Overview
The master’s degree program offers a curriculum that emphasizes the following core components: professional orientation and ethical practice; social and cultural diversity; human growth and development; career development; helping relationships; group work; assessment; and research and program evaluation. The MSEd in counseling includes two concentration areas: Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling.
School Counseling graduates meet requirements for the Virginia Licensed School Counselor credential. The school counseling concentration prepares graduates to act as systems-change agents throughout K-12 settings in order to address the academic and developmental needs of children, adolescents, and youth. Through the use of experiential and didactic instruction, graduates from the school counseling concentration learn to think systemically, lead effectively, and collaborate with other professionals and stakeholder groups in schools as well as communities. As advocates for children, adolescents, and youth, graduates are encouraged to embrace the belief that school counselors are a major force in closing the achievement gap and that changes in students and programs will be observable, measurable, and impactful. The school counseling concentration includes courses in school climate and culture, counseling children and adolescents, professional issues, and program development. School Counseling students who complete electives in diagnosis, addictions, and family dynamics can also meet the educational requirements for the LPC credential in Virginia.
Admission
Applicants may hold a bachelor’s degree in any field.
Deadlines for Admission
- New students are admitted twice each year and are eligible to begin during fall, spring, or summer semesters.
- Summer or Fall Semesters
- March 1 – Deadline for completed applications
- Spring Semester
- October 1 – Deadline for completed applications
- Application Requirements
For details regarding the application process, criteria used to select students, materials required of applicants, where to send application materials, and taking courses prior to admission as a non-degree graduate student, see the program web site at http://www.odu.edu/chs/academics/m-s-ed-admissionsrequirements.
Curriculum Requirements
A minimum of 60 semester credits is required for the Master of Science in Education - Counseling with a concentration in clinical mental health counseling or school counseling. Toward the conclusion of the program, all students must pass a comprehensive exam. All students are required to take 30 credits of common-core course work. Additional course work in concentration areas is required. All students complete 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship. Students are also required to complete the Responsible Conduct of Research Training (visit the ODU Office of Research webpage for additional information).
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| COUN 601 | Principles of Professional Counseling and Ethics | 3 |
| COUN 631 | Counseling for Lifespan Development | 3 |
| COUN 633 | Counseling and Psychotherapy Techniques | 3 |
| COUN 634 | Advanced Counseling and Psychotherapy Techniques, Crisis, and Trauma | 3 |
| FOUN 611 | Introduction to Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| COUN 645 | Testing and Client Assessment | 3 |
| COUN 648 | Foundations of Career Development | 3 |
| COUN 650 | Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| COUN 655 | Social and Cultural Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 669 | Practicum in Counseling (100 hrs min) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 |
School Counseling Concentration
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| COUN 642 | Structured Counseling Groups | 3 |
| COUN 676 | Professional Issues in School Counseling K-12 | 3 |
| COUN 677 | School Culture, Learning, and Classroom Management | 3 |
| COUN 678 | Counseling Children and Adolescents in School Settings | 3 |
| COUN 679 | School Counseling Program Development K-12 | 3 |
| COUN 668 | Internship in School Counseling (600 hrs minimum) | 6 |
| 9 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 |
Additional Requirements
LPC Electives
Students in the school counseling specialization who wish to pursue the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential in Virginia should include the elective courses COUN 647 (Addictive Disorders), COUN 691 (Family Systems and Family Development), and COUN 685 (Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Mental Health Counseling). A post-master's residency of 3400 supervised hours, plus the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE), are also required for the Virginia LPC.
For more information relating to this program and its requirements, please visit http://www.odu.edu/chs.
