School Counseling (MEd)
The MEd in School Counseling program is designed to prepare students to function as K–12 licensed professional school counselors. This program is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education and leads to New Hampshire licensure in school counseling. Program requirements, policies, and resources are all available in the student handbook that all students review during the Professional Orientation and Ethics course. It may also be requested from the program coordinator listed above. PSU’s school counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). It is the only school counseling program in New Hampshire to hold this prestigious distinction.
This professional school counseling preparation program emphasizes personal and interpersonal growth in addition to academic excellence. The program aims to support the development of school counseling students’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills that are essential to promoting the social, emotional, academic, and career development of all children. As part of this developmental process, school counseling students engage in several pre-practicum experiences that progressively assist students in connecting theory with practice. For example, pre-practicum experiences are integrated into selected professional courses (Foundations of School Counseling and Career Counseling and Development) and include brief experiences in schools or other settings. Upon successful completion of core courses and pre-requisite specialty courses, students begin their field-based experiences of practicum and internship. During these experiences, students are placed in the schools to allow them the opportunity to engage in the full range of activities that are associated with the role of the school counselor. While completing their practicum and internship experiences, students must be able to attend weekly seminars in Plymouth.
Requirements for licensure may change, subject to changes made by the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE). School counseling candidates can find the latest NHDOE standards at https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/deputy-commissioner/office-of-governance.
Practicum and Internship
All required professional courses must be successfully completed before students can enroll in the practicum and internship experiences. Students must attend a mandatory field placement webinar orientation and meet with the school counseling clinical experiences coordinator during the term prior to their practicum experience in order to make appropriate arrangements.
Students in the School Counseling program must successfully complete a 100-hour comprehensive public school practicum and a 600-hour comprehensive public school internship. At the end of these two culminating field-based experiences, students will have gained experience in school counseling at the elementary, middle, and high school levels that demonstrates development in relevant competencies. Practicum and internship must be completed in school settings that have as their primary function the education of public school students. In addition, students must be supervised on site by a licensed school counselor and must be able to attend on-campus seminars during the terms they are involved in their practicum and internship experiences. Practicum and internship must be completed during the academic year and must be approved in advance by the Counselor Education faculty. In order to be recommended for licensure as a school counselor, students must successfully complete program requirements including three credits of Practicum and six credits of Seminar and Internship in School Counseling.
Required Concentrations in this Major
Complete one concentration
School Counseling, K–12 Certification
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Counselor Education Component | ||
| CO 5010 | Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| CO 5020 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CO 5040 | Social Behavior and Diversity | 3 |
| CO 5050 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| CO 5070 | Research Design in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CO 5130 | Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health | 3 |
| CO 5230 | Career Counseling and Development | 3 |
| CO 5260 | Counseling Theories and Personality | 3 |
| CO 5430 | Assessment for Counselors | 3 |
| CO 5460 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5770 | Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood | 3 |
| CO 5100 | Practicum | 3 |
| School Counseling Specialization Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | The Counselor in the Classroom | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling | 6 |
| Complete 3 elective credits in CO, SY, IN, or OL. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
School Counseling, K–12 Specialist Certification Only
Students must already have a master’s degree or be awarded a master’s degree at the same time this credential is awarded.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Counselor Education Component | ||
| CO 5010 | Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| CO 5260 | Counseling Theories and Personality | 3 |
| CO 5050 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| CO 5020 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CO 5070 | Research Design in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CO 5040 | Social Behavior and Diversity | 3 |
| CO 5130 | Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health | 3 |
| CO 5230 | Career Counseling and Development | 3 |
| CO 5460 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5430 | Assessment for Counselors | 3 |
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5770 | Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood | 3 |
| CO 5100 | Practicum (100 hours) | 3 |
| School Counseling Specialization Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | The Counselor in the Classroom | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling (600 hours) | 6 |
| Complete 3 elective credits in CO, SY, IN, or OL. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Optional Second Concentrations in this Major
School Counseling, Eating Disorders
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Counselor Education Component | ||
| CO 5010 | Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| CO 5020 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CO 5040 | Social Behavior and Diversity | 3 |
| CO 5050 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| CO 5070 | Research Design in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CO 5130 | Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health | 3 |
| CO 5230 | Career Counseling and Development | 3 |
