843-953-5097
schoolofeducation@citadel.edu
http://www.citadel.edu/root/counselor-education

Dr. Tara Hornor, tara.hornor@citadel.edu
Dr. Guy Ilagan, gilagan@citadel.edu
Dr. Aaron H. Oberman, Program Coordinator aaron.oberman@citadel.edu
Dr. George T. Williams, williamsg@citadel.edu

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has granted accreditation to The Citadel School Counseling Programs which offer Master of Education degrees in Counselor Education since July 2005. 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Counselor Education Programs at The Citadel is to prepare elementary and secondary school counselors to have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be principled educational leaders who are knowledgeable, reflective, and ethical professionals, committed to the provision of an educational environment focused toward a learner-centered education.

The Division of Counselor Education offers seven program options: M.Ed. in Elementary School Counseling, M.Ed. in Secondary School Counseling, Elementary School Counseling Certification only, Secondary School Counseling Certification only, M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership, and Graduate Certificates in Student Affairs and Higher Education Leadership.

Admission Requirements

Applicants from diverse academic, social, and cultural backgrounds committed to advancing the profession of school counseling are encouraged to apply. Applicants who do not meet a specific requirement (e.g., GPA), but show strength in other requirements will be considered on an individual basis. Admission is not based on any single factor, but on a composite assessment of the application materials.

1. Completion of the online graduate application along with the non-refundable application fee.
2. Submission of an official transcript directly from each accredited college or university from which a degree has been earned. Applicants are expected to have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average.
3. Submission of a detailed personal statement (1,500 - 3,000 words) which informs the faculty about the applicant’s personal and educational background and strengths/weaknesses, as they are related to career goals, aptitude for graduate level study, potential for success as a counselor, and respect for cultural differences.

Prior to meeting with an advisor, each student should become familiar with the current applicable semester’s class schedule, The Citadel Graduate College catalog, and the Division of Counselor Education Handbook. Students are also expected to attend Counselor Education Town Hall Gatherings each semester.

Students must be initially advised in order to register and to plan a schedule for completion of required courses. This plan of study takes into account the prerequisites and sequencing of coursework for successful completion of the program.

Coursework taken prior to official program admission or coursework taken in other programs does not count toward the school counseling program/degree without written approval from the faculty advisor and the Dean of the School of Education.

Admission Requirements for Certification Only

Applicants who hold a master’s degree in another area of professional education or counseling, but wish to add school counseling certification (elementary or secondary), must provide the same admission materials.

Division of Counselor Education Handbook

All prospective and enrolled School Counseling and College Student Affairs Specialists students are expected to read the latest edition of The Citadel, Zucker Family School of Education, Division of Counselor Education Handbook online at: https://www.citadel.edu/counselor-education/forms/

Program Objectives

1. Reflect current knowledge and positions from lay and professional groups concerning the counseling and human development needs of a pluralistic society;
2. Reflect the present and projected needs of a pluralistic society for which specialized counseling and human development activities have been developed;
3. Reflect input from all persons involved in the conduct of the program, including program faculty, current and former students, and personnel in cooperating agencies;
4. Are directly related to program activities; and
5. Are written so that they can be assessed.

Graduates of the Counselor Education Programs are expected to possess:

• An understanding of counseling as an intervention that contributes to the ability of individuals to respond effectively to developmental issues and tasks;
• An understanding of leadership for learner-centered education as a conceptual framework;
• An understanding of the counseling process;
• An ability to integrate theory and research into practice;
• A commitment to preventive, developmental approaches as the keystone of school counselor identity and practice;
• An understanding of how historical, philosophical, and political influences have shaped and affected the development of counseling practice;
• Effective oral and written communication skills;
• Skills to work in a rapidly changing and diverse society including differences as gender, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and religion;
• Skills required to work effectively with students’ parents, teachers, school staff, and the community;
• An ability to assist clients in responding to stresses and crises generated by changes in family, personal relationships, the school, and the community;
• Skills needed to effectively use technology;
• Leadership qualities in education at the local, state, regional, and national levels;
• A commitment to lifelong personal and professional development; and
• An ability to model the highest professional and ethical standards through counseling, guidance, research, and service.

The School Counseling Programs have also been designed to produce graduates who are able to demonstrate the competencies identified in The South Carolina System for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching (ADEPT) Performance Dimensions (PDs) for School Guidance Counselors (October 2003) as they relate to “Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling” that include:

• APS 1: Long-Range Planning
• APS 2: Short-Range Planning of Guidance and Counseling Activities
• APS 3: Development and Use of Assessments
• APS 4: Providing Guidance and Counseling Services
• APS 5: Providing Consultation Services
• APS 6: Coordinating Guidance and Counseling Services
• APS 7: Professional Responsibilities

Counselor Education Program Requirements

Students in either the elementary or secondary school counseling program complete both a School of Education core and a Counseling core for a total of 60 credit hours. Part of the coursework includes a 600 clock-hour internship (internship I and II) in either an elementary (K-8) or a secondary (6-12) school counseling settings. Students are required to earn a minimum score of 156 on the PRAXIS II (the Professional School Counselor) test for guidance and counseling prior to enrolling in the practicum (EDUC 629 ). This must be on file at The Citadel Graduate College.

Transfer of Credits

Counselor Education M.Ed. degree applicants may transfer a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate coursework taken at other accredited institutions. 

Field Experience Requirements

Counselor Education students must formally request permission from the faculty advisor or clinical coordinator to enroll in practicum or internship. This request is submitted in the form of an application for field experience, which must be completed during the term prior to the field experience. The clinical coordinator of the field experiences must approve all field experience applications, which are due by the last Friday in September for spring placements and by the last Friday in January for fall placements.

Practicum is the first extended field experience. Students are placed in a school site and work under the supervision of a site supervisor as well as The Citadel instructor. Students are required to spend a minimum of 100 clock-hours in a public school setting as well as attend weekly seminars with other practicum students and The Citadel instructor. Additionally, the Praxis II test score for Professional School Counselor must be on file at the office for The Citadel Graduate College prior to application for a practicum placement.

Counselor Education students must complete all coursework before placement in an internship setting. Students will be required to spend a minimum of 600 supervised hours in a school setting for internship. The focus of the internship is on experiences that involve the full scope of the school counselor’s role and function. Interns are expected to continue the development of skills in individual and group intervention, participate in classroom guidance, assessment, scheduling, records and other activities that, while not specifically counseling-related, are necessary to support the school counseling and guidance program. The field site supervisor, as well as The Citadel instructor, supervise interns.

Requirements for Graduation

Students pursuing M.Ed. degrees in Counselor Education must complete all course requirements within a 6-year period from the date of initial enrollment. It is a student’s responsibility to initiate a meeting with a faculty advisor to modify a study plan schedule and to have any changes documented in writing with the faculty advisor’s signature.

Students are required to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) while enrolled in the Internship I course (i.e., EDUC 650  and EDUC 651 ). Students considering becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) are encouraged to take the CPCE and earn a passing score determined by The Citadel Counselor Education program norms.

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling students are required to present their professional electronic portfolio at the end-of-the-semester Counselor Education Professional Portfolio Presentation Day(s) prior to completion of the Internship II course (i.e., EDUC 652  and EDUC 653 ).