The Specialist in Education (EdS)–School Counseling track in the CACREP accredited Counselor Education Program prepares students for certification as a professional school counselor in pre-K through postsecondary school settings. The Specialist in Education (EdS)–School Counseling track is designed for practicing educators/students who have a master's degree in education.
As part of the program's pragmatic approach to preparing counselors, in addition to classroom studies, students in the School Counseling track may complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in either a public school or in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center.
The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center 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 individuals, couples, and families in the central Florida community.
The Specialist in Education (EdS)–School Counseling track requires a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 33 credit hours of specialization, 12 credit hours of professional clinical experiences, and 6 credit hours of electives.
Total Credit Hours Required: 60 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree
Track Prerequisites
Evidence of a master's degree in education.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
39 Total Credits
Core
6 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- EDF6155 - Lifespan Human Development and Learning (3)
- EDF6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3)
Specialization
33 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- MHS6220 - Individual Psychoeducational Testing I (3)
- MHS6400 - Theories of Counseling and Personality (3)
- MHS6401 - Techniques of Counseling (3)
- MHS6420 - Foundations of Multicultural Counseling (3)
- MHS6500 - Group Procedures and Theories in Counseling (3)
- SDS6347 - Career Development (3)
- SDS6411 - Counseling with Children and Adolescents (3)
- SDS6620 - Coordination of Comprehensive Professional School Counseling Programs (3)
- SPS6815 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Professional School Counseling (3)
- MHS5005 - Introduction to the Counseling Profession (3)
- SDS6622 - Career and College Readiness in Schools PK-12 (3)
Elective Courses
12 Total Credits
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following types of courses: Students must select four electives in their specialization as approved by their adviser.
Professional Clinical Experiences
9 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- 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.
- Complete the following:
- MHS6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education (3)
- Prerequisites for MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education are as follows: 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.
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- SDS6947 - Internship in Professional School Counseling (1 - 6)
- The prerequisites for SDS 6947 - Internship in Professional School Counseling include SDS 6620 and earning a "B" or better in MHS 6803.
Grand Total Credits: 60
Application Requirements
Financial Information
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.
Fellowship Information
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.
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 to take place in a K-12 school in Central Florida.
- Complete a portfolio and receive approval by Counselor Education faculty.
- Complete a professional exit exam.
- Given the experiential, competency, and performance-based nature of the courses taken by Counselor Education students, students are typically limited to taking a maximum of three (3) courses per semester (with 2 semesters in the School Counseling Track that do include 4 courses). However, if students believe that they can verify a need to take more than three courses, they should consult with their advisor for additional guidance. Students who have no received prior approval and who register for more than three courses per semester will be administratively dropped from any courses over the maximum allowed.
DOE Certification - 9 Credit Hours
(EdS students need to have a Master's in Education (MEd) degree in order to waive the following education courses):
- TSL 5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms 3 Credit Hours
- RED 5147 - Developmental Reading 3 Credit Hours
- EDG 6415 - Principles of Instruction and Classroom Management 3 Credit Hours
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).
