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Specialist in Counseling Education
Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Verl T. Pope
(573) 651-2399, E-mail: vpope@semo.edu
The Specialist in Counseling Education degree program provides an additional period of study beyond the master's degree for persons seeking certification as Psychological Examiner or for those individuals that wish to develop further competence in mental health counseling (seeking LPC or CCMHC) or school counseling (seeking state certificate in school counseling or NCSC).
The curriculum is individually designed for each candidate to meet his/her specific needs and professional objectives within certification and/or licensure limitations.
The program is designed with flexibility to support the preparation of School Counselors, Psychological Examiners, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors.
Admission and General Policies
Applicants to the specialist's degree in the College of Education are required to meet admission standards that go beyond the basic requirements of the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
Full Admission
- Have achieved a graduate grade point average (g.p.a.) of 3.5. (on a 4-point scale);
- Hold a master's degree in counseling or education from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. If not, the student will be required to take additional graduate work (admission under provisional status) before regular admission is granted;
- Submit five satisfactory references to the Coordinator of the Specialist Program (CSP). At least three of these references must be from persons who are in the field of counseling and who know the applicant. Two references should be from present or former professors; and
- Submit recent (within five years) test results on the verbal and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) showing achievement at or above the 50th percentile. The norms for comparison will be the scores for persons with an undergraduate major in education.
Probationary Admission
Probationary admission will be considered under the following conditions:
- When the g.p.a. is below 3.5. When the applicant presents a g.p.a. that is less than 3.5, the admissions committee may permit the student to take 9 hours in the program area. The student will be required to achieve a g.p.a. exceeding 3.66 with a minimum grade of "B."
- When the GRE scores are not at acceptable levels. The applicant may file a request with the committee for probationary admission based on a circumstance that merits an exception. Data to support a petition should include a personal statement and documents such as additional letters of recommendation, samples of graduate level academic work, professional experiences related to educational administration and/or graduate study in another professional field. The committee may recommend alternatives or a course of remedial action that are designed to enable the student to demonstrate competence to complete the graduate program.
Appeals Process
Applicants who are denied admission will have the opportunity to appeal to the College of Education Admission Appeals Committee. Appeals must be in writing and should address any extenuating circumstances. Appeal letters should be addressed to Chairperson, Department of Educational Administration and Counseling.
Admission Process
Interested students must first apply to the School of Graduate Studies and Research for admission to graduate study. This application is required even though the student may have been admitted previously to graduate study at the master's level. Each applicant must:
- File an Application for Admission with the School of Graduate Studies and Research; and
- Have each parent institution send one official transcript of all prior coursework directly to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Students who have previously enrolled in coursework or who have degrees from Southeast, need not submit a Southeast transcript.
Applicants who possess the requisite g.p.a. will be admitted to graduate study and allowed to complete a maximum of six semester hours of prerequisite coursework, if applicable. If no prerequisite courses are needed, the student may complete a maximum of six semester hours applicable to program requirements prior to admission to the program by the Counseling Admissions Committee. The Committee will act only on applications that are complete. The admissions process may require an interview with the program coordinator and faculty.
Denial of Admission
Applicants denied admission to graduate study based on a g.p.a. of less than 3.5 may apply for probationary admission. A letter of request, along with the five letters of recommendation and GRE scores should be sent to the Coordinator of the Specialist Program. Students denied admission may not enroll for coursework applicable to the degree program until such time as explicit permission, along with any stipulations, is granted by the Counseling Admissions Committee.
Dual Enrollment: MA and Specialist Levels
Students nearing completion of a master's degree and desiring to work toward the Specialist in Counseling Education may dually enroll for coursework for a time period not to exceed one year. The student must have a g.p.a. of at least 3.5, must be a candidate to graduate from the masters program, and must be admitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research as a post-master's level student.
Advancement to Candidacy
Application to candidacy for the degree is required at the completion of 16 hours of coursework applicable to the degree. To advance to candidacy status, the applicant must present a g.p.a. that meets the minimum graduation requirement (3.25). Students denied admission to candidacy may not enroll for coursework applicable to the degree except with the explicit approval of and under any stipulations assigned by the program faculty in educational administration.
