The Master of Science in Counseling and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) is an on-campus, cohort-based program.

In the fall and spring semesters, students attend two back-to-back classes one evening per week. In the summer semester (6 weeks), students take two in-person evening classes per week, attending one class each evening. Asynchronous online coursework will be required once a week.

Curriculum Highlights

  • The curriculum features courses on important topics such as counseling theory and practice, persistence, resilience and cross-cultural approaches.
  • The coursework is built on the cultural proficiency model, which emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s own experience in order to better understand the perspectives of others. Students engage with this approach in a dedicated course and consistently throughout the program.
  • On-site placements, completed at the end of the program, enable students to apply their new skills in the field under the guidance of a Pupil Personnel Services credential holder.
  • Students working toward the optional Child Welfare and Attendance Specialization will complete one additional course and field study.

“We work really hard in all of our courses to connect theory and practice so that students are able to not only read about a theory and talk about it in class, but really identify the practical applications and what this would look like in the field for them. It’s one of the reasons why our students are sought after and why they’re recognized for really being prepared when they get to their field work placements and are out in the field.”


Angela Rowley, Lecturer, Counselor Education

MS in Counseling Courses

48 credits total (51 credits for students that pursue the Child Welfare and Attendance Specialization)

All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.

This foundational course explores the history of diversity and multicultural education and introduces the conceptual framework of cultural proficiency as a lens for counselors in promoting equitable practices for all students in educational settings. An exploration of candidates’ self-identity, beliefs and values and the impact on their roles as counselors, advocates and leaders in diverse and inclusive educational settings will be conducted.

Implications and trends of federal, state and local court decisions as they affect the role of the counselor, teacher and administrator; their impact on district policy and finance; and on district and local programs and activities.

Through an examination of the nature of research, ethical and philosophical principles, types of research and characteristics of data, students will explore quantitative and qualitative methods of designing and conducting research in the context of educational settings.

A comprehensive review and advanced study of the maturation of both typical and exceptional persons, from birth to senescence in physical, social/emotional, cognitive and language areas. The learning process and its application in a variety of settings with students of diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds will be examined.