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Specialist in Education at UGA Gwinnett

Ed.S. Program in School Counseling

Gwinnett University Center

The Ed.S. Program is designed for individuals who have a master’s degree in school counseling or a closely related field (e.g., community counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or social work) who wish to pursue advanced study in school counseling. Successful completion of this sequence results in recommendation for certification as a school counselor at the advanced level. [Please note that this program is not suitable for those who hold a master’s in other educational fields. If you already have a master’s in elementary, middle grades, or secondary education or educational leadership, you would need to come through our on-campus masters’ program. With additional courses substituted for the guided electives, you would be able to complete the two-year on-campus sequence with an Ed.S. degree.]

The program is designed to be completed as a unified sequence of courses over two summers and the intervening academic year. All students are required to enroll as members of a 16-24 person cohort who will complete the program together.

The following courses or their equivalents are prerequisites for enrollment in the program:

• Counseling Theory
• Cross-cultural Counseling
• Interpersonal Relations
• Group Counseling
• Career Development
• Appraisal
• Research
• Practicum in Counseling

Up to two of these courses may be taken at any accredited institutions as co-requisites. These courses will not be offered at the Gwinnett University Center. Applicants who are missing more than two prerequisites are urged to complete these courses prior to seeking admission.

Admissions

Students interested in being admitted should complete both graduate school and departmental applications and submit the necessary references and supporting documents. Please go to http://www.coe.uga.edu/chds/students/graduate-students/graduate-admissions/ for the admissions procedures.

For specific questions related to the application process, please contact Nikki Williams at (706) 542-1813 or through e-mail at nikkiw@uga.edu. For questions about the program, contact the department at – chds@uga.edu.

Course Sequence (Effective for Summer 2010 Cohort)

Here is a typical curriculum of a student entering the program. Please consult with your Program Coordinator as to your individual program of study.

*It is recommended that the approved elective be taken in either fall or spring semester or the second summer.

** If taken previously another elective can be substituted

During the summer, all courses are offered during the extended thru session from 9:00 – 4:00 except for the Applied Project course. The Applied Project course will be scheduled in conjunction with your other classes and will require approximately ½ day every other week. Classes will begin the first week in June and will end the third week in July to accommodate the public school calendar.

Course Descriptions: These are the official course descriptions as listed in the Graduate Bulletin. Please note that the content for these courses will be adapted to fit the requirements for the Ed.S. Professional School Counseling Program.
ECHD 9020 Human Development Services Intervention - investigation of theoretical foundations, research findings, and techniques for selected human development interventions. Environmental assessment and milieu management, life skills training, consultation in human service agencies, and organizational development in educational settings.

ECHD 8020 Seminar in Counseling and Human Development Services – Specific areas in counseling and human development services. Topics will vary but will focus on the development of advanced knowledge and skills in emerging areas relevant to professionals in counseling and human development.

ECHD 9060 Advanced Cross-Cultural Counseling – Cross-cultural issues related to gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation as they pertain to counseling.

ECHD 8000 Applied Project – Individual research in an area pertinent to the field of counseling and human development services, with emphasis on increasing skills necessary to collect, interpret, and utilize research data.

ECHD 8680 Process of Counseling Psychology Supervision – Each student will supervise two master’s-level students in Individual Counseling Practicum. The supervisory sessions will be recorded and critiqued in the supervision course. An updated and systematic understanding of the problems of supervision will be accomplished through a review of the literature.

ECHD 8850 Advanced Internship in School Counseling – Advanced supervised experience in an educational setting appropriate to school counseling.

ECHD 9650 Consultation in Human Systems – Application of social psychological research and systems theory to organizational development. Emphasis will be on the role of the counseling psychologist as a consultant and the development of consultation and group leadership skills necessary to work with teachers, clients, patients, families, groups, administrators, and personnel in agencies, organizations, or institutions.

ECHD 8030 Psychodiagnosis – Key concepts of mental health and illness with an emphasis on examining major issues in psychiatric diagnosis, includes gender, racial/ethnic, and cultural factors. Students will become familiar with the DSM classification system and achieve proficiency in making diagnoses.

ECHD 9710 Professional Ethics – Introduction and application of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for School Counselors. Ethical decision-making and professional judgment will be explored using case studies and select articles. Legal and jurisdictional information and reference to universal principles will be explored.

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in Professional School Counseling

Student Advising Sheet
Name: _______________________
Program year: ____________

First Summer Semester
ECHD 9020 Human Development Services Intervention
ECHD 8020 Seminar in Counseling and Human Development Services
ECHD 9060 Advanced Cross-Cultural Counseling
ECHD 8000 Applied Project

Fall Semester
ECHD 8680 Process of Counseling Psychology Supervision
ECHD 8850 Advanced Internship in School Counseling

Spring Semester
ECHD 8850 Advanced Internship in School Counseling
ECHD 9650 Consultation in Human Systems
Approved Elective*

Second Summer Semester
ECHD 8030 Psychodiagnosis**
ECHD 8000 Applied Project
ECHD9710 Professional Ethics
Approved Elective*

Approved Elective: ___________________________________

Student: ______________________________________
Date: ______________

Program Coordinator: ____________________________
Date: ______________

Assessment

In the assessment system for the Ed.S. in School Counseling, there are several critical decision points during the course of the program:

Admissions: Undergraduate and graduate GPAs, GRE/MAT scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statement

Coursework: GPA, completion of core sequence, completion of Advanced Cross-cultural class as diversity requirement, completion of approved elective, program of study

Clinical experience: satisfactory completion of internship, satisfactory completion of peer supervision experience

Exit: Completion of applied research project

Employment: Alumni & employer surveys