The CACREP accredited School Counseling track in the Counselor Education MEd program prepares students for certification as a professional school counselor in pre-K through postsecondary school settings. The Counselor Education - School Counseling MEd track is designed for students who have a bachelor's degree in education and/or who are certified educators.
As part of the program's pragmatic approach to preparing counselors, in addition to classroom studies, all students complete clinical experiences in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and in field-based experiences in the community. The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center (CCRC) serves as a hub for training and research in the program, with graduate students providing counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults through the provision of individual, couples, and family therapy. The CCRC serves more than 1400 clients per year.
Students enrolled in the CACREP accredited School Counseling track should remain in close contact with their advisor to keep informed of any programmatic changes implemented to comply with new state requirements. The Counselor Education MEd, School Counseling track has potential ties to professional certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please visit https://apq.ucf.edu/files/Licensure-Disclosure-CCIE-Counselor-Ed-School-Counseling-MEd.pdf.
The School Counseling MEd track requires a minimum of 51 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 30 credit hours of specialization, 9 credit hours of professional clinical or practicum experience, and 6 credit hours of electives in either the nonthesis or thesis option.
Total Credit Hours Required: 51 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Prerequisite
Students must have, or be eligible for, the Florida Professional Teaching Certificate.
Required Courses: 36 Credit Hours
Core: 6 Credit Hours
- EDF 6155 - Lifespan Human Development and Learning 3 Credit Hours
- EDF 6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education 3 Credit Hours
Specialization: 30 Credit Hours
- MHS 5005 - Introduction to the Counseling Profession 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6220 - Individual Psychoeducational Testing I 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6400 - Theories of Counseling and Personality 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6401 - Techniques of Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6420 - Foundations of Multicultural Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6500 - Group Procedures and Theories in Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- SDS 6347 - Career Development 3 Credit Hours
- SDS 6411 - Counseling with Children and Adolescents 3 Credit Hours
- SDS 6620 - Coordination of Comprehensive Professional School Counseling Programs 3 Credit Hours
- SPS 6815 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Professional School Counseling 3 Credit Hours
Thesis Option: 6 Credit Hours
- EGC 6971 - Thesis 6 Credit Hours
Nonthesis Option: 6 Credit Hours
- Two approved electives 6 Credit Hours
Professional Clinical Experience: 9 Credit Hours
The clinical experiences are comprised of two sections, Practicum and Internship. Both are experiential in nature and are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program to their work with actual clients and students. The practicum is conducted either on campus in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center or at one of the CCRC's partner schools in the community. Internship, which is usually completed in one semester (for 6-credit hours) is conducted at various schools around central Florida. The Internship can be divided into two semesters.
*Prerequisites for MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education are the following: MHS 5005, MHS 6400, MHS 6401, MHS 6500, and SPS 6815. MHS 6420 and SDS 6411 are also pre or co-requisites for MHS 6803. A minimum of 27 credit hours are required prior to beginning the practicum.
**The prerequisites for SDS 6947 - Internship in Professional School Counseling include SDS 6620 and earning a "B" or better in MHS 6803.
- MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education 3 Credit Hours *
- SDS 6947 - Internship in Professional School Counseling 1-6 Credit Hours **
Additional Program Requirements
- Achieve at least a GPA of 3.0 throughout the degree program.
- Achieve a "B" or better in MHS 5005, MHS 6401, MHS 6803 and SDS 6947.
- Complete a total of 700 hours of clinical experiences, 100 of which will be in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center (or an area school) and 600 of which are field-based experiences in the community.
- Complete a portfolio and receive approval by Counselor Education faculty.
- Complete a professional exit examination.
- Given the experiential, competency, and performance-based nature of the courses taken by Counselor Education students, students are limited to taking a maximum of three (3) courses per semester (with some variability for those in the School Counseling track). However, if students believe that they can verify a need to take more than three courses, they should consult with their academic advisor for guidance on the procedure. Students who have not received prior approval and who register for more than three courses per semester will be administratively dropped from any courses over the maximum load.
Independent Learning
Practica and internships are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program. The internship experience provides students with the practical experience of facilitating a comprehensive, professional school counseling program in a school setting (e.g., leading classroom guidance lessons, facilitating group counseling, providing individual counseling services). All clinical experiences are performed under the direct supervision of an onsite certified school counselor.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Official, competitive GRE score taken in the last five years.
- MEd applicants must be eligible for certification or hold a current Florida Professional Teaching Certificate prior to the start of their first term. All other applicants should apply to the Counselor Education MA, School Counseling Track
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Résumé.
- Goal statement (see the Program website for additional information about the Goal statement).
Applicants who have graduated from an accredited university or college teacher certification program in another state or country, in the appropriate subject and/or grade range, may also be admitted to the Counselor Education - School Counseling MEd track at the discretion of the program director.
The Master's of Education in Counselor Education- School Counseling track can accommodate only a limited number of students; therefore, there is a possibility of being denied admission even when all criteria are met.
The College of Community Innovation and Education reserves the right to refuse student entrance or terminate a student after admission to the Counselor Education Program, if in the judgment of the faculty, the student demonstrates unacceptable personal fitness to work in the counseling field with children, youth, and/or adults.
A formal interview is required and will be scheduled after the program admission requirements are met. The interview dates for March and October will be posted on our Counselor Education website. Upon admittance, it is required that students attend the program orientation session that occurs on the Thursday before classes begin in the semester to which the student applied.
Application Deadlines
| School Counseling | *Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Domestic Applicants | Jan 15 | Feb 1 | | |
| International Applicants | Jan 15 | Jan 15 | | |
| *Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date. |
Financials
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Contact Info
Institution Codes
GRE: 5233
GMAT: RZT-HT-58
TOEFL: 5233
ETS PPI: 5233
