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Master of Science in Counselor Education
Program Overview
The MS in Counselor Education Program at WCSU is three-year hybrid program offering candidates two concentrations of study, School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The program trains students to work in K-12 School Counseling settings or in a variety of Clinical Mental Health settings. Online synchronous learning and additional asynchronous learning is used for our courses and supervisory activities. Please note that our skills courses do have an in-person, on-campus learning component associated with the synchronous online course. While enrolled in these courses (EPY 501, EPY 507, EPY 508, EPY 603), students are required to meet on campus three Saturdays per semester to participate in clinical labs for a total of six (6) Saturdays over the three years of the program. Dates will be published in advance at the time of enrollment. Students who need an alternative option for clinical labs due to religious or health reasons must notify their instructor at the start of the semester.
The Counselor Education Program has been accredited by the Council for Accreditation for Counselor Education and Related Programs (CACREP) since 1995.
Program Cycle
The Counselor Education Program operates in a cohort model. Candidates meet with their coordinator to develop a Plan of Study prior to enrolling. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling option and the School Counseling option both require 60 credits for completion. Classes begin in mid-May (Summer Session 1) and it takes three years to complete the program. School Counseling candidates may take additional courses to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor which may extend the program length. All candidates are required to take an exit exam in the spring prior to graduation.
Gate Keeping
In view of the responsibilities of the role of the counselor in both school and community settings, candidates whose work is of marginal quality in pertinent courses or who demonstrate personal qualities that are not conducive to the role of counselor will not be recommended either for matriculation or for continuation in the program.
Licensure/Certification
The Western Connecticut State University Counselor Education Clinical Mental Health concentration meets the educational requirements for both the Connecticut Department of Public Health for initial licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA) and the New York State Office of the Professions for initial licensure as a Limited Permit Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).
Students seeking licensure in another state should notify the program coordinator of the state in which they wish to be licensed to confirm educational requirements before starting the program.
The Western Connecticut State University School Counseling concentration meets the educational requirements for certification as a school counselor in Connecticut. Students seeking New York State certification must attend three New York state sponsored workshops on the following topics: Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), Child Abuse Identification & Reporting, and School Violence Prevention and Intervention. Information on where and how to take these workshops is located on the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) website. All graduates seeking school counseling certification in New York must complete one internship in a K-8 school and one internship in a 9-12 school. Graduates seeking school counseling certification in New York are also required to sit for a certification exam.
Students pursuing school counseling certification in another state should notify the program coordinator of the state in which they wish to be certified to confirm the educational requirements before starting the program.
MS in Counselor Education Program Goals and Learning Objectives
CACREP Alignment
The table below lists the MS in Counselor Education Program Goals, Program Learning Objectives, the 2024 CACREP Core Standards and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Alignment, Goal Alignment, Key Assessments, and Courses.
2. The Counselor Education Program prepares students to recognize, respect, and uphold the dignity, worth, and potential of each client and to consider all clients as unique, multi-dimensional individuals throughout the counseling relationship.
3. The Counselor Education program ensures students have developed dispositions aligned with the legal, ethical, and humanistic parameters of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and/or the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
4. The Counselor Education Program prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively serve clients in their specialized practice area.
(CACREP 3.A)
KPI 1
EPY 618
EPY 610-615
(CACREP 3.B)
KPI 2
Practicum & Internship Evaluations,
CEE
(CACREP 3.C)
KPI 3
career theory knowledge and strategies for facilitating client skill development for career, educational, and life-work planning, and management.
(CACREP 3.D)
KPI 4
(CACREP 3.E)
KPI 5
EPY 508
(CACREP 3.F)
KPI 6
KPI 7
EPY 507
(CACREP 3.H)
KPI 8
Group Counseling Project, Fitness to Practice, Practicum & Internship Evaluations, CEE
EPY 603
(CACREP 2.C.2)
KPI 9
EPY 501
(CACREP 5.C)
KPI 10a
EPY 611, 614-615
KPI 10b
EPY 610, 612-613
Admission Requirements
Application Deadline: Applications and all supporting documents are due no later than January 10th. Online Graduate Application
a. Submit transcripts from all colleges/universities attended regardless if a degree was earned.
b. Achieve a minimum of 3.0 GPA for all undergraduate courses. If a candidate does not meet the 3.0 GPA, an alternate assessment under advisement from the graduate office, will provide an alternative route for admittance.
c. Complete a Bachelor’s Degree program (or its international equivalent) that includes a general-education distribution of courses in English, mathematics, science, social and behavioral sciences, foreign language, and fine arts.
d. Submit a two page, double spaced essay demonstrating proficiency in English that sets forth the reasons for wanting to enroll in a counselor education program, and emphasizing relevant experiences, and suitability for online learning.
e. Submit contact information for three individuals able to testify to the applicant’s suitability as a prospective counselor. Recommendations from an applicant’s family members, friends, or personal therapist will not be accepted. Recommendation Form
f. Submit a comprehensive and current resume or CV that specifies all academic, work, and volunteer experience. Paid or volunteer work that is indicative of an interest in the counseling profession is desirable.
g. Be interviewed by the program’s faculty admissions committee, which will assess the student’s academic background and personal attributes that might affect the student’s performance as a counselor.
Transcripts and other supporting documents should be forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies, Western Connecticut State University, 181 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810 or sent as an attachment to GraduateDocuments@wcsu.edu
Typhon License Requirement
Students enrolled in the WCSU Counselor Education Program are expected to purchase a license to Typhon, a secure platform that will be used throughout the program to manage and collect performance data and fieldwork documents. Students will upload key assessments, track fieldwork hours, and manage fieldwork contracts using Typhon. Subscriptions must be purchased in the fall of the first year. The cost is approximately $100 for a five-year subscription. Dr. Lorrie-Anne Monte is the contact for questions and technical assistance for Typhon. She can be reached at montel@wcsu.edu.
Concentration in School Counseling
The School Counseling concentration meets the educational components for certification as a school counselor in CT and NY. Candidates seeking certification in other states should contact the program coordinator prior to applying. The curriculum for the school counseling option includes the following graduate courses:
Concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
This option leads to counselor licensure in CT and NY and national certification. Candidates seeking licensure in other states should contact the program coordinator prior to applying. Curriculum for the clinical mental health counseling option includes the following courses:
