The School Counseling Program consists of a 60-credit Master of Science in Education degree, which prepares counselors-in-training for fulfilling the roles of the urban school counselors serving elementary, middle, and high school students in grades K-12 in the areas of academic, personal/social, and career development, according to the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA’s) new vision. The specific roles of the school counseling professional are outlined in the ASCA Website.
School counselors-in-training are encouraged to join this professional organization, which includes a variety of professional development opportunities, subscriptions to relevant journals, and affordable student malpractice insurance, the purchase of which is a program requirement: schoolcounselor.org/ . The School Counseling Programs consist of 16 graduate courses, 3 of which involve supervised field experiences, and completion of the CPCE as the required exam. This is a CACREP-accredited program and it fulfills the NYS academic requirements for professional certification as a school counselor. CACREP standards for school counseling professionals are found at this website. For information on requirements for New York State professional certification for school counselors, please visit the New York State Department of Education website.
- Degree Type
- MSEd
- Area of Interest
- Education
- Associated Colleges or Schools
- Program Location
- Queens Campus
- Required Credit Hours
- 60
School Counseling Program Objectives
- To educate professional School Counselors about the roles to be effective leaders, team members and collaborators, systemic change agents and advocates in the profession to improve the quality of education and access for all students.
- To educate professional School Counselors about models of comprehensive school counseling programs so as to develop activities for a school counseling program based on the American School Counseling Association model
- To train professional School Counselors to utilize data to develop comprehensive, accountable counseling programs that address the academic, career and social-emotional needs and development of all students.
- To prepare skilled and multiculturally competent school counselors who are capable of identifying and responding to the needs of diverse clients by providing a wide range of guidance and counseling services for children, adolescents and their parents.
- To train professional school counselors to explore community resources, referral sources, and legal and ethical considerations specific to school counseling.
Admissions
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with undergraduate scholastic achievement indicating reasonable assurance of success in work for an advanced degree. Normally this will be a “B” (3.0) in the general average and in the major field.
- A minimum of 18 credits in the behavioral and social sciences and/or professional education courses. Students who do not fully meet this requirement will need to make up deficit credits by completing course work in those areas in addition to the usual program requirements
- Two letters of recommendation from college instructors or field supervisors;
- The interest, ability, and personality to function successfully in the field of school counseling
- A one-to-two-page personal essay outlining the reason the applicant has decided to pursue a graduate degree in professional counseling and why they have selected their counseling specialty, including prior work experience and future career goals.
- Graduate Record Examination is no longer required.
Graduate Admissions
718-990-2304
[email protected]
Advanced Certificate applications in counseling are available for Spring Only, Master's admission in counseling is Fall only.
CACREP Accredited
The School of Education's School Counseling program is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP is a programmatic accreditor of counseling education programs at colleges and universities in the United States. It is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Courses
Download the program planning sheet (PDF).
- 6122: Orientation to Counseling
- 6205: Group Dynamics
- 6264: Counseling Skills & Technique
- 6262: Assessment in Counseling
- 6206: Psychosocial Development
- 6307: Research in Counseling
- 6595: Organization & Adm. of Pers. Serv.
- 6305: Practicum in School Counseling
- 6530: Multicultural Counseling
- 6650: Consultation & Evaluation
- 6208: Counseling & Personality Theory
- 6301: Career Development
- 6207: Developmental Counseling in Schl
- 6590: Internship in School Counseling I
- 6591: Internship in School Counseling II
- 9711: Education of Except. Individual
Career and Program Outcomes
School counselors provide a number of responsive services for students in grades K-12, including directly- and indirectly-delivered services such as individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, career/college counseling and academic advisement, transition planning, and facilitating peer mentoring programs, among many other services. School counselors focus on the three domains of students’ development, i.e. academic, personal/social, and career. They work in collaboration with other educators and school professionals, school administration, parents, and community to deliver responsive services in accordance with ASCA’s new vision for school counselors, which can be found on the ASCA Website: schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles. CACREP also outlines the objectives for school counseling programs, and these can be reviewed on the CACREP Website: cacrep.org/section-5-entry-level-specialty-areas-school-counseling/.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), the job outlook for school counselors is expected to grow 8% (as fast as average) from 2014-2024. For more information on the work environment, training, and other components of the job, visit the OOH website: bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for School Counselors in 2015 was $53,660, with a range of $32,280 – 87,640. For more information on salary, employment, and geographic outcomes for mental health counselors, visit the BLS website: bls.gov/oes/current/oes211014.htm
New York State requires school counselors to hold a New York State certificate in order to be employed in the State’s public schools. The certificates are issued by the Office of Teaching Initiatives. For detailed information regarding these certificates visit this website: highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/certprocess.html. The master’s degree from the School Counseling Program fulfills the educational requirement for provisional and permanent certification.
