Master of Science in Counseling - School Counseling
School counselors help all the students under their guidance set personal goals, improve their academic achievement, and plan for their careers. You also enrich the educational philosophy of the school that you serve. If you are up to the challenge, the Department of Advanced Educational Programs can help you satisfy state licensure requirements.
The M.S. in Counseling prepares you to help students plan their futures and develop the academic and social skills they need to succeed in a changing world environment. During your three-year program, you will delve deep into the theory behind many issues that arise with youth as they grow and develop, and gain experience in real-world situations through your practicum and internship. Upon completion, you will be prepared to apply for a school counseling license in the state of Kansas. The M.S. in School Counseling is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
THE COUNSELING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Counseling Program at Fort Hays State University are as follows:
- To prepare counselors to identify the philosophy, trends, ethics, and professional standards of the counseling profession, and understand the contextual dimensions of the clinical mental health and school counseling professions.
- To prepare counselors to differentiate social and cultural characteristics across diverse groups, identify theories and models of multicultural counseling, and will understand the impact of diverse clients and the counseling process.
- To prepare counselors to relate theories of human development to the counseling practice, and design developmentally appropriate counseling interventions.
- To train counselors to identify the major theories of career development, and apply the concepts of career counseling.
- To train counselors to make and use observations of the helping relationship, and apply the concepts of counseling skills to work effectively with individuals possessing diverse characteristics and strengths. To prepare counselors to identify and apply the major counseling theories.
- To prepare counselors to identify the major techniques and theories of the group counseling process, and apply the concepts of group counseling.
- To train counselors to identify the major assessment instruments innate to clinical mental health counseling, legal and ethical use of assessments, and show their ability to apply the use of assessment techniques.
- To prepare counselors to apply best practices of research and program evaluation. To train counselors to critique and contribute to research in counseling.
- To prepare counselors to assume the roles of their specialization area by training counselors to understand, identify, and practice counseling in the areas of school or clinical settings.
- To develop the ability, through practicum and internship experiences, to integrate knowledge and skills for competent counseling practice.
- To develop, through self-reflection and critical thinking, a further self-awareness and understand roles in the counseling process. Develop a personal counseling orientation and ability to assume roles as advocates in the field while maintaining professionalism throughout the program and as future professional counselors.
The School Counseling Program will prepare the student for licensure in Kansas. Those residing outside the state should refer their questions to: Dr. Sarah Lancaster
School Counseling – State Certification Requirements
For more information, please see Licensure Disclosure.
Information for Current Students
Accreditation Reports
Contact Information
For more information about the School Counseling program, you may contact Mrs. Kristin Hernandez at krhernandez@fhsu.edu,785-628-4626