Summers and Online School Counseling Program

NOTE: This program accepts applications every 3 or 4 years and the next cohort of students is expected to begin in Summer of 2014.

The Summers and Online School Counseling Program prepares graduates to be multiculturally competent professional school counselors with the cultural self-awareness, sensitivity, knowledge, and skills essential to becoming effective and ethical practitioners, leaders, and advocates to promote social justice, equity and academic excellence for all deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students in a variety of K-12 educational settings.

The master's degree Summers and Online School Counseling Program (58 credit hours) is a hybrid program, requiring two and a half years to complete. Students will attend classes on campus three summers and take courses online for 5 semesters. As this program is designed for current professionals who are seeking a career change or additional education credentials, preference is given to applicants having prior experience in educational programs serving deaf and hard of hearing people and to those with a degree in education. Possession of such experience and degree will facilitate licensing at the state level.

The program of study is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education Program (NCATE) and the Council on Accreditation of Counseling-Related Education Programs (CACREP). In addition to the Graduate School Requirements, admission into this program requires undergraduate or graduate courses in child, adolescent, or human development; abnormal psychology; and one additional course in psychology (nine hours total).

Program Mission

The School Counseling Programs prepare graduates to be multiculturally competent professional school counselors with the self-awareness, sensitivity, knowledge, and skills essential to becoming effective and ethical practitioners, leaders, and advocates for quality comprehensive counseling services and/or programs for all deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students in a variety of educational settings.

Program Objectives

The School Counseling Programs prepare professionals who:

1. work effectively with students individually, in groups, and in classroom settings.
2. work effectively in cooperation and collaboration with relevant personnel and systems in and outside of the school setting (e.g. parent/guardians, families, teachers, administrators, social worker, school psychologist, speech and language pathologists, community service providers, etc.)
3. are able to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, developmental K-12 counseling program that includes personal/social, academic, and career development components consistent with state and national standards and directly relevant to the unique educational needs and issues of current deaf/hard of hearing student populations (multiculturally diverse backgrounds, additional special needs, etc.)
4. have the cultural self/other- awareness, knowledge, and skills to effectively counsel culturally and linguistically diverse deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students in educational settings, and also work effectively with their families.
5. conceptualize the situations, concerns and issues of students and their families from a developmental and cultural perspective and can employ developmentally/ culturally appropriate prevention and intervention strategies and techniques.
6. develop and implement developmentally and culturally appropriate IEP/ITP counseling goals and action plans, and can effectively manage multiple client loads.
7. network and effectively engage in, and build alliances with a variety of human service delivery systems external to the school setting (for and non-profit community based service agencies, city and county programs, etc.)
8. develop and apply multiple theoretical perspectives in conceptualizing a student/family's situation, or primary issues.
9. are sensitive, genuine, and demonstrate positive regard and respect for others across human differences.
10. are able to recognize and take responsibility for their own limitations, personal biases, assumptions and prejudices that can interfere in the counseling process and prevent effective multicultural relationship building.
11. are committed to on-going personal as well as professional growth and development.
12. demonstrate competency in effective cross cultural communication and interpersonal skills.
13. accurately interpret counseling and school-related research and apply it to practice where relevant.
14. practice legal and ethical behavior and demonstrate ability to consider and appropriately integrate multicultural ethical considerations and a social justice framework in decision making and problem solving approaches.
15. assume leadership and advocacy roles as professional school counselors to effect systemic changes school wide as well as on the individual and group levels.

Admissions Procedures and Requirements

Applicants for the Summers and Online School Counseling must complete the application procedures and meet the requirements for graduate study at Gallaudet University. Visit the Graduate Admissions web site for more information and a checklist of application requirements. Detailed program information and course descriptions are also available in the Graduate Catalog.

Students applying to the School Counseling Program must initially meet general requirements established by the graduate school:

• evidence of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• preferably a 3.0 average in undergraduate work
• three letters of recommendation - a supervisor, a current/recent college instructor, someone familiar with applicant to give accurate testimony of applicant's character and dispositions fitting to the counseling field, (but not a friend or family member).
• a completed application
• official transcripts of all college work.

Program Specific Requirements

• There are 4 general counseling related essays required by the Department, and 1 essay specific to those applying to the School Counseling Program that is related to the field of school counseling with deaf/hard of hearing student populations.
• Applicants should currently be employed within an educational setting.

Required Prior Coursework

• Minimum of nine (9) credit hours in Psychology prior to entering the program, including undergraduate courses in child, adolescent, or human development; abnormal psychology; and one additional psychology course (grades of B or better).