Counseling, M.S.
Program Director: Andrew Campbell, Ph.D.; campbell@hood.edu; 301-696-3764
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Counseling will provide students with the knowledge and skill set needed to work as Clinical Mental Health Counselors or pre-K through 12th grade School Counselors. The program is designed to meet Maryland professional counselor licensure requirements; Maryland State Department of Education certification of the school counseling specialty is projected for 2017. In addition, the program conforms to the standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP), and CACREP accreditation will be sought when the program becomes eligible to apply, in 2018. Graduates of the program will demonstrate the professional knowledge, skills and practices necessary to address a wide variety of counseling activities in various settings. Graduates will be instructed in the following domains: foundations; counseling, prevention, and intervention; diversity and advocacy; assessment; research and evaluation; diagnosis; academic development; collaboration and consultation; and leadership.
Application Requirements
To be considered for admission to the M.S. in Counseling program, applicants should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. Undergraduate coursework in psychology is strongly recommended. Depending on the applicant pool, GPAs under 3.0 may be considered if associated materials are strong. Applicants are encouraged to complete the GRE and/or additional counseling-related coursework to strengthen their applications. Selected applicants will be contacted to attend an interview day, with online or video interviews used for applicants who live more than two hours from campus.
Individuals applying to the master's in counseling program are required to submit:
All application materials should be submitted by June 15 for fall admission and November 15 for spring admission. All materials and interview experiences will be considered by the department's admissions committee in order to render a decision.
Program Requirements
Core Requirements
| COUN 500/PSY 500 | Human Development as a Lifelong Process | 3.0 |
| COUN 501 | Professional, Legal and Ethical Responsibilities | 3.0 |
| COUN 502 | Social and Cultural Foundations of Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 503 | Lifestyle and Career Development | 3.0 |
| COUN 504 | Counseling Techniques | 3.0 |
| COUN 505 | Group Dynamics, Processing and Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 506 | Research and Program Evaluation | 3.0 |
| COUN 511/PSY 511 | Theories and Principles of Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 534/PSY 534 | Tests and Measurements | 3.0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27.0 |
Students will select one of two specializations. School counseling students are permitted to complete coursework associated with the Clinical Mental Health specialty as their elective courses. Additional state requirements for licensure eligibility may apply.
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
Required Specialty Courses
Choose 12 credits from the following:
Practicum and Internship Requirements
| COUN 596 | Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 597 | Internship I: Mental Health or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 598 | Internship II: Clinical Mental Health or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9.0 |
SCHOOL COUNSELING
Required Specialty Courses
| COUN 540 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 541 | Program Planning, Management and Evaluation of School Counseling Programs | 3.0 |
| COUN 542 | Collaboration, Consultation and Supervision | 3.0 |
| COUN 543 | Counseling Children and Youth | 3.0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12.0 |
Choose 12 credits from the following:
Practicum and Internship Requirements
| COUN 596 | Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 597 | Internship I: Mental Health or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| COUN 598 | Internship II: Clinical Mental Health or School Counseling | 3.0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9.0 |
CERTIFICATE OPPORTUNITY
Certificate in Thanatology
In addition to the MS degree in Counseling, students may obtain a Certificate in Thanatology if they choose the following as their four elective courses:
Students must indicate intent to complete the Certificate in Thanatology by emailing the Office of the Registrar at hoodgrad@hood.edu.
Total Credit Hours: 60.0