnel students.
The department's mission integrates the principles of a meaningful learning environment, professionalism, and individual responsibility. It strives to be a respected leader in the promotion of dignity, acceptance, and collaboration within the Shippensburg University campus environment.
Specifically, it seeks to graduate highly skilled practitioners in counseling and college student personnel by utilizing experiential learning opportunities in an atmosphere of intellectual, investigative, and creative scholarly curiosity. The department nurtures students to become congruent lifelong learners, noble practitioners, and leaders in the profession who embrace inquiry, technology, and innovative practices. Through authentic relationships with invested faculty who model intentional practice based firmly in theory and cultural advocacy, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to be purposeful, effective practitioners with a strong sense of personal and professional identity.
The Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel teaches the skills necessary for the professional practice of counseling and student personnel work. With our emphasis on the personal growth of the trainee, we encourage each student to develop attitudes, values, and beliefs that will enhance and facilitate the helping process. Our program also facilitates the conceptualization of a professional role, which is not only relevant for the present, but also flexible enough to grow as new knowledge and developments occur.
The department offers the following graduate degree specializations in counseling:
- Master of Education degree and certification as school counselors.
- Master of Science degree with specialization in clinical mental health counseling.
- Master of Science degree with specialization in college counseling or college student personnel.
The counseling and college student personnel program is a careful balance of theory with practice. Students are required to complete a minimum of three internships. Over the years, the department has established a variety of sites for experiential learning. These sites include elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, public and private social service agencies, and hospitals. Learning sites are jointly selected with advisement.
Because we are accredited, a student may sit for the certification tests administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors during their final semester. Upon successful completion of the National Counselor Exam, graduates of CACREP approved programs are eligible to become Nationally Certified Counselors without additional supervised experience.
Students who complete 60 credit hours consistent with the Pennsylvania Board of Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists are eligible for licensure as professional counselors; however, they must complete additional post-master's supervisory experience in order to become licensed.
Graduates of this program have successfully obtained positions in elementary and secondary schools as well as in major universities throughout the United States. Other graduates work in mental health agencies, group homes, service agencies, hospitals, and crisis units.
Accreditation and Certification Approval
The Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The department is also authorized by the State Board of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to offer certification programs in School Counseling.
In addition, the College Student Personnel, Mental Health Counseling, College Counseling, and School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA). Accreditation in counseling is closely related to the credentialing process established by the American Counseling Association (ACA). The College Student Personnel program complies with standards promoted by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS).
Generally, the admission procedure requires a full academic semester for processing applications, credentials, references, and the required on-campus interview. Students are encouraged to begin this process at least two full semesters prior to the desired starting date.
Applicants for admission to any area of specialization must meet the requirements for the Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel in addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate study.
Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
Applicants to clinical mental health, college student personnel, and college counseling specializations must present an official undergraduate transcript with a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average or successful completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants to the elementary and secondary school counseling specializations must present an official undergraduate transcript with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAP) scores are not applicable to the elementary and secondary school counseling specializations.
Applicants to all specializations are expected to have a minimum of one year's experience (paid or volunteer) in the area to which they are applying. Each specialization may have additional criteria that applicants must meet in order to qualify for admission into that particular specialization.
Once the completed packet is returned, the Admissions Committee will review the forms and invite successful applicants to the next available on-campus group interview session.
Faculty interviewing the candidate will complete assessment criteria on the applicant's presentation of self, including: maturity, openness, ability to listen, understanding of the profession, clarity of career goals/appropriateness of our program for these goals, ability to deal with stress, and relevant academic/life/work experience.
Following the interview each applicant is assessed by the department faculty and the Department Admissions Committee with regard to the autobiographical statement, résumé, relevant life/academic/work experiences, applicant's recommendations, writing skills, as well as overall impressions from the on-campus interview, to determine admission to the program.
Admission to Candidacy
To become a degree candidate, a student must first complete the common core curriculum required of all graduate counseling students. Then, after consultation with a faculty advisor, he/she will be interviewed for admission to candidacy for the degree. This procedure helps to assure that each admitted student has both the intellectual capacity and the professional commitment to succeed.
To qualify as a candidate for a master's degree in counseling a student must complete a minimum of 48 semester hours of graduate study (60 in the Clinical Mental Health specialization) and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
Graduate work in counseling is divided into three phases and must be completed in order. The sequence of course work within each phase should be adhered to as closely as possible. Frequent consultation with a faculty advisor is necessary.
School Counseling
Specialization leading to the Master of Education degree and certification:
Phase I (27 credits; required for admission to candidacy)
- CNS 504 Introduction to School Counseling
- CNS 515 Career Development
- CNS 519 Implications of Human Development
- CNS 559 Introduction to Helping Services
- CNS 578 Pre-Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 600 Research and Statistics
- EEC 526 Working with Students with Exceptionalities*
- ELP 516 Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction, Pk-12*
- RDG 413 Teaching Reading to English Language Learners*
(*only needed if not PA certified)
All students must complete the three subsets of the PRAXIS 1 PPST (i.e., reading, math, writing,) prior to candidacy.
