Total units required for MS: 60

Program Description

The 60-unit Master of Science in Counseling prepares professional counselors for employment in a variety of settings such as public and private agencies, universities and colleges, schools and private practice. This degree meets the educational requirements for becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in the State of California.

The MS Counseling program is clinically oriented, with didactic and experiential courses, a 100-hour clinical practicum, and 600 hours of field experience. The program is a full time three-year program and students will take between 9-12 units each fall and spring to complete within the three years. Students are admitted into a cohort and will follow the course sequence designated by their program concentration. The cohort model allows students to advance together throughout their education while building support and connections within their peer group. Students are encouraged to advance their advocacy and professional experiences through such activities as participation in professional organizations, research, and presentations at the state, regional, and national level; involvement in the CSUS Multicultural Conference; Counselor Education Symposium, and/or involvement in our Chi Sigma Sigma chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. Both leadership and research opportunities are supported through faculty mentorship. The curricular experience is organized around core foundation courses, an intensive on-campus practicum training clinic experience, interpersonal growth experiences, advanced theory and practice courses, and a culminating field study placement.

Rehabilitation Counseling Concentration

• The MS in Counseling program, and Rehabilitation Counseling concentration, is designed to provide all the educational competencies required by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). The Rehabilitation Counseling concentration will prepare graduates with specialized skills to help individuals with cognitive, physical, sensory, psychiatric, and other disabilities work through a variety of mental health issues and provide treatment of mental disorders, including co-occurring disorders. Students will be practice skills within the principles and practices of clinical counseling such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, referral, and prevention. Rehabilitation Counselors work in a wide variety of settings including private practice, community-based mental health facilities, substance treatment facilities, schools, hospitals and/or other treatment centers, private agencies, college campuses, and state agencies.
• This concentration trains Rehabilitation Counselors to consider the medical, psychosocial, family, co-occurring substance use trauma, and environmental influences on disability and the individual’s ability to function in their environment. Rehabilitation Counselors are trained to identify and implement interventions to optimize rehabilitative functioning.
• The program includes training in counseling techniques, medical and psychosocial aspects of disability, comorbid conditions, diagnosis and treatment planning, and the potential for trauma and substance use disorders to mimic and/or co-occur with a variety of neurological, medical, and psychological disorders.
• Students in the Rehabilitation program are eligible for their Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) license and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential.

Note: Only students who are already enrolled in the School Counseling Concentration at California State University, Sacramento may apply to the Pupil Personnel Services School Counseling Internship Credential Program.

The MS Counseling: Career Counseling; Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling; Rehabilitation Counseling; and School Counseling concentrations at Sacramento State are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). 

Note: For additional information on credentials, see the “College of Education” section of this catalog. Program requirements are subject to change in order to maintain compliance with relevant state and national certification, licensure, and/or accreditation requirements.  Interested parties should refer to the current student handbook for up to date program information.

Special Features

• An on-campus Center for Counseling and Diagnostic Services brings clients from off campus to be counseled by students in the program and provides opportunity for video and audio feedback.
• Trainees provide off-campus counseling in local agencies, school districts, hospitals, and non-profit organizations.
• The Masters in Counseling Program and participating school districts collaborate with the Migrant Education Advisor Program (MEAP), which is a collaborative partnership with the Office of Migrant Education.
• Faculty actively support diversity and focus on multicultural counseling skills throughout the curriculum.
• Classes are offered during the morning, afternoon, and evening.

Admission Requirements

Admission as a classified graduate student in the Master of Science in Counseling program requires:

• A baccalaureate degree;
• Good academic standing at the last college attended;
• A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter units);
• Completion of the University application materials;
• Completion and submission of all Departmental application materials which include:
  • Application form;
  • Written statements delineated in application, including a Personal Statement and Writing Prompt;
  • Copies of transcripts (from all universities and colleges attended);
  • Professional letters of recommendation (2 required);
  • Relevant work experience via a Resume/CV.
• Participation in an In-Person Admission Evaluation, which may include (but is not limited to) interviews, experiential activities, and writing samples.

Selected applicants, based on paper screening of completed applications, will be invited for an In-Person Admission Evaluation. Decisions for admission into the Master of Science in Counseling program are made based on a comprehensive assessment of all application materials and performance in the In-Person Admission Evaluation.

