NATIONAL UNIVERSITY | SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Department of Educational Administration, School Counseling & School Psychology “Painting a Brighter Future for All” 2019 EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING GRADUATE HANDBOOK National University Sanford College of Education 2019 EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING HANDBOOK The School of Education uses the STARS acronym to identify key beliefs that unify the elements of our instructional program as detailed below: The School of Education envisions our faculty and staff as Lifelong Learners committed to: Scholarship in Knowledge, Theory and Practice Teamwork with P-12 Schools, other Professionals and the Community Active Reflection for Continuous Improvement in order to meet the needs of all learners Responsible Citizenship, Ethical Practice, understanding of and ability to work with Diversity in its many forms Standards of Exemplary Practice for professional educators July 01, 2019 Acknowledgements Dr. Sonia Rodriguez – Program Director Dr. Sladjana Rakich- Faculty Lead Los Angeles John Gentry – Credentials Department About National University A University of Values Anchored by the core values of quality, access, relevance, accelerated pace, affordability, and community, National University is dedicated to educational access and academic excellence. It meets these lofty goals by providing challenging and relevant programs that are student-centered, success- oriented, and responsive to technology.
For Students, Not For Profit As a nonprofit institution, National University commits its resources to providing an academically rich learning environment for its students. A Place for Everyone Founded in 1971, National University is dedicated to making life-long learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse student population. National and State Rankings Include: Second in California and in the top 12 nationally in granting Master’s Degrees to women; Second in the nation in granting Master’s Degrees in education to Hispanics; Second in the nation in granting Master’s Degrees in all disciplines combined to minorities; First in California in granting Master’s Degrees to African Americans; Second in California in granting Master’s Degrees in all disciplines to minorities. 3|P a ge Table of Contents Purpose of the Handbook .6 Voices from the Field.
7 Section I - Program Overview. 8 School Counseling Mission Statement. 8 Where Did “STARS” Come From?. 8 Master of Science Degree in Educational Counseling w/PPS School Counseling Credential.
9 Master of Science Degree in Educational Counseling. 9 Pupil Personnel Services Credential Only. 9 NATIONAL ACCREDITATION AND PROGRAM STANDARDS. 10 PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES.
10 PROGRAM ADMISSION INFORMATION. 11 SCHOOL COUNSELING COURSE OUTLINE & OVERVIEW. 12 School Counseling Program Assessment of Candidates. 13 Classroom Dispositions of Educational Counseling Candidates (CDECC).
13 Clinical Practice Overview. 13 Advancement to Candidacy. 14 The Institutional Review Board (IRB). 14 Organizing the Portfolio.
14 Contents of the Portfolio. 15 Documentation of Proficiencies. 18 Evidence of CTC Diversity requirement. 18 Additional information that could be included in portfolio:.
19 PROGRAM EXIT PROCESS. 20 National Praxis Exam. 20 4|P a ge Exit Process. 21 SECTION II - GENERAL INFORMATION.
22 GRADUATE SCHOOL POLICIES. 22 CANDIDATES WITH DISABILITIES. 23 FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION. 25 SECTION III - CLINICAL PRACTICE.
26 Program Option Requirements. 27 Master’s Degree Only:. 27 Master’s Degree with PPS Credential in School Counseling or “Credential Only” Candidates. 27 Internship Process - Getting Started.
28 Internship Course Guidelines. 31 Internship Site Visits. 31 Internship Objectives and Competencies. 32 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES DURING INTERNSHIP.
37 PAID INTERNSHIP CREDENTIAL/DISTRICT SPONSORED PROGRAM. 39 SECTION IV - FORMS & DOCUMENTATION. 43 CANDIDATE ASSISTANCE PROCESS/PROCEDURES:. 67 5|P a ge Purpose of the Handbook The purpose of the Educational Counseling Graduate Handbook is to support and provide candidates and supervisors with necessary information regarding National University’s School Counseling Program.
The Handbook is to be used as a reference and resource guide for the duration of the candidate’s program. The handbook includes all the necessary forms for completion of the fieldwork experiences (Practicum and Internship) as well as links to other valuable outside resources. Please save an electronic copy as well as print and keep a copy for your records. This Handbook is divided into four sections: Section I Provides a Broad Program Overview, Program Completion Options, National Accreditation Standards, California Standards for School Counseling and Program Standards, Program Learning Outcomes, Program Admission Information, School Counseling Program Overview, Professional Portfolio Requirements and Program Exit Process.
Section II Provides University Policies and Procedures, Statement on Professional Ethics, Advisement Information, and Program Contact Information Section III Provides all information regarding your Clinical Instruction, including Practicum and Internship Requirements, Candidate Roles and Responsibilities, Internship Site Visits and Courses. Section IV Provides all the forms and supporting documents required of candidates and their supervisors to complete the School Counseling Program including Practicum logs, Internship Application Form, Internship Training Plan, Weekly Log of Internship Hours, Summary Log of Internship Hours, Intern Assessment, Candidate Supervision Reflection, Internship Site Evaluation, Exit Interview, School Counseling Program Exit Evaluation, Honorarium Form, as well as others. The candidate assistance procedures include the formal remediation plan for those in need. The Remediation Plan, a formal way to assist candidate matriculate successfully through this program, is also outlined in this section.
