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2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Counseling Major, MS
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Two Counseling Master of Science concentrations, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling, are accredited by Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling
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School Counseling
Concentrations (Required) and Options Available
Campus Code
Knoxville Campus
Admissions Standards/Procedures
Admissions are conducted once per year. Prospective students must submit an online application to the Office of Graduate Admissions. In addition to meeting Graduate Admissions requirements, applicants must submit GRE scores, professional references, and program-specified materials (e.g., resume/vita, letter of introduction, goals statement, case vignettes). Following initial review of materials, selected applicants are invited to campus to participate in a required face-to-face interview. Admissions decisions are made on a holistic basis with attention to relevance of career goals, aptitude for graduate-level study, potential success in forming effective counseling relationships, and respect for cultural differences.
Academic Standards
Students are required to demonstrate academic foundations, clinical skills, and professional dispositions necessary for successful practice of professional counseling in their anticipated clinical mental health or school setting. The Program Handbook includes details regarding required knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions and the process for demonstrating attainment of these standards.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Course Only with Comprehensive Exams or Thesis
The clinical mental health counseling concentration prepares professionals to use strong professional identity and relationship skills across diverse counseling settings including community agencies, nonprofits, and private practice. Our program includes a special focus on work with at-risk children and youth. Throughout the program, we work to embrace our core values–Commitment, Openness, Respect, Integrity, and Self-Awareness–and to attend to culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, and ethical relationships. Our program is completely face-to-face and conducted in a cohort-like community. Most students enroll on full-time basis (2.5 years), and part-time options are available by advisement.
Program objectives are as follows:
- Graduates will have foundation knowledge necessary for success as professional counselors.
- Graduates will be able to develop therapeutic relationships that are deeply healing, culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, and ethical.
- Graduates will demonstrate professional dispositions including Commitment, Openness, Respect, Integrity, and Self-Awareness.
- Graduates will be culturally sensitive and ethical advocates for self, clients, and profession through counseling interventions, programming, and professional and community engagement.
- Graduates will be well-skilled in the full range of tasks needed for clinical mental health counseling including interventions for prevention and treatment of a broad range of mental health issues; roles of mental health counselors; and settings and service delivery models.
Credit Hours Required
60 graduate credit hours
Required Courses
- Requirements (45 credit hours)
- School Psychology (3 credit hours)
- Research (3 credit hours)
- Electives, dependent upon option and selected in consultation with major professor:
- Course Only with Comprehensive Exam Option: 3 elective courses (9 credit hours)
- Thesis Option: COUN 500 (6 credit hours), and one elective course (6 credit hours)
Non-Course Requirements
- The program of study includes a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practicum and internship counseling experiences in clinical mental health counseling settings. Each student’s plan of study is customized to support individual goals as well as to provide a common core of counselor preparation.
- A Comprehensive Exam is required with a grade of Pass.
- Thesis Option: Defense of the thesis.
School Counseling, Course Only With Comprehensive Exams
The school counseling concentration prepares students to become a professional school counselor within preK-12 schools in Tennessee and most states. Our students learn about their role as a leader within a data-driven comprehensive, developmental school counseling program as supported by the TN Model for School Counseling and the ASCA National Model®. All counseling core courses are face-to-face with a highly qualified faculty member. Most students enroll on full-time basis, and part-time options are available by advisement. The 60 credit master’s degree can be completed in two full years, including two summers, when enrolled on a full-time basis.
Program objectives are as follows:
- Graduates will have foundation knowledge necessary for success as professional counselors.
- Graduates will be able to develop therapeutic relationships that are deeply healing, culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, and ethical.
- Graduates will demonstrate professional dispositions including Commitment, Openness, Respect, Integrity, and Self-Awareness (CORIS).
- Graduates will be culturally sensitive and ethical advocates for self, clients, and profession through counseling interventions, programming, and professional and community engagement.
- Graduates will be well-skilled in the full range of tasks needed to deliver a comprehensive, developmental school counseling program that addresses the academic, career, and social-emotional development of preK-12 students.
Credit Hours Required
60 graduate credit hours
Required Courses
- Requirements (45 credit hours)
- Special Education (3 credit hours)
- School Psychology (3 credit hours)
- Research (3 credit hours)
- Two Electives (6 credit hours) selected in consultation with major professor
Additional Course Requirements
- SPED 570 also is required for students without a teaching license.
Non-Course Requirements
- The program of study includes a minimum of 700 hours of supervised practicum and internship counseling experiences in a school setting. Field experiences include one semester in practicum and two semesters in internship. Students choose at least two of the three settings (i.e., elementary school, middle school, high school) for the field experiences to meet state requirements for licensure as a school counselor in Tennessee.
- A Comprehensive Exam is required with a grade of Pass.
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