School Counseling, M.Ed.

Program Description

The School Counseling Program is a 60 semester-hour M.Ed. graduate program designed to prepare candidates for licensure as counselors in an elementary, middle, or high school setting. The program meets Ohio Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards for school counselor education programs.

If an applicant already has a master’s degree and is seeking only licensure as a school counselor, it is possible to be admitted to a post-master’s licensure program. Please see the bulletin page for Post-Master's School Counseling Licensure Pathway.

Program Learning Goals

Students will:

1. Identify as a school counselor who is knowledgeable about the history and development of the school counseling profession, is aware of the challenges facing the profession, and is prepared to advocate for the profession.

2. Plan a developmentally appropriate school-counseling program that supports academic, personal/social, and career development. The program should be modeled on the ASCA standards and should take into consideration the specific needs of a particular school setting.

3. Communicate, collaborate, and consult with school-age students, their families, school staff, and community agency representatives to promote a safe, healthy, and effective learning environment.

4. Implement a system of ongoing program evaluation by establishing a framework for record-keeping and continuous feedback from program stakeholders.

See also the CACREP  Standards.

Note: The Graduate School Learning Outcomes also apply to students in this program.

Admission Criteria for Degree Programs

• An undergraduate major in a recognized area.

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for the role of counselor are required. Ideally, these letters will come from former professors and/or employers who can comment on the suitability of the applicant for graduate study.

• A letter of intent from the applicant outlining career objectives and goals. The letter should be 400-600 words in length. It will be evaluated for content and grammatical and mechanical correctness. 

• Resume which includes both work and volunteer experience. 

• Applicants must participate in an interview process that may include: 

  • A writing sample composed in response to a provided written prompt.

  • An individual interview.

On-campus group interviews may be scheduled during each semester. Applicants will be notified of the date when they apply. The letters of recommendation, letter of intention, and resume should be submitted to the Office of Graduate School.

No application will be evaluated until all of the materials listed above, along with a Graduate Application form and appropriate official transcripts, are submitted.

The Department of Counseling accepts applications on a rolling basis. For best consideration, applications should be received by May 1 for fall semester and February 1 for summer semester. Applicants applying for graduate assistant positions should submit all materials for admission by the February 15 deadline.

The application material will be evaluated by the admissions committee. Possessing the minimum admission requirements, e.g., a 3.0 GPA, does not guarantee admission.

Retention Criteria

The unique interpersonal nature of the counseling profession requires that counseling students should be evaluated for their fitness as counselors. This comprehensive evaluation focuses on assessing the student’s academic achievement, the student’s demonstration of the personal dispositions needed in order to be an effective counselor, and the student’s adherence to the ethical standards of the profession defined by either the ACA (American Counseling Association) or the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) code of ethics.

If a student is found to be deficient, a concern conference will be held with the student in order to implement a remediation plan. If, after attempts at remediation, the student is still demonstrating inappropriate behaviors, or not achieving at an appropriate academic level, the student will be asked to leave the program. More detailed information about the department’s retention criteria can be found in its Graduate Student Handbook. Students should also review the Policies and Procedures section of this Bulletin.

Assessing students in this way is a requirement of both the major counseling accreditation body, CACREP, and the Ohio Department of Education.

Required Courses

Core Sequence

School Counseling Sequence

Field Experience Sequence

Electives

Nine credits of electives should be selected in consultation with advisor.

Subtotal: 9

Substance Use Disorders Concentration*

*Students who complete the Substance Use Disorders Concentration and appropriate field experience may be eligible for licensure as an LCDC-III or as an LICDC.

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration**

**Students who complete the ABA Concentration will have basic level knowledge of behavior change procedures, but the Concentration does not make students eligible for licensure in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Applied Sports & Mental Performance Concentration***

Required Concentration Courses:

Concentration Elective (Choose 1):

***Concentration offers a pathway toward becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), equipping students with foundational skills required for certification, though the concentration itself does not grant the CMPC credential.

Candidates who wish to become licensed as school counselors in Ohio must complete an internship (CG 5598) at a school site acceptable to John Carroll University with the approval of the school system involved. The internship consists of 600 contact hours over a minimum of at least two semesters. At least 240 of the intern’s 600-hour requirement shall be in direct counseling service to children under the supervision of both a licensed school counselor with at least two years of experience as well as a University internship instructor.

To qualify for Practicum (CG 5591), a student must receive a grade of B- or greater in Counseling Techniques and Practice (CG 5562). A student who has not received a B- or greater in CG 5562 after taking the course twice may be dismissed from the program. Applications for Practicum (CG 5591) must be submitted no later than October 1 for the spring semester of March 1 for the fall semester. The intern must later register for Internship (CG 5598), complete a detailed case study and presentation both semesters of CG 5598, and demonstrate progressive attainment of skills and experience commensurate with what would be expected of a school counselor.

Candidates are carefully reviewed in their work and evaluated during their entire internship experience. The Master of Education degree is conferred upon the satisfactory completion of the above courses, submission of logged contact hours during Practicum and Internship, and a Master's Comprehensive Examination.

The candidate must also successfully pass all applicable sections of the State of Ohio assessment for licensure as a school counselor.

Accelerated Dual Degree Program (B.S./M.Ed.) - Psychology and School Counseling

The Accelerated Dual Degree Program between Psychology and Counseling is designed for students who wish to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Education degree in School Counseling. Undergraduate students may apply for admission to the accelerated dual degree program during their junior year and must be on track to satisfy the undergraduate credit requirements outlined for the dual degree program by the conclusion of their junior year. For students who are accepted, up to nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level coursework for the School Counseling program will be completed during their fourth year and will count toward combined undergraduate/graduate requirements.  Upon completion of 120 undergraduate credit hours, students will earn their B.S. in Psychology. Upon completion of the dual degree program, students will earn their M.Ed. in School Counseling and will be eligible to become Licensed School Counselors through the Ohio Department of Education.

Accelerated Dual Degree Program Courses Taken to Satisfy Undergraduate Graduation Requirements*

*These courses will be taken in a student's fourth year as they transition to only taking Counseling courses. CG 5360 and CG 5435 will be crosslisted with existing courses offered through the Department of Psychology. Successful completion of those courses will satisfy the Department of Counseling requirements for CG 5561 and CG 5530, respectively.

Program Faculty