The Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research offers these programs in the Counseling major. Please select the appropriate concentration in the  application system.

All programs are fully accredited by nationally recognized accrediting bodies. The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling concentrations are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Rehabilitation concentrations are accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE).

 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Counseling programs are designed to prepare individuals for entry level positions in the counseling profession in the following areas of knowledge and skills, with attendant attitudes of sensitivity and caring for diverse populations in the region, generally, and the increasing multicultural population in the country as a whole. Following the 8 core competencies outlined by CACREP, the program objectives are to provide students preparation in:

1. Fundamental social/behavioral science theory and research most useful to the counseling professions, including such areas as human development over the lifespan, personality theory, career development, emerging research on visible ethnic populations, and gender differences.  
   • Awareness and Acknowledgement of Cultural Diversity.  As a result of being introduced to a wide variety of learning opportunities both in the classroom and the community, students will acquire: awareness of themselves and others; to include but not limited to cognitive, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the individual and the ability to respectfully incorporate clinical skills that are consistent with and respectful of the cultural dictates of clients.
2. Research and evaluation tools.
3. Counseling and helping skills such as individual counseling, group counseling, assessment, consultation, supervision, and program evaluation.
   • Acquisition of Counseling Competencies. Students are able to accurately demonstrate and document their competencies across the CACREP Standards in a manner that positively reflects on the individual and the counseling professions.
4. Professional identity, role and function of various counseling professions.
   • Professional Identity. Insuring students' professional identity is grounded in ethics and guided by best practice. Students will demonstrate their professional identity by joining and subsequently becoming active in various professional counseling organizations to include but not limited to: the American Counseling Association, the American School Counselor Association, the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, and/or Chi Sigma Iota.
   • Determination of Personal Strengths and Professional Concerns. Students will be able to assess their strengths and professional concerns.  The students will demonstrate his or her skills in a counseling context as they relate to clinical skills, converting counseling knowledge/theories, into best professional practice, advocacy, and social justice.

Applicants are selected during the fall and spring semesters based on their graduate record (where applicable), undergraduate record, Graduate Record Examination results, personal interview conducted by program faculty, a completed goal statement, letters of recommendation that address the applicant's suitability for the counseling profession, ethics, and demonstration of diversity related endeavors.