Phase II (24 credits)
- CNS 505 Organization and Administration of School Counseling Services
- CNS 509 Multicultural Counseling
- CNS 512 Group Counseling Leadership Skills
- CNS 522 Assessment Techniques in Counseling
- CNS 567 Counseling Children
- CNS 573 Theories of Counseling
- CNS 585 Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 588 Counseling Strategies & Techniques
Phase III (6 credits)
- CNS 580 Clinical Field Experience I
- CNS 589 Clinical Field Experience II
Elective Courses (3 credits) Choose one from the following:
- CNS 508 Marital, Couple & Family Counseling
- CNS 510 Drug and Alcohol Counseling
- CNS 524 The DSM and Psychopathology for a Counseling Perspective (Offered Spring only) (Pre-req.: CNS 559)
- CNS 564 Grief and Loss Issues in Counseling
- CNS 570 Working w/Dreams, Sandtray & Music (Offered Summer only) (Pre-req.: CNS578)
Minimum 60 credits
Master of Science Degree
College Counseling
Specialization leading to the Master of Science degree:
Phase I (15 credits; required for admission to candidacy)
- CNS 515 Career Development
- CNS 519 Implications of Human Development
- CNS 559 Introduction to Helping Services
- CNS 578 Pre-Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 600 Research and Statistics
Phase II (27 credits)
- CNS 509 Multicultural Counseling
- CNS 512 Group Counseling Leadership Skills
- CNS 522 Assessment Techniques in Counseling
- CNS 524 The DSM and Psychopathology from a Counseling Perspective
- CNS 560 Introduction to College Personnel Work
- CNS 565 The College Student and the College Environment
- CNS 573 Theories of Counseling
- CNS 585 Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 588 Counseling Strategies and Techniques
Phase III (6 credits)
- CNS 580 Clinical Field Experience I
- CNS 589 Clinical Field Experience II
Minimum -- 48 credits
College Student Personnel
Specialization leading to the Master of Science degree:
Phase I (12 credits; required for admission to candidacy)
- CNS 515 Career Development
- CNS 559 Introduction to Helping Services
- CNS 578 Pre-Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 600 Research and Statistics
Phase II (21 credits)
- CNS 509 Multicultural Counseling
- CNS 512 Group Counseling Leadership Skills
- CNS 522 Assessment Techniques in Counseling
- CNS 560 Introduction to College Personnel Work
- CNS 565 The College Student and the College Environment
- CNS 585 Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 587 Research Seminar in Counseling
Phase III (15 credits)
- CNS 562 Student Personnel Work in Higher Education
- CNS 580 Clinical Field Experience I
- CNS 589 Clinical Field Experience II
- Two electives (course selected with approval of advisor) can be taken an
- Research Project
Minimum -- 48 credits
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Specialization leading to the Master of Science degree:
Phase I (18 credits; required for admission to candidacy)
- CNS 512 Group Counseling Leadership Skills
- CNS 524 The DSM and Psychopathology from a Counseling Perspective
- CNS 559 Introduction to Helping Services
- CNS 568 Professional Orientation to Mental Health Counseling
- CNS 573 Theories of Counseling
- CNS 578 Pre-Practicum in Counseling
Phase II (27 credits)
The following courses must be taken prior to enrolling in Clinical Field Experience I:
- CNS 508 Marital, Couple & Family Counseling
- CNS 510 Drug & Alcohol Counseling
- CNS 585 Practicum in Counseling
- CNS 588 Counseling Strategies and Techniques
The following courses can be taken anytime during the program once the prerequisite requirements have been met:
- CNS 509 Multicultural Counseling
- CNS 515 Career Development
- CNS 519 Implications of Human Development
- CNS 522 Assessment Techniques in Counseling
- CNS 600 Research and Statistics
Elective Courses (6 credits)
- CNS 564 Grief & Loss Issues in Counseling
- CNS 567 Counseling Children
- CNS 570 Working with Dreams, Sandtray & Music (Pre-req. CNS 578)
Phase III (9 credits)
- CNS 580 Clinical Field Experience I
- CNS 589 Clinical Field Experience II
- CNS 590 Advanced Clinical Field Experience
Minimum 60 credits
Faculty
The Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel faculty is diversified in fields of specialization. All have been or are practitioners, and all teaching faculty hold doctorates in their field.
James R. Johnson, Ed.D., dean, College of Education and Human Services
Jan L. Arminio, Ph.D., chair, Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel, University of Maryland
Ford Brooks, Ed.D., College of William and Mary, coordinator of clinical mental health counseling.
Andrew L. Carey, Ph.D., University of Virginia, coordinator of school counseling specializations
Marcy Douglass, Ph.D., College of William & Mary, school counseling.
Kurt L. Kraus, Ed.D., University of Maine, school counseling and mental health counseling.
Rose H. Merrell-James, Ed.D., University of Rochester, school counseling.
Kathryn Newton, Ph.D., Georgia State University, clinical mental health counseling.
Todd Whitman, Ph.D., University of Virginia, school counseling.