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Master of Science in Education: Gwynedd Valley Campus In keeping with the guidelines of the American School Counselors Association, the counselor in the school should assist in the growth and development of various individuals within the school environment. While the primary responsibility of the counselor is to the student he or she serves, the counselor’s professional responsibilities also extend to the parents, school, and community. Because of this unique position, the counselor is involved in the development of comprehensive services to assist students in their academic, personal/social, and career development. With social problems becoming increasingly complex, counselors are becoming more involved in efforts to prevent and remediate the effects of debilitating behaviors, such as substance abuse and violence, as manifested within educational settings. Students applying for school counseling programs must meet the requirements of Chapter 354, Preparation of Professional Educators. The program is divided into three sequences, which integrate theory and research knowledge with appropriate field experiences in the various competency areas. Students who complete the program successfully will be eligible for certification as Elementary or Secondary School Counselors within the state of Pennsylvania, with a dual certification option available. Purpose and Philosophy The School Counseling Program at Gwynedd-Mercy College seeks to provide a strong grounding in the skills necessary for entry into the school counseling profession with particular emphasis on the study of helping processes and behavioral sciences. The curriculum is designed to encourage reflective practice whereby the counselor consistently reviews his/her behavior in light of its effectiveness and in relation to current research findings. Student counselors are also given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in supervised practicum settings with children and adolescents.
Post-Master's School Counseling Certification Requirements Applicants who hold a Master's degree in a counseling-related field and who seek either elementary or secondary school counseling certification must apply to the School Counseling Certification program. Counselors with one certification (i.e., in either elementary or secondary school counseling) who wish to be certified in the other area must be application to the certification program. All applicants are reviewed individually and a curriculum is designed to assure that all required competency areas are met. Note: Applicants who seek "certification only" must complete at least 24 credits in the School of Education graduate program at Gwynedd-Mercy College. For students interested in elementary or secondary school counseling certification (who do not have any school counseling certifications), a 300-hour practicum must be satisfactorily completed for each level of certification. Students who have obtained their first school counseling certification from Gwynedd-Mercy College (i.e., either elementary or secondary counseling) are required to complete 300 hours of practicum for the second certification area (i.e., EDU 606 and EDU 607). Students who complete this program satisfactorily are eligable for School Counselor Certification in the public schools of Pennsylvania. The recommendation for this certificate is contingent upon passing the School Guidance and Counseling Praxis II and Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPSTs) in Mathematics, Reading and Writing. Admissions Process
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