Counseling and Human Services: School, MA

The Department of Counseling and Human Services offers a Master’s degree in Counseling with an emphasis in School Counseling. The School Counselor training program meets the licensure requirements of the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and is accredited by CACREP based on national standards for the preparation of school counselors. In accordance with these standards, the school counselor program requires the completion of a 60 semester hour program. School Counselor students will complete the same foundational coursework as the Clinical Mental Health Counselor students and may be eligible for licensure as a Colorado Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Post-master’s degree supervised counseling experience and successful completion of the National Counselor Examination is currently required for the license eligibility. It is strongly recommended by the Departmental faculty members that school counselors seeking the LPC credential take additional course work in psychopathology and diagnosis, clinical mental health counseling, and complete supervised field experiences specific to community counseling. Students graduating from the School Counselor program will also be immediately eligible to apply for National Certified Counselor (NCC) recognition and are encouraged to do so.

School counselors in Colorado have licensed Professional Special Services personnel who work in school settings with students, parents, educators, and others within the community. They may be licensed as Elementary School Counselors, Secondary School Counselors, or K-12 School Counselors. School Counselors design and manage comprehensive developmental guidance programs to help students acquire skills in the social, personal, academic, and career domains necessary for living in a multicultural society. School counselors accomplish this by employing interventions including guiding and counseling students individually or in small groups and by providing information through classroom guidance. School counselors contribute to the development of effective learning environments through student advocacy, facilitating systemic change, and consultation and collaboration with others. Teaching experience is not a requirement for the Colorado school counselor license.

Application and Admissions Requirements

Please visit our website for admissions information.

Course Requirements

Foundation Courses - 18 Credit Hours

Foundations in Professional Counseling - 18 Credit Hours

COUN 5510 and 5520 are designed to be taken concurrently.

The School Counselor in the School System - 15 Credit Hours

Electives - 9 Credit Hours

As the Department transitions to a sixty-semester hour program, students will be offered an array of elective courses.
These courses may be selected to complement the student’s required coursework and/or professional career objectives. Students will select two electives if they desire to graduate with a 60-semester hour master’s degree.

Advanced Certificate: Counseling and Human Services

The Department of Counseling and Human Services offers a 24 credit-hour, advanced, post master’s certificate for current school or clinical mental health practitioners.

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) are required to complete 20 continuing education hours per licensing cycle and school counselors who are on a graduate pay scale may use this coursework toward these requirements. Additionally, the four core courses (12 credits) align with current CACREP requirements for CACREP-accredited doctoral programs. Students may take between one to three courses per semester.