| CO 5260 | Counseling Theories and Personality | 3 |
| CO 5430 | Assessment for Counselors | 3 |
| CO 5460 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5770 | Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood | 3 |
| CO 5100 | Practicum | 3 |
| School Counseling Specialization Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | The Counselor in the Classroom | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling | 6 |
| Eating Disorder Component | ||
| CO 5150 | Eating Disorders Clinical | 3 |
| CO 5160 | Eating Disorders: Awareness and Prevention | 3 |
| CO 5170 | Treatment Modalities for Eating Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5180 | Nutrition Fundamentals and Counseling in the Recovery of Eating Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5190 | Medical and Physiological Aspects of Eating Disorders | 3 |
| Total Credits | 72 | |
School Counseling, Play Therapy
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Counselor Education Component | ||
| CO 5010 | Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| CO 5020 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CO 5040 | Social Behavior and Diversity | 3 |
| CO 5050 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| CO 5070 | Research Design in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CO 5130 | Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health | 3 |
| CO 5230 | Career Counseling and Development | 3 |
| CO 5260 | Counseling Theories and Personality | 3 |
| CO 5430 | Assessment for Counselors | 3 |
| CO 5460 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5770 | Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood | 3 |
| CO 5100 | Practicum | 3 |
| School Counseling Specialization Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | The Counselor in the Classroom | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling | 6 |
| Play Therapy Component | ||
| CO 7010 | Dynamic Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 7020 | Child Centered Play Therapy | 1 |
| CO 7030 | Expressive Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 7040 | Special Populations in Play Therapy | 1 |
| CO 7560 | Counselor Education: Special Topics (Students take four, one-credit special topics courses) | 4 |
| Total Credits | 65 | |
Graduate Certificates
Addictions Treatment Certificate
Program Coordinator: Robin Hausheer, EdD, NCC
E-mail: rh1041@plymouth.edu
The Addictions Treatment Certificate provides a specialized education to professionals and students interested in providing treatment for individuals and families affected by substance abuse and addictive behaviors. The certificate provides a comprehensive overview of assessment, treatment planning, and relapse prevention. Prevention and intervention treatment models are also examined.
The certificate is in alignment with the professional licensing standards in the State of New Hampshire for alcohol and other drug abuse counselors. It is for practicing licensed therapists or students enrolled in master’s level clinical programs.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5730 | Addictions Treatment Modalities | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Play Therapy Certificate
Program Coordinator: Dorothy J. Nold, MSW, PhD
E-mail: djnold@plymouth.edu
Play is the universal language of children. Play Therapy is a natural form of communication that allows children to communicate their awareness of what is occurring in their world in a manner that is cognitively and developmentally appropriate.
The Play Therapy post-master’s certificate provides school and mental health counselors and school psychologists with useful, research-based tools and techniques to help children and adolescents through a variety of social, emotional, behavioral, and learning difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder, conduct disorder, aggression or impulsive anger, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and low self-esteem.
PSU’s play therapy courses prepare post-master’s counseling professionals and master’s degree students with prior coursework in counseling children with the necessary 150-hour educational requirement to gain the Registered Play Therapist credential through the Association for Play Therapy.
Registered Play Therapists and Registered Play Therapists-Supervisors are licensed or certified practitioners, including school-based counselors, who have earned a master’s degree or advanced mental health degree; have taken 150 or more hours of specialized play therapy training; and have documented 500 hours of clinical and play therapy-specific experience under supervision with a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. Supervision is not provided by the University, but is available from Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors in the area.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CO 7010 | Dynamic Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 7020 | Child Centered Play Therapy | 1 |
| CO 7030 | Expressive Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 7040 | Special Populations in Play Therapy | 1 |
| CO 7560 | Counselor Education: Special Topics (Students take four, one-credit special topics courses) | 4 |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
- Articulate and demonstrate the professional and ethical role of a counselor.
- Discuss and demonstrate techniques of cross-cultural counseling and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations.
- Describe the role that human growth and development plays in counseling interventions and modify these interventions as appropriate.
- Explain theories of career development and implement career interventions.
- Define and utilize counseling skills and advanced counseling interventions.
- Articulate theories of group counseling and utilize leadership skills in facilitating various types of groups.
- Identify and utilize various types of counseling assessments.
- Describe and conduct methods of research and program evaluation.
- Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of school counseling.
- Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, prevention, and intervention – including methods of program development and crisis response.
- Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in school counseling settings.
- Analyze and utilize various types of school counseling assessments.
- Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of school counseling.
- Describe methods of promoting social, emotional, and academic development.
- Demonstrate methods of effective collaboration and consultation with school staff, students, parents, and community members.
- Explain the importance of and assume leadership roles in their respective schools.