Admission Procedure

The M.S. in Counseling accepts applications each fall for admission the following year. The program does not offer spring admissions. Applicants must complete a university application and program supplemental application by the posted application deadline date for the term applying.

For more admissions information and application deadlines, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Prospective applicants, including Sacramento State graduates, must submit one set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State, to the Office of Graduate Studies either electronically to gradtranscripts@csus.edu or physical transcripts for those institutions that do not send official transcripts electronically can be addressed to:

Admission is competitive with a limited number of students admitted each year. At the end of the application and screening period, a program recommendation will be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for further review. Decisions regarding admission are then emailed to each applicant. Following admission, students are assigned to a faculty advisor who assists with academic advising.

Students are strongly advised to remain in communication with the Counselor Education Program (by attending group advising sessions and meeting with their assigned faculty advisor each semester) as well as with any licensing or credentialing boards related to their area(s) of specialization (i.e., California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification) since licensing and credentialing requirements may change. Catalog rights hold only degree requirements; they do not protect students from changes such as prerequisites required for a given course, field study hours, individual course requirements, or additional requirements imposed by licensing or credentialing agents. Students should note that the Counselor Education course listings are subject to modification.

Minimum Units and Grade Requirement for the Degree

Units required for the MS: 60

Minimum Cumulative GPA:  3.0

Advancement to Candidacy

Each student working toward a Master's degree must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy for the Master's degree. The purpose of this application is to provide certification to the Office of Graduate Studies that the student will complete or has completed the necessary requirements and acceptable electives for the Master's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA. The Advancement to Candidacy application should be filed upon completion of 30 units in the program but typically our students complete this in their final year of our program.

Note: Students must meet the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) before advancing to candidacy. Our EDC 250 serves as our Graduate Writing Intensive (GWI) course to advance to candidacy.

The Advancement to Candidacy form is submitted online. Students should complete the relevant form in consultation with their assigned academic advisor. Once the form is endorsed by the student and the advisor, it will be verified by the Department’s Graduate Coordinator and then forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies for final approval. An Advancement to Candidacy must be on file prior to submitting a Petition to Graduate to the Office of Graduate Studies.

For Counselor Education information please visit the College of Education: Master's Programs Website where you will find the Counselor Education webpage and under the “Current Students" link, the Forms and Handbooks page where you can obtain the Student Handbook. It is highly recommended that students read the Student Handbook.

Program Requirements^1,2

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Required Courses for All Concentrations (44 Units)
EDC 210	Advocacy, Social Justice, and Cultural Foundations in Counseling	3
EDC 214	Dynamics of Human Development	3
EDC 216	Counseling Theory	3
EDC 218	Assessment In Counseling	3
EDC 219	Group Processes in Counseling	3
EDC 231	Diagnosis and Treatment Planning	3
EDC 233	Substance Use and Addiction Counseling	3
EDC 244	Trauma and Crisis Counseling	3
EDC 250	Education Research 	3
EDC 252	Legal and Ethical Issues in Professional Counseling	3
EDC 260	Career Development	3
EDC 280	Counseling Skills Lab	2
EDC 475	Counseling Practicum	3
EDC 480	Field Study In Counseling Taken twice, 3 units each, over two separate semesters, in order to meet accreditation requirements.	6
Total Units		44

¹

Minimum GPA: 3.0

²

Academic Residence: A minimum of 42 approved semester units in 100-, 200-, and 500-series offerings must be earned in residence at California State University, Sacramento.

Concentration Requirements

Rehabilitation Counseling (15 Units)

Course List

Code	Title	Units
EDC 239	Foundations in Rehabilitation Counseling	3
EDC 240A	Medical Aspects of Disability	3
EDC 240B	Psychosocial Aspects of Disability	3
EDC 254	Counseling and Psychotropic Medicine	3
EDC 263	Advanced Case Conceptualization in Clinical Rehabilitation	3

Culminating Requirement (1 Unit)

All students in the M.S. in Counseling program must enroll in EDC 500¹ during their final semester in the program and complete the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). 

In order to pass this multiple choice examination, a student must meet the minimum criterion score set by the Counselor Education Program. Categories covered include:

• Human Growth and Development
• Social and Cultural Foundations
• Helping Relationships
• Group Work
• Career and Lifestyle Development
• Appraisal
• Research and Program Evaluation
• Professional Orientation and Ethics

¹

Department petition required the semester prior to enrollment.