CAS in School Counseling

WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

The Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) program in School Counseling is designed to prepare counselors to assume the full range of professional responsibilities (i.e., counseling as well as guidance) in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings. Our training model, which integrates behavioral science theory and knowledge with practitioner skills, assumes that the effective counselor has a strong understanding of the theoretical and scientific bases of professional concepts and techniques.

Two other assumptions underlie the program. The first assumption is that counselors are involved in facilitating positive interactions between students and their environments. For this reason, counselors work within a variety of client "systems" such as families, peer groups, job settings, educational settings, and any other significant interpersonal or organizational contexts. Contemporary counseling is not solely based on one-to-one counseling relationships but also involves the use of group methods, consulting relationships, community resources, and training. School counselors are prepared to intervene effectively in the one-to-one context using skills and perspectives derived from various theoretical orientations.

The second major assumption is that one of the counselor's primary goals is to facilitate human growth and development. The goal of enhancing development is applicable to all human beings. As such, our training program focuses on developing skills and knowledge for educational and preventive roles as well as for the more traditional remedial or therapeutic roles. In addition, our program's commitment to human diversity is manifested in coursework as well as fieldwork placements. A dedication to facilitating development in a culturally sensitive fashion underlies our training philosophy.

Given these program goals and assumptions, the curriculum includes both comprehensiveness and depth. To these ends, admission requirements include 15 credit hours of psychology including statistics, abnormal psychology, and personality. The full-time program curriculum includes a research/assessment sequence, an intervention theory/techniques sequence, a fieldwork sequence, and 4 electives.

Students in this 60-credit program receive the Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS). Completion of the CAS enables provisional certification as a school counselor in the state of New York. Permanent certification is obtained by CAS graduates possessing a master’s degree and completing two years of full-time employment in a school setting.

SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM
TYPICAL COURSE SEQUENCE

SUMMER I

ECPY 521 Introduction to Mental Health Counseling (3)
ECPY 630 Behavioral Disorders (3)
ECPY 662 Psychology of Disability (Elective) (3)
9 cr.

FALL I

ECPY 601 Introduction to Counseling Theory and Practice (3)
ECPY 604 Career Development (3)
ECPY 608 Foundations and Techniques of Group Counseling (3)
ECPY 612 Pre-practicum in Counseling (3)
ECPY 626 Fieldwork in Educational Institutions: Orientation to Schools (3)
15 cr.

SPRING

ECPY 602 Practicum in Counseling (2 days/week in a school or community agency) (3)
ECPY 603 Assessment Techniques in Counseling and Rehabilitation (3)
ECPY 614 Psychology of Chemical Dependency: Theory and Practice (3)
ECPY 627 Advanced Counseling Theory and Practice (3)
*Elective School-related course (3)
15 cr.

SUMMER II

*Electives School-related course (3)
*Electives ECPY 809 (strongly recommended) or ECPY 611 (3)
6 cr.

FALL II

ECPY 606 Internship (5 days/week in a school) (12)
ECPY 667 Research Principles and Methods (3)
15 cr.

Total Minimum Credit Hours = 60