6|P a ge Voices from the Field “Now that your program is over, how would you guide your learning?” In this section, the faculty asked our graduates to share insights that they learned as they matriculated through the program. Each graduate is currently working in the field as a professional school counselor. • “While I acknowledge that distance learning allows for flexibility and for the program to be accessible to more students, there is something to be said for being a part of a cohort, going through courses together and building friendships, some of which I can see being life-long”. Jamie Wilson- recent graduate • “From the get go, ask to see the forms that are typically used in the schools by counselors.” Johnathan Emaguna- Counselor- Foothill High School- Tustin Unified School District • “It is important to link your fieldwork experiences with your course work.
Bring the real world into your classroom. Also stay connected with your network of supporters.” Nick Ho- Adjunct Counselor- Golden West College • “What I really learned since that program is that school counselor leadership means having a voice in the policies and decisions that affect my students, my daily work, and the shape of my profession. " Samuel Hernandez- Head Counselor- Corona High School – Corona Norco Unified School District and adjunct professor Ultimately, what matters most is for schools to find ways to improve the learning environment, reduce punitive approaches to school discipline, and provide greater social and emotional support. Anything less is just window dressing.
Pedro Noguera, Executive Director Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, New York University 7|P a ge Section I - Program Overview INTRODUCTION National University’s Master of Science in Educational Counseling and Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Counseling programs are committed to training candidates to provide best practices counseling services in educational settings. Toward this end, the curriculum provides foundational knowledge and experience in the areas of human development and learning, contemporary and multicultural issues, comprehensive guidance programs, individual and group counseling, leadership and consultation, academic and career guidance, psycho-educational, assessment, legal and ethical issues, and research. Clinical experiences, including Practicum and field experience/ internships with experienced supervisors, are a central component of the training candidates receive, and allow the candidate to apply acquired knowledge and professional skills in field-based settings. School Counseling Mission Statement The mission of the School Counseling Program is to prepare candidates for effective and satisfying careers as professional and ethical counselors working with individuals, families, and other groups in educational settings.
It emphasizes the counselor’s role as a leader and advocate for positive institutional transformation to improve candidate achievement. The goal of the program is to convey a comprehensive developmental approach to counseling theory, research, and practice focused on major educational and psychological concepts. The faculty is committed to providing excellence in teaching and continual improvement of the courses and program. CAEP The School of Education received national accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) which ensures that accredited institutions produce competent caring and qualified teachers and other professional school personnel who can help all students learn.
In 2013 NCATE merged into CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) as the new accrediting body for educator preparation. Where Did “STARS” Come From? STARS came from a broad range of input on the part of School of Education faculty and partners about the values and beliefs we hold to be important. Qualitative analysis was carried out to identify themes from the input we received. Five themes were identified, and the themes were then arranged to form the STARS acronym.
8|P a ge MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING DEGREE DESCRIPTIONS All courses are taught in either a one or two-month format. On ground courses run from 5:30-10:00 PM on M/W or T/TH with a final exam for onsite courses on the last Saturday of the month. Also, our courses are offered fully online with weekly synchronous collaborative sessions. Still others are offered in a hybrid (mixed on ground and asynchronous).
Due to the short and intense nature of the courses, attendance is mandatory to all on ground sessions and your regular presence in online courses is also required. There are three options for those wishing to pursue this degree program: Option One Master of Science Degree in Educational Counseling w/PPS School Counseling Credential This option is recommended for candidates who wish to practice as a credentialed school counselor and have no earned degree in counseling. This degree requires 81 quarter units and these are usually completed on a part-time basis. Candidates take one class per month (4.5 units) usually for 18 consecutive months.
Most courses are completed in one month, but some courses are two months in length. This degree option includes extensive coursework and 100 logged hours of practicum (observational experience, 600 logged hours of fieldwork experience (Internship). At the completion of this program, candidates will have earned their Master’s Degree and be eligible to apply for their California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) School Counseling Credential. This option requires passage of the CBEST exam prior to Internship and the Praxis Exam prior to recommendation for the Masters Degree or the Credential.
Option Two Master of Science Degree in Educational Counseling This option is for candidates who do not wish to apply for the PPS credential upon program completion. A candidate might choose this option if he or she was looking to pursue a position outside the Pre-K -12 schools such as post-secondary education (Most often as a community college counselor). This option includes 81 quarter units and 100 logged hours of Practicum (observational experience) and 200 logged hours of Fieldwork experience (Internship). The CBEST exam and Praxis exam is not required for this option.
Option Three Pupil Personnel Services Credential Only This option is available for candidates who already have an appropriate master’s degree and wish to complete the required courses and fieldwork necessary to become eligible for a PPS credential in school counseling. This option requires 100 logged hours of Practicum (observational experience) PLUS 600 logged hours of Fieldwork experience (Internship) If you are unsure which option is best for you, it is recommended that you contact the school counseling program advisor faculty in your area. Feel free to call the nearest center faculty adviser. Contact information is provided at the end of Section I.
9|P a ge NATIONAL ACCREDITATION AND PROGRAM STANDARDS When enrolled in the Educational Counseling program at National, candidates are receiving an education that complies with the highest professional standards. The Counseling program complies with standards set forth by the CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation).