ÐÔÊӽ紫ý

The MA in School Counseling program is designed for people who desire graduate study and preparation for the school counseling profession.

Approved by Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

GSC Mission:

The Graduate School of Counseling is grounded in and shaped by our commitment to an integrated understanding of the Christian faith and mental health that embraces diversity and promotes justice.  We train graduate level mental health professionals who work in community, private practice, and school settings.  Through rigorous academic and clinical training we foster the personal and professional development of students with the goal of promoting relational, psychological, academic, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Graduates will:

• Demonstrate and articulate an understanding of professional identity and ethical practice as professional school counselors that blends the roles of mental health professional and educational leader 
• Demonstrate knowledge and clinical competence of an ecosystemic approach to human growth and development to understand the needs of individuals and systems at all developmental stages and multicultural contexts as it pertains to school counseling
• Demonstrate the awareness, knowledge, and skills to effectively work with all students, K-12, to advance their college and/or career readiness 
• Demonstrate effective group counseling facilitation and development in a multicultural society
• Demonstrate and articulate an understanding of and competence in individual and group approaches to assessments and evaluation as a school counselor
• Demonstrate and apply relevant research methods and understand basic statistical operations in the application and use, from a multicultural context, in the field of school counseling
• Demonstrate reflective and ethical decision-making grounded in the knowledge of relevant legal and ethical codes as well as in an examination of personal values 
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive developmental school counseling program that aligns with the American School Counseling Association’s National Model and advances the mission of the school 
• Demonstrate skills as educational leaders who can effectively advocate with cross-cultural sensitivity for all students’ holistic well-being at individual and systemic levels 
• Demonstrate how to individually and in collaboration with teachers develop and teach engaging guidance-related curriculum that facilitates students’ personal/ social, academic and career development 
• Effectively consult and collaborate with parents and guardians, teachers, administrators, and other school and community members 
• Effectively work with data and technology to advocate for all students, to evaluate and improve program effectiveness, and to advocate for the school counseling profession 
• Articulate how personal faith informs one’s identity and practice as a professional school counselor 
• Articulate knowledge of the contextual components of the helping relationship and the counseling process, demonstrating knowledge in theories, consultation, ethical relationships, and the integration of technology
• Demonstrate application of skill in recognizing one’s own limitations as a professional school counselor (seeking supervision, self-evaluation, and self-care)
• Demonstrate the personal awareness, theoretical knowledge, and clinical skills needed to engage in multi-culturally sensitive individual and group counseling advocacy
• Demonstrate the Conceptual Framework to Think Critically, Transform Practice, and Promote Justice  
• Receive their Oregon School Counselor License and be eligible to pursue licensure as a professional counselor (LPC) in the State of Oregon. LPC Licensure statutes can be found at the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT). These statutes outline requirements for: a) education, b) exam, and c) post-master's experience under supervision.

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. A cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above is required. The undergraduate degree does not have to be in the field of psychology.
• Completed Application Form at apply.georgefox.edu
• $40 non-refundable application fee
• Résumé of work and/or volunteer experience
• Written admission statement addressing the question provided in the Application Form
• One academic reference form and one professional reference form
• An official transcript from each college or university attended
• Group interview with the Admissions Committee. An invitation will be extended to those meeting initial program criteria.

• The Admissions Committee will consider each application item and the group interview as part of the admissions decision.

  Additional requirements for international students are online here.

Up to 18 credit hours from another CACREP Accredited program can be transferred. Credits from Non-CACREP Accredited programs will only be considered as electives.  Program directors will determine the number of transferable credits upon admission into the program. Students must have earned a grade of B or better for a course to be considered for transfer. In addition, only courses taken elsewhere within 10 years of the date of matriculation to the MA in School Counseling program will be considered for transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Of the 62 hours required for the MA in School Counseling program (60 for Track I students), a minimum of 43 hours (41 for Track I students) must be taken in resident study at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý. All work leading to the degree must be completed within seven years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires the approval of the Graduate School of Counseling (GSC) Faculty. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the program. A leave of absence is valid for up to one year after which the student must reapply to the program.

The MA in School Counseling program is generally 2-5 years in length, depending on a student's schedule, with 62 semester hours of course work (60 for Track I students) required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 3 are in spiritual integration coursework, 27 in core counseling courses, 21 in prescribed school counseling core courses (21 for Track I students plus 3 pre-approved elective credits), and 6 clinical internship credits.

Each student must complete the program requirements based on the following verification of teaching license and prerequisite licensed teaching experience:

• Track I is for those students who hold a teaching license and can verify two years of full-time or four years of part-time licensed teaching experience.
• Track II is for those students who do not hold a teaching license or cannot verify two years of full-time or four years of part-time licensed teaching experience.

Each student must complete a minimum of 20 hours of personal counseling/therapy as part of the MA in School Counseling program. Additionally, an ongoing review process serves as a way to assess the student's fit for the program; fit for the profession; emotional, psychological, and intellectual ability; as well as maturity level for functioning safely as a mental health professional. Graduate School of Counseling faculty will review students each fall and spring semester. For more specific information please refer to the student handbook. 

In order to complete the MA in School Counseling program students must:

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 60 semester hours (62 for Track II students) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
• Achieve no grade lower than a B in all courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a required course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook)
• Complete a minimum of 20 one-hour sessions of personal therapy—individual, couples, and/or group (no more than 10 sessions may be in group therapy)—with a licensed therapist
• (Track I only) Complete 3 elective credits prior to Internship that are pre-approved by the School Counseling Program Director
• (Track II only) Complete a minimum of 100 supervised hours in a teaching practicum, including a minimum of 38 clock hours of full responsibility for teaching and classroom management
• Complete a minimum of 600 supervised internship hours, of which at least 240 hours must be direct client contact hours
• Successfully complete the Clinical Portfolio (reading fees are assessed during the final semester of clinical internship), in which the student articulates their current understanding of school counseling and applies the same through an analysis of their counseling practice, an evaluation of their strengths, and a three-year professional development plan