master of arts in school counseling - graduate studies at assumption ...

2
Become the counselor that every student deserves.
Program Description
e major objective of the Master of Arts in School
Counseling is to prepare students for a career as a
school counselor. e program is approved by the
Massachusetts Department of Education and is
designed to meet Initial licensing requirements for
School Guidance Counselor (PreK–8 or 5-12). e
School Counseling program is designed exclusively
for those students who want to pursue a counseling
career within a school setting.
Students are provided with the theoretical and practical skills and
competencies that are required to be an effective school counselor.
eory, research, and practice are integrated in a sequential
program designed to meet the challenges of providing comprehensive
counseling programs in contemporary elementary, middle, and
high school settings. e curriculum includes a strong counseling
core with an orientation to positive psychology and mindfulness-based
practices. eory, research-based prevention, intervention strategies,
and outcomes-based models are emphasized. Specific competencies
needed for counselors in the school setting are emphasized including:
problem solving, consultation and collaboration skills, knowledge
of evidence-based prevention, and intervention strategies. Diversity,
disability, multicultural, and school reform issues are central to implementation
of national and state developmental counseling curriculum
models and are imbedded in coursework and practicum experiences.
Coursework is coordinated with lab, pre-practicum, and practicum
experiences to provide the student with multiple opportunities to gain
knowledge, and to develop, refine, and evaluate their counseling skills
within a school setting.