Students admitted to our Counselor Education programs are highly successful in the classroom. The majority of our students are eligible to join our counseling honor society, indicating that they have an academic GPA of 3.5 or higher (see “Current Students” for more information on our honor society). In recent years, the Counselor Education program has had 100% passing rate on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), a national exit exam required for graduation. St. John’s University’s Counselor Education program also participates in the Graduate Student Option for the National Counseling Exam (NCE). Many of our students decide to take this optional national counseling exam offered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). Reports from NBCC indicate that St. John’s students enjoy a nearly 100% passing rate on the exam, which allows them to utilize the title, Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) upon graduation. Several states (although not New York) utilize the NCE as their counseling licensing exam. Thus students who take and pass the NCE while at St. John’s have an opportunity to expand their job and licensure opportunities in other states. More information about student outcomes can be found in the School Counselors Coordinator’s Report (PDF) and the Bilingual School Counselors Coordinator’s Report.
Current Student & Supervisor Information
Current students are responsible for reviewing the following information.
- Counselor Education Student Handbook: Before beginning your academic program, students must review the Counselor Education Student Handbook (PDF). Students will be required to sign a verification document indicating that the handbook was reviewed.
- School Counseling Practicum and Internship Handbook (PDF): School Counseling students will typically begin their field experiences in the second semester where they will take their practicum class. It is imperative that this handbook be read prior to registering for the practicum as it contains information about the roles and responsibilities of students and supervisors.
Thank you for agreeing to host a St. John’s CMHC student at your field placement site, including internship and/or practicum. The student should have provided you with the following items prior to their starting field work.
- Practicum and Internship Site Supervisor Manual (PDF): This manual outlines St. John’s University’s protocols and practices regarding supervision in Counselor Education. The manual also provides an overview and training in various types of supervision models.
- Site Supervisor Training for Internship & Practicum Supervisors (PDF): This document is a PowerPoint slide show that corresponds to the Practicum and Internship Site Supervisor Manual.
- Site Supervisor Verification form (PDF): This form must be completed by the site supervisors for each semester that they host a field placement student. This form verifies that the site supervisor has received the training information outlined in the Practicum and Internship Site Supervisor Manual and Site Supervisor Training for Internship & Practicum Supervisors. Signed verification is required for our CACREP compliance.
Site supervisors may also be interested in reviewing the Stakeholders Report or the School Coordinator’s Reports for information on program and alumni outcomes.
Sigma Tau Upsilon Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, Counseling Honor Society
St. John’s University’s Counselor Education program hosts a vibrant and active chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, a national counseling honor society. Our university chapter is the Sigma Tau Upsilon Chapter. Information on CSI events is posted on the CSI bulletin board next to the elevator on the G Level of Sullivan Hall. Information and events can also be found on our Sigma Tau Upsilon Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota social media sites including a LinkedIn© page, Facebook© group, and Instagram © account. For more information, contact the CSI chapter advisor, Dr. Robertson at [email protected].
Events and Activities
St. John’s University’s Counselor Education program hosts in a variety of events throughout the academic year, including social events, professional development events, advocacy events, and CSI events. Examples of student events during the last year include: hosting a Crisis Intervention workshop on campus, hosting a Substance Abuse in Adolescence workshop in conjunction with the American Counseling Association of New York (ACA-NY), attending state counseling conferences with faculty including the New York Mental Health Counselors Association (NYMHCA) and the New York State School Counselors Association Conference (NYSSCA), walking in the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) NYC Metro Walk, as well as the Overnight Walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Other events included bake sales, t-shirt sales, end of the year socials, and comprehensive examination preparation workshops with alumni involvement. For information on Counselor Education program events, see the bulletin boards on the Ground Level of Sullivan Hall, including the CSI board, the School Counseling board, and the Mental Health Counseling board. Information is also disseminated via faculty to their classes, posted in Sullivan G-6 and Sullivan G-9, as well as on the Sigma Tau Upsilon Chi Sigma Iota Chapter’s social media pages.
Success at St. John's
Double Alumna Enjoys Lifelong Connection to Outreach Center
When Grace Pigott ’19C, ’23GEd was a little girl, her grandmother brought her to the St. Mother Teresa Outreach Center located in St. Martin of Tours Parish in Bethpage, NY, to volunteer. Today she serves as Social Ministry Coordinator at the parish and is responsible for the smooth operation of the center, which provides food and other necessities to members of the local community.
Grace Pigott ’19C, ’23GEd The School of EducationHighlight
Faith was always central to her family’s life, Ms. Pigott stressed. Her grandparents emigrated from Ireland and her father is an alumnus of St. John’s. “My grandmother has been a parishioner of St. Martin’s since the 1950s, and still volunteers here. She often babysat me, and always had me involved with something here. Even though I went to public school, I was always heavily involved in the parish.”
Federal Regulations require all higher education institutions offering an academic program designed to meet the educational requirements for a professional license or certification or advertised as such, to provide potential students with information about whether completion of that program would meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the state of the student’s location upon enrollment.
This program prepares students for licensure/certification in New York State. Students who plan to work in a state other than NY, must visit our Professional Licensure Disclosure Information page where we have indicated if this program meets or does not meet the educational requirements for specific states.
