Program Description
The Educational Counseling Program is designed to provide graduate preparation for educational counselors in the areas of School Counseling and Student Affairs in Higher Education. The main goal of the Program is to prepare professional counselors who have the skills to practice in a wide variety of settings. Extensive field-based experiences are woven throughout the Program. Courses are typically offered on weekdays in the late afternoon and evening for working students, although courses in Practicum and Internship will require extensive daytime commitments. Students must select one of the two concentrations described below in their initial application:
- School Counseling
The School Counseling concentration is a 48-unit program designed to prepare students for employment in K-12 settings. The curriculum includes counseling courses, specialty courses, an 800-hour field work experience, and a comprehensive examination. The curriculum has been designed for preparation toward a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) clear credential. This option reflects the recently updated preparation standards established by the American School Counselor Association and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). Students who complete this concentration will earn both the Master of Science degree in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling and the Clear Credential in Pupil Personnel Services (PPS), and may also meet requirements for some student affairs positions. - Student Affairs
The Student Affairs concentration is a 42-unit program designed to prepare students for employment in student services positions in higher education such as community college and university settings. The curriculum includes counseling courses, specialty courses, 600-hour field work experience, and a comprehensive examination. Students in this concentration will earn a Master of Science degree in Counseling with a concentration in Student Affairs.
In addition to the combined PPS credential and master's program, the department also offers a Clear Credential in Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) as a standalone program. This PPS Credential Only program is designed for students who have completed an Educational Counseling Masters degree in Student Affairs from California State University, Bakersfield. Students who have completed a master's degree in another discipline or from another university and including clinically based counseling programs aligned with other licensing bodies should enroll in the combined credential and master's degree in School Counseling.
The PPS Credential is governed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). All CTC standards, elements, and expectations must be met. PPS Credential Only students are to complete the credential plan of study accredited by the CTC in Fall 2022. Courses taken as part of the CSUB Student Affairs program may be applied to the PPS Credential provided they have been passed with a B or better and were taken in Fall 2022 or later. The university requires all PPS credential courses to be no older than 7 years when recommended for the PPS credential.
As this is a credential only program, students are not required to take the EDCS 6330 Master’s Exam in Counseling. Students are required to complete all practicum and fieldwork hours after admission to the PPS Credential Only program.
Admissions Process
To pursue the Master of Science in Counseling, the applicant must first apply to the University through Cal State Apply (https://www2.calstate.edu/apply ) to the Office of Admissions and Records, CSUB (661-654-3036), designating the appropriate code for School Counseling (08261) or Student Affairs in Higher Education (08051). Additionally, the applicant is to visit the Educational Counseling Program website for additional admissions information to the School Counseling and Student Affairs programs. The completed program application with required program documents, must be submitted to the program portal, as one PDF document (last, first name), for review to the Admissions and Graduation Advisor, Amani Hernandez, aalshaif@csub.edu. The Program Admissions Committee will certify admission or non-admission to the desired degree program. Applicants will be notified in writing of actions regarding admission taken by the Committee. Admission decisions are final and may not be appealed.
Only complete applications files will be considered. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make certain that the application file is complete and contains the following information:
- Transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate study (photocopies acceptable);
- Counseling Program Application (including personal statement and other documents);
- Basic Skills Requirement [for School Counseling only];
- Certificate of Clearance (photocopy);
- TB Test Verification
- Mandatory Reporter Training certificate
- Professional Liability Insurance
Minimum Requirements and Prerequisites for Full Admission
Students must meet all of the following applicable conditions to be admitted as “classified”:
- Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all undergraduate work attempted;
- Basic Skills Requirement (for School Counseling only).
- Submission of Certificate of Clearance copy
- Submission of Mandatory Reporter Training certificate
- Submission of Professional Liability Insurance
- TB Test Verification
- Successful completion of Program Admission Interview
- Successful completion of an approved undergraduate/graduate course in statistics (preferred) or related mathematics/quantitative reasoning with a grade of "C" or higher.
Conditionally classified admission may be granted on an individual basis to applicants who do not satisfy all of the above conditions. Students accepted as “conditionally classified” will be limited in the number of courses they may take until all conditions are removed and they are reclassified as fully classified. (For School Counseling only)
After Admission: Advancement Steps Toward Degree
Once the applicant is admitted, additional steps must be achieved to successfully matriculate toward the MS degree.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are required to be Advanced to Candidacy prior to enrollment in Field Work or the Culminating Activity (e.g., comprehensive exam). Decisions regarding Advancement to Candidacy in the Counseling Program are delayed until a student has completed at least 12 semester units of coursework to determine, from the students’ perspective, whether the Program will meet their career and professional goals; and, from the faculty perspective, whether the student has demonstrated minimal knowledge and skills for continuance in the program leading toward a career as a professional school counselor or student affairs professional. Faculty may determine that students have not demonstrated the minimal knowledge and skills to be advanced to Candidacy, and reserve the right to dismiss such students from the Program.
In order to better mentor the growth of students throughout the program and to ensure the quality of program graduates, Program faculty must ensure that all program requirements and SSE Professional Dispositions are met. A form requesting Advancement to Candidacy should be completed by the student in the semester prior to the first internship and submitted to the Admissions and Graduation Advisor.
Candidates must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all required courses attempted after entry in the program (credential or master's program). Candidates whose GPA falls below term or cumulative GPA of 3.0 will either be put on probation for one term or be dismissed from the program.
Candidates are expected to demonstrate professional dispositions at all times. Failure to do so will result in the implementation of a Candidate Improvement Plan. If the Candidate Improvement Plan is insufficient in supporting the candidate in demonstrating professional dispositions, the candidate will be dismissed from the program.
Ability to Work with People Effectively
Throughout the MS Counseling Program and prior to completion, the student must continually provide evidence of the ability to interact competently, successfully, and ethically with people from a variety of backgrounds in a manner consistent with the role of a professional person in counseling. Such evidence may come from Practicum and techniques courses, courses with an experiential focus, or from the supervised field work experiences in the Program. The student is advised that this quality is difficult to evaluate prior to admission; it may become apparent only as the student progresses through the Program. The applicant who recognizes that these skills may be significantly difficult to achieve is urged to consider other career options. Faculty reserve the right to deny continuation or Advancement to Candidacy for students who do not demonstrate the ability to work with people effectively as described above, and/or do not meet the SSE Professional Dispositions.
Field Work Application
A student must submit a completed “Field Work Application” form to the Program Coordinator midway through the semester prior to each semester in which Field Work credit is desired. The form is downloadable from the program website.
Culminating Activity
Students are required to complete a culminating activity (i.e., comprehensive examination) as part of the MS Counseling Program. Students completing the Master’s Exam need to enroll in and pass EDCS 6330 Master's Exam in Counseling.
Application for Graduation
The student should file an “Application for Graduation” in accordance with the Deadlines outlined by the Office of the Registrar. Please visit the Registrar’s website on Graduation for Application for Graduation Forms and specific Deadlines. (Please note that Deadlines for submission of Applications for Graduation vary depending on which semester you intend to graduate, and it is the student’s responsibility to adhere to these Deadlines).
The student should work closely with the SSE Admissions and Graduation Advisor to assure that the file is complete and accurate. Any deviation from the original Program of Study filed at the beginning of the MS program must be explained and approved.
