School Counseling (MA)
Program Details
Trusted and confident. Problem solvers and decision makers. Collaborators and consultants. That's a school counselor. Rooted in the Jesuit tradition, Xavier shapes school counselors willing to offer the individual attention, community building, and ethics and values that it takes to work in a school setting.
Classes meet once per week and are scheduled in the late afternoon, evenings, and weekends to accommodate student schedules.
Xavier University's School Counseling program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Admission
We invite applications from students with a bachelor's degree and a solid academic background. You may begin the program in the summer, fall, or spring term. To apply for official acceptance as a degree-seeking student, submit the following application materials online to the Office of Graduate Admission:
- Completed online application (choose Counseling, then Clinical Mental Health)
- One official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work from accredited colleges or universities.
- A resume.
- A five hundred word minimum statement of purpose for graduate study.
- Two letters of reference from individuals commenting on the applicant's academic/professional potential.
- (Optional) Official test scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). If you have previously taken the GRE and want to have your scores sent to Xavier, please contact GRE at 1-888-GRE-SCORE.
- MAT: Score of 390 or above.
- GRE: Score of 4.0 or above on the analytical section of the test.
Application deadlines are:
- Spring Semester: October 1
- Summer Semester: February 1
- Fall Semester: February 1
Faculty will review the pool of applications after each of these dates and will then invite selected candidates to an on-campus interview to continue the application process.
Curriculum
Group I
Total Hours............ 17cr.
- COUN 501 Lifespan Development
- COUN 533 Counseling Theories and Techniques
- COUN 536 Group Process
- COUN 537 Intro to School Counseling
- COUN 579 Psychological and Achievement Testing
- COUN 636 Career Counseling
Group II
Total Hours............ 14cr.
- COUN 538 Advanced School Counseling
- COUN 631 Counseling Issues and Ethics
- COUN 638 Cross-Cultural Counseling
- COUN 640 Family Relations
- COUN 639 Substance Use and Prevention
- COUN 669 Pre-Practicum/Counseling Lab
Group III
Total Hours............ 12cr.
- EDAD 565 School Law I
- COUN 502 Intro to College Counseling
- COUN 503 Crisis Intervention in Schools
- COUN 773 Counseling Practicum
- COUN 540 School Culture
Group IV
Total Hours............ 17cr.
- EDSP 500 Special Education: Identification & Issues
- COUN 509 Counseling Research Methods
- COUN 539 Child Psychopathology
- COUN 670 Counseling Internship
- 5 elective hours
Fully Accredited
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The accreditation runs through March 31, 2031.Sample Courses
COUN 501 - Lifespan Development - 3 Credit Hours - Understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels, learning theory and personality development, normal and abnormal behavior, lifespan transitions.
COUN 533 - Counseling Theories & Tech - 3 Credit Hours - Theory of counseling, case method, ethics, relationships to testing and to other sources of data, interviewing, place and value of records, clinical procedures.
COUN 537 - Intro To School Counseling - 3 Credit Hours - Administrative operations related to school counseling services, personnel and staffing, budget, and public relations.
COUN 579 - Psychological & Achieve Test - 2 Credit Hours - Group tests. Testing procedures. Rationale of intelligence, aptitude, achievement, interest, and personality tests. Selection and evaluation of group tests.
COUN 642 - Consultation and Supervision - 3 Credit Hours - Historical development of consultation and models of consultation. Application of theoretical material to case presentations. Supervision techniques, strategies, and ethical responsibilities of supervisors in a counseling setting.
Tuition and Fees
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Find more information about how you can become a Musketeer.
Request InformationExperiential Internships
All students complete a 600-hour internship under the supervision of a current school counselor. This type of experience makes connections for our students and prepares them to transition straight to a school counseling role upon graduation.
Counselor Certification Approved
Each state has its own requirements in applying for and granting school counseling certification. The Xavier School Counseling Program already meets the course requirements for Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, plus other states. To check all states, simply connect with our Office of Graduate Services.
Broad Career Opportunities
Xavier school counselors are employed in elementary, middle, and junior high schools, as well as high schools and post-secondary schools.
Master of Arts in Counseling at Xavier
School Counseling (MA) Program at Xavier University
The Xavier University graduate program in school counseling, consistent with the mission of Xavier University, seeks to prepare individuals to serve as effective professional helpers in diverse K-12 school counseling environments. It’s designed to provide graduate training to individuals primarily from the following geographical areas: central and southwestern Ohio, southeast Indiana, and northern Kentucky. Since a majority of students are employed, class and curricular offerings are scheduled in the late afternoon, evenings, and weekends to accommodate student schedules.
Xavier University's College of Professional Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students intellectually, morally and spiritually for careers and professions of service. CPS challenges students to strive for academic excellence and life-long learning through promoting collaboration and community partnerships, and incorporating research, scholarship and innovation.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."