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MS in Counseling College of Education

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MS in Counseling & Specialities

Career Counseling

The Career Counseling Specialization provides students with the knowledge, theory, and skills to work as effective counselors/career development specialists, and consultants in a variety of settings: community-based agencies, schools (K-12), colleges and universities, private practice, business, industry, and government. Students are trained to facilitate a holistic career development/career decision-making/planning process with groups and individuals that integrates personal, social, and career needs. Students develop the skills to address current issues such as career self-reliance, work/family/life balance, multiculturalism, diversity, and lifelong learning.

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Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling

The Marriage, Family and Child Counseling concentration provides students with the knowledge, theory, and skills to work as effective counselors/therapists in a variety of settings: community-based agencies, public and private agencies, non-profit organizations, private practice, and school based wellness centers supporting student mental health. The Marriage, Couple, and Family concentration meets all the educational competencies required by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Emphasis is placed on training individuals to become social change agents and to work in diverse settings. Students also learn how to address developmental and preventative concerns.

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Rehabilitation Counseling

The Rehabilitation Counseling concentration provides students the opportunity to gain several specialized skills for working with individuals with disabilities, addiction, and co-occurring disorders. Students in this program are prepared to work in a wide variety of settings, including private practice, community agencies, private organizations, college campuses, and state departments. Students develop skills to understand medical and psychosocial aspects of disability and its impact on co-occurring disorders including substance abuse and clinical mental health.

Students are eligible for their Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor License (LPCC) as well as their Certified Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) Credential.

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School Counseling with Embedded PPS-SC Credential

The School Counseling concentration is designed for individuals who seek to become elementary, middle, or secondary school counselors. This program meets the requirements for the K-12 California Pupil Personnel Services-School Counseling (PPS-SC) Credential. 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 as well as the systems and subsystems in which the child interacts. Credential: The PPS-SC Credential at Sacramento State is not offered as a stand-alone credential. Only those students accepted into the School Counseling master’s degree are eligible to earn their PPS Credential.

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Master’s Culminating Experience

All MS Counseling students acquire 100 hours in Practicum, under faculty supervision providing counseling services through either the Center for Counseling and Diagnostic Services (CCDS) or a K-12 school site in the community. Over the course of the final year, students must accrue between 600-800 hours of experience in the community (under faculty AND site supervision) as an aspect of the Culminating Experience. Furthermore, all students must pass a comprehensive examination. This prepares students for licensing exams when seeking licensure or credentialing.

Counselor Preparation and Comprehensive Examination (CPCE): Students enroll in EDC 500 (1 unit) in their final semester and complete their culminating examination, the CPCE is a national exam used in counselor education programs. The areas assessed include the following content areas:

(C1) Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice;

(C2) Social & Cultural Diversity;

(C3) Human Growth & Development;

(C4) Career Development;

(C5) Counseling & Helping Relationships;

(C6) Group Counseling & Group Work;

(C7) Assessment and Testing; and

(C8) Research and Program Evaluation.

Tips for Success

Our Counselor Education Ambassadors are here to help mentor you through the application process. Our Student Counseling Society is here to help mentor you through your program. Our cohorted model helps build relationships with peers as you develop your professional skills. Our student leadership routes help you build your leadership skills and our Chi Sigma Iota Chapter helps you build your national presence and visibility. Our student centered faculty advising helps build your relationship with faculty and provides faculty mentoring. We have built in ways to involve our interested students in local, regional, and national scholarly activities including presenting with faculty. If you are ready to develop the clinical skills needed to work with a wide variety of clients and patients, and you are a relational people person, we are here to support your professional journey. The key to success in our counseling program is building on the support provided and following your cohort sequence, we will place our student interns and help you navigate the licensing and credentialing processes post-grad, so we are looking for passionate and flexible individuals that are ready to dive into building their clinical skills.

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