Guidance and Counseling

School of Education
(907) 474-7341
www.uaf.edu/educ/graduate/counseling.html

M.Ed. Degree

Minimum Requirements for Degree: 48 credits

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The primary purpose of this program is to prepare counselors at the graduate level with specific training in the areas of counseling and consultation for education, social and career decisions. Completion of this program meets requirements for Alaska licensure as a school counselor. In addition, this program may also serve as a basis for pursuing additional requirements necessary for licensure as a professional counselor (i.e., mental health).

The program emphasizes a developmental perspective, focusing on issues pertinent to providing guidance and counseling services, consultation and program development in multicultural settings.

Graduate Program--M.Ed. Degree

1. Complete the following admission requirements:
   1. Admission requires a bachelor's degree in a human service area such as education, social work, psychology, human services, etc. Suitability of other degrees will be considered on an individual basis by guidance and counseling faculty.
   2. The following criteria are considered: clarity of goals appropriate to those of the program and commitment to working in multicultural settings.
   3. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate major.
   4. In addition to the admission requirements of the master's degree program, the student must apply for admission to and be accepted by the program area faculty.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the master's degree requirements.
4. Complete practicum and internship placements in a setting appropriate to the student's program focus.
5. Complete the following course requirements:
   COUN 615--Foundations of Guidance and Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 623--Counseling Theories and Applications I 3 credits
   COUN 628--Child and Adolescent Psychology 3 credits
   COUN 629--Developmental Interventions 3 credits
   COUN 632--Career Development 3 credits
   COUN 630--Appraisal for School Counselors 3 credits
   COUN 634--Practicum in Individual Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 636--Practicum in School or Community Counseling*+ 3 credits
   COUN 646--School Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 647--Professional Ethics 3 credits
   COUN 660--Cross-Cultural Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 674--Group Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 690--Internship**+ 3-9
   COUN 698--Research Project (3-6)
   or COUN 699--Thesis (6) 3-6
   ED 601--Introduction to Applied Social Science Research 3 credits
   Elective credits 3 credits
6. Minimum credits required 48
   
   *Students will register for one section of practicum either in Elementary, Secondary or Community counseling
   
   **K-12 certification requires both elementary and secondary internship
   
   + Students pursuing certification in school counseling must complete a Practicum and Internship in a school setting.
   
   Note: Courses assigned by the student's graduate committee to remove deficiencies will not be allowed as part of the graduate program.

Licensure Only

1. Complete the following admission requirements:
   1. Application to the licensure only program follows the same admission requirements and
   2. People who currently hold master's degrees in education or one of several helping professions such as social work, psychology, or human services (as approved by guidance and counseling faculty) may apply.
2. Complete the following certification requirements:
   COUN 615--Foundations of Guidance and Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 623--Counseling Theories and Applications I 3 credits
   COUN 628--Child and Adolescent Psychology 3 credits
   COUN 629--Developmental Interventions (3)*
   or COUN 632--Career Development (3)** 3 credits
   COUN 630--Appraisal for School Counselors 3 credits
   COUN 634--Practicum in Individual Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 636--Practicum in School or Community Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 646--School Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 647--Professional Ethics 3 credits
   COUN 660--Cross-Cultural Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 674--Group Counseling 3 credits
   COUN 690--Internship 3-9
3. Minimum credits required 36
   
   * Required for elementary and K-12 certification.
   
   ** Required for secondary and K-12 certification.