School Counseling M.Ed.

Two students with a school counselor in the library,

 

The Master of Education in School Counseling prepares culturally competent graduates to work as advocates and leaders in preK-12 school settings through the design and implementation of data-driven comprehensive school counseling programs aligned with the ASCA National Model that benefit and support the academic, career and social-emotional development of all students. 

 

** the priority admissions deadline for the School Counseling M.Ed. program is April 15th

in order to be considered for fall admission.**

 

 

Course of Study

Teaching Experience Not Required

Teaching experience is no longer required for school counseling certification in Alabama. As a program that is nationally accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, students are admitted with bachelor’s degrees in education, psychology, social work and a variety of disciplines as well as a breadth of professional experience.

School Counseling Program Primary Educational Goals

The USA Professional School Counseling Program will prepare students to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of school counseling to include history, current trends/issues, role, functions, professional identity, leadership/advocacy strategies, ethical responsibility and laws/legislation
  • Facilitate P-12 students’ growth and development within the framework of the American School Counselors Association’s (ASCA) Mindsets and Behaviors within the domains of academic, career, and social/emotional development)
  • Utilize technology as applied to school counseling
  • Demonstrate cultural competence and responsiveness with all students and their families
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, data driven school counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model
  • Demonstrate effective and meaningful individual counseling, group work, and whole group instruction with diverse students with diverse needs
  • Engage in leadership, advocacy and systemic change efforts on behalf of students.
  • Serve as culturally responsive and empowerment-based consultants with students, families, and school personnel concerning the developmental needs of diverse students
  • Demonstrate skills related to assessment of students, including administration and interpretation of assessment instruments to students, parents/caregivers, teachers, and administrators

School Counseling Course Schedule

▼   Five Semester Progression
Year Fall Spring Summer
Year 1 Principles and Theories of Counseling
Foundations of School Counseling
Seminar in Ethical & Legal Issues in Counseling
Tests, Measurement & Evaluation
Group Counseling Theory & Practice
Counseling Skills & Process
Diagnosis & Treatment Planning
Multicultural Counseling 
Human Growth & Development (Maymester)
Educational Research & Evaluation
Advocacy, Collaboration & Consultation
Child Counseling
Year 2 Data Driven School Counseling
Supervised Practicum in Counseling
Career Development, Assessment & Intervention
Elective
Internship in School Counseling
Advanced Issues in School Counseling
Elective
 
▼   Seven Semester Progression 
Year Fall Spring Summer
Year 1 Principles & Theories of Counseling
Foundations of School Counseling/
Seminar in Ethical & Legal Issues in Counseling
Group Counseling Theory & Practice
Counseling Skills & Processes
Multicultural Counseling
Human Growth & Development (Maymester)
Educational Research & Evaluation
Advocacy, Collaboration & Consultation
Year 2 Tests, Measurement & Evaluation
Career Development, Assessment & Intervention
Supervised Practicum in Counseling
Internship in School Counseling
Diagnosis & Treatment Planning
Advanced Issues in School Counseling
Child Counseling
Elective
Year 3 Data Driven School Counseling
Internship in School Counseling
Elective
   

Program Coordinator:

Amy Upton, Ph.D.
amyupton@fenxiong.net
(251) 380-2664

 

▼   Alumni Spotlight

Jan GayJan Gay is a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida in Counselor Education and Supervision. She graduated from the University of South Alabama’s school counseling program in 2017. Her research interest includes anti-racist school counseling, multiculturalism, social justice and advocacy. Gay has three years of experience as a professional school counselor and 11 years as a clinical social worker. She is a Holmes Scholar, the ACES Graduate Student Representative and a graduate student representative for the International Society for Policy Research and Evaluation in School-Based Counseling.

Gay was a 2020 Counselor Education and Supervision fellow and sits on the editorial board and the Journal of Employment Counseling. Her research in anti-racism includes being a member of a research team that is developing and validating the Decolonizing the Counseling Curriculum Scale, which is designed to examine cultural and antiracist practices within counselor education programs. She is also a member of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision school counseling interest network anti-racism subcommittee research team that is developing a framework for anti-racist school counseling. Gay has six publications in press in counseling journals and currently working on her dissertation that examines predictors for professional school counselors’ advocacy competency. She has received two research grants including the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling Multicultural Assessment and Research in Counseling student grant.