Total units required for MS: 60
Program Description
The 60-unit Master of Science in Counseling (School Counseling with Embedded PPS Credential) prepares professional school counselors for employment in a variety of school settings. Embedded within the required coureswork for this degree is the Pupil Personnel Services, School Counseling Credential which prepares professional school counselors to work within the K-12 educational system.
The program includes a 100-hour clinical practicum, and 800 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. 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 local, state, regional, and national level; involvement in the CSUS Multicultural Conference; involvement in the Chi Sigma Iota national honor society, and/or Student Counseling Society. 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.
School Counseling Concentration
- The School Counseling Concentration is designed for individuals who seek to become elementary, middle, or high school counselors. This program meets the requirements for the TK-12 California Pupil Personnel Services Credential, School Counseling (PPS-SC). Students in this program are prepared to function as key members of an educational team seeking to optimize children’s academic, socio-emotional, and career development.
- Students obtain the expertise necessary to lead the educational team in working collaboratively with a broad range of education and human service professionals, paraprofessionals, and community representatives to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate programs that provide key services to both the individual child/adolescent as well as the systems and subsystems in which the child/adolescent interacts.
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The School Counseling Concentration is also designed to provide students with all the educational competencies required by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) upon completion of one extra course required for BBS but not within the required courses within this catalog.
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The school counseling program prepares professional counselors with the school counseling specialization leading to the PPS credential with compliance with both CTC and CACREP standards. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) requires 800 hours of field study.
Students in the School Counseling Concentration who intend to be employed in California will need to obtain the Pupil Personnel Services Credential, School Counseling (PPS-SC).
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. This credential is embedded within the master’s degree, School Counseling concentration.
The Career Counseling; Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; Rehabilitation Counseling, and School Counseling concentrations at Sacramento State are nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The School Counseling concentration is also accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).
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
- Faculty actively support diversity and focus on multicultural counseling skills throughout the curriculum.
- Classes are offered during the day, late afternoon, and evening.
- Placement opportunities for fieldwork in local schools.
- An on-campus training center with the Center for Counseling and Diagnostic Services provides opportunity for video and audio feedback.
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 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.
Individuals must satisfy the basic skills requirement by one of the CTC approved methods prior to receiving the Pupil Personnel Services Credentials.
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 ( https://www.csus.edu/graduate-studies/).
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:
Office of Graduate Studies
California State University, Sacramento
Riverfront Center, Room 215, MS 6112
6000 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95819
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.
The Master of Science in Counseling and the Pupil Personnel Services credentials are subject to general University requirements. These requirements are explained in the ''Graduate Degree Requirements'' and the ''Counselor Education'' sections of this catalog. Students may be disqualified when not meeting program standards (see Counselor Education Student Handbook).
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 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.
Licensure
Admission into programs leading to licensure does not guarantee that students will obtain a license. Licensure requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the CSU and requirements can change at any time. For example, licensure requirements can include evidence of the right to work in the United States (e.g., social security number or tax payer identification number) or successfully passing a criminal background check. Students are responsible for determining whether they can meet licensure. The CSU will not refund tuition, fees, or any associated costs, to students who determine subsequent to admission that they cannot meet licensure requirements.
Program Requirements1,2
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses for All Concentrations (30 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 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 |
| Total Units | 30 | |
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Minimum GPA: 3.0
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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
School Counseling (29 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EDC 215 | Foundations of Professional School Counseling | 3 |
| EDC 242 | Play and Art in Therapy with Children | 3 |
| EDC 270 | Organization and Administration of School Counseling Programs | 3 |
| EDC 272 | Counseling Children and Youth | 3 |
| EDC 274 | Advocacy and Systemic Change in School Counseling | 3 |
| EDC 280A | 2 | |
| EDC 219A | 3 | |
| EDC 475A | 3 | |
| EDC 480A | taken twice, 3 units each, over two separate semesters, in order to meet accreditation standards | 6 |
| Total Units | 29 | |
Culminating Requirement (1 Unit)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EDC 500 | Master's Culminating Experience 1 | 1 |
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.