Initiation of the candidacy process is the student's responsibility. Candidacy forms are available in the School of Graduate Studies and Research office and at the website http://www2.semo.edu/gradschool/download_forms_curr.html.
Selective Retention
After being admitted to this program, the probationary student may be denied admission to regular graduate status. A student with regular status may not advance to candidacy based on the degree of unsatisfactory scholarship. Loss of license or certification, for cause, or unethical behavior is grounds for suspension from the program.
Transfer of Credits
A student with regular admission status may transfer up to 48 of the 72 semester hours required for the specialist's degree from other regionally-accredited institutions if the courses are a) appropriate, b) part of master's level work, c) on-campus courses, and d) approved by the student's advisor. If the student earned his/her master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University, up to nine semester hours of such work may be transferred from regionally-accredited institutions. Transfer, workshop, and independent study credit may not exceed nine semester hours. The last 16 hours toward the specialist degree must be taken from Southeast or receive prior permission from the advisor. This is required in order for Southeast to act as certifying agency or endorse the student for certification or licensure.
Independent Study and Workshops
Independent study and workshop courses offer the student opportunities for study in areas beyond the departmental curriculum. Enrollment in such courses requires approval by the advisor and the program coordinator (independent study also requires the instructor approval). A maximum of three semester hours earned through independent study and three hours via workshops may be applied to program requirements.
Correspondence Courses
No correspondence or extension course from another institution may be substituted for a specialist's program requirement or elective.
Residence Requirements
A student may meet residence requirements in the program by completing 12 semester hours of on-campus credit during a 12 month period, not to include internship credit.
Certification and Licensure
Refer to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Teacher Certification Website for current requirements, for state certification requirements. http://www.dese.state.mo.us/divurbteached/teachcert.
Refer to the National Board for Certified Counselor for current national requirements. http://www.nbcc.org/
Refer to Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors for current state licensing requirements.
http://www.ded.state.mo.us/regulatorylicensing/professionalregistration/counselr/
Requirements for Specialist Degree
Counseling Core 30 credit hours
Specialist Students also must have the completed the requirements of a counseling major-school, community, or an acceptable counseling major from another master's program.
School Counseling Major
Community Counseling Major
Education Specialist-Counseling Major
All Education Specialist Degree students must have the Counseling Core plus one of the counseling majors and all students must have the Education Specialist Core.
Education Specialist Core 15 credit hours
Electives 15 Credit Hours
Other Electives may be available with approval of advisor. Students must work closely with their respective advisors to determine a program of study that meets appropriate certification and/or licensure requirements.
All students must have a minimum, including the Master's, of 72 credit hours to graduate from the Educational Specialist program.
Advising
The Coordinator of the Specialist Program (CSP) selects an advisor from the specialist degree faculty. The CSP serves as the student's advisor during the first term after the student is admitted to the Specialist's program and until an advisor is appointed. The student's advisor and the CSP normally have primary responsibility for approval of the program of study, including any electives.
Internship
Internship experiences are individualized for each candidate. Candidates are expected to select appropriate objectives and secure approvals by the University and site supervisors. The student will work closely with the Clinical Coordinator to determine the most effect learning experience for the individual students goals.
Oral Examination
The oral examination, course GR799, must be scheduled the last semester of the specialist program. If the student has no other credit enrollment, the equivalent of the one hour instate fee is charged to affect an official enrollment for the semester of degree completion. The oral examination will be based on the student's internship, portfolio, and other learning experiences.
Graduation Requirements
- Has satisfactorily completed the program of study (a minimum of 72 hours of graduate credit including the master's degree with a g.p.a. of at least 3.25),
- Has passed a final comprehensive oral examination administered by the specialist's degree faculty, and
- Has been approved for graduation by his/her advisor, CSP, and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.
Time Limit
All requirements for the specialist's degree must be met within an eight-year period.
See "Graduate Course Listings" for a complete list of graduate courses and descriptions.
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