HSC-School Counseling Concentration

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Program Description   

The Human Services and Counseling programs present a core of courses which provide professionals with the skills, mastery and competencies to deliver comprehensive counseling and consulting services in many educational and community environments. The human services and counseling programs are competency and outcome based in their approach.

School Counseling Concentration

Students who enter the school counseling concentration will become certified as a school counselor (Type 73 Certification). The sequence prepares Human Service professionals to work with in public and private K-12 school systems and gives the Human Service Professional skills and processes to provide individual and group counseling and to serve as a leader and advocate for students, schools, and the profession. Professional school counselors provide a wide-range of services in the schools, based on individual student needs and student interests.

In addition to theoretical frameworks and competencies, the program fosters leadership in human services and counseling. Career opportunities include school counseling; working with you children and families; counseling in community agencies; counseling and advising in higher education; career counseling; counseling in hospitals or institutional-care settings; or counseling in private practice.

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Distinctive DePaul Features

Emphasis is placed on assisting students from a variety of professional disciplines in developing:

  1. Theory and practice related to personal identity and the human life cycle
  2. Leadership skills which facilitate understanding of and influence within organizational systems
  3. Effective communication skills and group and individual counseling approaches that actualize human potential

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Degree Requirements

(60 quarter hours of course work and 12 hours of practicum & internship)

Master of Arts degree (M.A.) A thesis and oral exam are required for the M.A. degree.                   

Master of Education degree (M.Ed)

 For more detailed degree requirements click here

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Admission Requirements

State Certification Requirements 

Illinois School Service Personnel Type 73 Certification

The Illinois State Board of Education adopted new rules allowing individuals to become certified as school counselors in the state of Illinois without having a teacher certification. 

Provisions of Rule

1) those individuals holding a master's degree in a counseling related field, such as mental health or community counseling or social work, may become certified as school counselors without having to obtain a teaching certificate or another master's degree.  The  DePaul School Counseling concentration meets the requirements for the new rules. Those students interested in certification who hold a master's degree in another counseling related field may apply for certification only. Those applicants' transcripts will be assessed individually for certification requirements. 

2) those individuals holding a bachelors degree in any field may obtain a master's degree in school counseling without having to hold a teaching certificate.

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