The Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in School Counseling is a specialty track within the Graduate Counseling program located at the Western Carolina University instructional site at Biltmore Park-Asheville. Completion of the degree leads to a recommendation for K-12 School Counseling licensure (certification) by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and eligibility for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHC-A). The Counseling program is nationally CACREP-accredited.
The M.A.Ed. in School Counseling is a 60-hour program that utilizes the traditional classroom setting along with practical experience. Some of the issues covered in the classroom include: school counseling program development, counseling children and adolescents, career counseling, and consultation and collaboration. Students will also explore issues related to human growth and development, cross-cultural counseling, ethical and legal issues, individual and group counseling, and crisis intervention, among others. Outside of the classroom, students will engage in 750 hours of hands-on learning during two field-placement experiences.
The M.A.Ed. in School Counseling prepares you for employment as a counselor in school settings at elementary, middle, and high school levels. This important work gives you the opportunity to help individuals cope with or overcome various academic, mental, and emotional issues. The Counseling program is intentionally designed to give you the skills you need for employment you wish to pursue in the counseling field.