Guidance and Counseling
College of Liberal Arts
School of Education
(907) 474-7341
Degree: M.Ed.
Minimum Requirements for Degree: M.Ed.: 42 credits
The M.Ed. program in Elementary and Secondary School Guidance and Counseling trains professional school counselors for the multicultural school settings. The purpose of this program is to prepare counselors at the graduate level with specific training in the areas of counseling and consultation for educational, social, and vocational decisions. The program prepares school counselors in the areas of developmental guidance, individual and group counseling, consultation, and program development. Supervised practicum and internships in the school setting are required.
Students who are applying for the Type A licensure option must have an Alaska Teaching License or the equivalent of a University of Alaska Bachelor of Education Degree with a GPA of 3.0 in the major.
Students who are applying for the Type C licensure option must have a bachelor's degree in one of several helping professions areas, i.e. psychology, social work, etc.
Acceptance into the Guidance and Counseling program is also based on consideration of the following criteria: clarity of goals appropriate to those of the program and commitment to working in multicultural settings.
Graduate Degree Requirements
Guidance and Counseling -- M.Ed. Degree
Admission Requirements
In addition to the admission requirements of the Graduate School which include the Graduate Record Examination, the student must apply for admission to and be accepted by the program area faculty. Admission to the Guidance and Counseling program requires a bachelor 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.
Degree Requirements
- Complete UAF degree requirements.
- Complete 47 credits in approved courses and research.
- Pass a written comprehensive examination.
- Complete a research project or thesis.
- Make an oral presentation of project or thesis to committee and colleagues.
- Complete practicum and internship placements in an elementary or secondary setting, depending upon interest.
NOTE: Courses assigned by the student's graduate committee to remove deficiencies will not be allowed as part of the graduate program.
Course Requirements (Elementary or Secondary Counseling):
- Required Courses (47 credits):
COUN 610 -- Culture and the Counselor (1 credit)
COUN 611 -- Theory Building for Counselors (1 credit)
COUN 615 -- Foundations of Guidance and Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 623 -- Counseling Theory and Applications (3 credits)
COUN 628 -- Child and Adolescent Psychology (3 credits)
COUN 629 -- Developmental Interventions (3 credits)
COUN 634 -- Practicum in Individual Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 636 -- Practicum in School 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 3-6
COUN 698 -- Research Project 3-6
or COUN 699 -- Thesis (6 credits)
PSY 635 -- Field-Based Research Methods
or ED 601 -- Intro. to Ed. Research
or PSY/SOC 473 -- Social Science Research Methods (3 credits)
Total Required credits (41 credits)
Elective credits (6 credits)
Total program credits (47 credits)
Licensure Only Program
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 to the Licensure Only program. People with a master's degree in Education who hold a teacher's license, if they are accepted and meet program requirements, may apply for the Guidance and Counseling endorsement on the Type A Teacher's license. Anyone with a master's degree in other helping profession areas (accepted by Guidance and Counseling faculty), if they are accepted and meet program requirements, may apply for Type C Guidance and Counseling license. Application to the Licensure Only program follows: the same admission requirements and procedures as for the M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling described above.
Certification Requirements:
- Minimum Course Requirements:
COUN 615 -- Foundations of Guidance and Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 623 -- Counseling Theories and Applications (3 credits)
COUN 628 -- Child and Adolescent Psychology (3 credits)
COUN 629 -- Developmental Interventions (3 credits)
COUN 634 -- Practicum in Individual Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 636 -- Practicum in School Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 646 -- School Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 660 -- Cross-Cultural Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 674 -- Group Counseling (3 credits)
COUN 690 -- Internship (3-6 credits)
Total Required Hours (30 credits)