School of Education at Johns Hopkins University - Graduate Education Programs:


Master of Science in Counseling
School Counseling

Master of Science in Counseling
School Counseling

Adviser: Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy at cholcom1@jhu.edu

The Professional School Counseling Program at Johns Hopkins University is housed within the Department of Counseling and Human

Services in the School of Education. The program is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and requires a

minimum of 48 graduate credits to be completed. The program’s curriculum and field experiences are aligned with the Council for the

Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards.

Mission Statement (School Counseling)
The mission of the School Counseling Program at The Johns Hopkins University is to serve a diverse population of graduate students

representing a variety of cultural dimensions, lifestyles, and capabilities. The top priority of the faculty is to train competent, ethical,

data-driven, culturally responsive, and passionate professional school counselors who understand systemic change and school reform.

Program Philosophy
The philosophical bases of the School Counseling Program reflect a combination of social constructivism, social justice, systems, and

empowerment theories. The School Counseling faculty are committed to graduating students who have extensive knowledge of

counseling theories and practice that can be used effectively across many diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural school

communities. The faculty is also committed to graduating counselors who possess a high level of competency in providing professional

services to individuals, families, and communities, and have the skills to research and evaluate their practice. These philosophies

converge on the basis of the following principles reflected throughout the program curriculum:
• Valuing human dignity, social justice, and advocacy throughout the lifespan is a foundational premise for assumptions about societal

and individual change;
• In facilitating change, counseling involves working with clients’/students’ communities (including parents and families);
• An integration of perceptual, affective, behavioral, cognitive, and related aspects of human functioning (e.g., culture, ability) shapes an

individual’s view of life and personal fulfillment; and
• Consultation and collaboration are effective in promoting social and individual change.

Admissions
As part of the admission process, applicants must submit a resume or curriculum vitae, personal statement of goals, two letters of

professional recommendation, and undergo an admission interview. To assess applicant dispositions, School of Education faculty review

the required goal statement and evaluate responses in the interview. The departmental admission committee reserves the option to require

that program applicants successfully complete prerequisite coursework prior to admission. Before being admitted, students must meet with an adviser to plan the sequence of courses to meet all program requirements.

Requirements
Students are required to take a minimum of 48 graduate credits to be completed within five years and also to successfully pass the CPCE

Exam during the last semester of their graduate program. With the approval of the adviser, a student may transfer a maximum of three

graduate credits from a regionally accredited college or university if the course is directly applicable to the student's program and is taken

within the five-year time limit. In their last year of study, students complete a 600-hour internship. In preparation for the internship,

students will be required to complete a criminal disclosure statement and undergo a criminal background check.

Students who have not already satisfied the special education requirement as indicated on their State of Maryland Teaching Certificate are also required to take the following course:
871.501 Introduction to Children and Youth with Exceptionalities

Program Objectives
Graduates of the JHU School Counseling Program will be able to:

• facilitate K-12 students’ growth and development within the framework of the American School Counselors Association’s (ASCA)
National Standards (academic development, career development, and personal/social development)

• serve as advocates and educational leaders in the K-12 setting

• effectively and appropriately counsel K-12 students
• demonstrate the knowledge, role and function of the professional school counselor and how it relates to school reform initiatives

• build collaborative relationships with community stakeholders

• demonstrate effective and meaningful group work with diverse groups of students

• develop a data-driven school counseling program that meets the unique needs of schools and diverse school communities

• serve as a culturally responsive and empowerment-based consultants with parents, families, and other professionals concerning the developmental needs of diverse students

• develop and implement a plan for researching and evaluating counseling activities and an entire school counseling program

• work ethically and legally in a school setting

• demonstrate cultural sensitivity and responsiveness with students and parents

Requirements

Program Plan

Number of Credits Required: 48

See the Program Notes section below for specific prerequisite and sequential ordering.

Electives

Three credits of electives selected with approval of a counseling adviser.

863.572 Counseling At Risk Youth

863.652 Advanced Play Therapy Interventions

863.603 Couple and Family Therapy

Program Notes

861.507 Introduction to Counseling as a Helping Profession is a required prerequisite for all counseling courses. Exceptions must receive approval of a counseling faculty adviser.

Students may take 861.511 Career/Life Development and Planning; 861.605 Human Development and Counseling; and 863.681 Research and Evaluation for Counselors, along with 861.507 Introduction to Counseling as a Helping Profession.

861.502 Counseling Theory and Practice is a required prerequisite for all other counseling courses.

861.503 Group Counseling and Group Experience and 863.681 Research and Evaluation for Counselors are required prerequisites for 861.614 The Context of School Counseling: Family, School and Community.

Students must take lab courses subsequent to Introduction to Counseling as a Helping Profession in the following sequence: 861.502 Counseling Theory and Practice and 861.503 Group Counseling and Group Experience. All laboratory courses must be completed with a B or above before enrolling in 863.809 Counseling Practicum. A minimum of 39 credits of required coursework, including 863.809 Counseling Practicum, must be taken before enrolling in 863.820 Internship in School Counseling.

Students must receive grades of B or better in all laboratory courses, practicum experiences, and internships to remain in the program. If a grade of B- or below is earned in a required laboratory course, the student must repeat the course and earn a grade of A or B before registering for any other course. If any additional grade of B- or below is earned in any other required laboratory course, the student is dismissed from the program, even if an A or B was earned in the first repeated course. Counseling students who receive a grade of B- or below in a Field Experience or Internship course will be dismissed from the program.

Students must attend the mandatory Internship in School Counseling meeting held every January in the spring before they are to begin their internship.

A passing grade on the CPCE is required during the last semester of study.

 

  • 871.501 Introduction to Children and Youth with Exceptionalities

    Participants investigate the major areas of exceptionality addressing the characteristics and educational needs of students with a broad range of special instructional needs. Students review incidence and etiology, diagnostic and therapeutic services, educational programs, and findings of recent research. (3 credits)

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  • 861.507 Introduction to Counseling as a Helping Profession

    This course provides an overview of the history and philosophy of professional counseling, with special attention to the roles, functions, and limitations of school, community, and organizational counselors. Included is an understanding of the essentials of basic counseling skills; attending, listening, and interviewing stages of clinical treatment; and client/counselor relationships. Students learn about professional counseling organizations, professional credentialing, and standards and ethics in counseling and related human services. The course emphasizes self-growth and awareness and observational skills as related to becoming a facilitator of individual, group, family, and systems change. (3 credits)

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  • 861.511 Career/Life Development and Planning

    Participants review major theories of career development and decision making, occupational sociology, and vocational psychology. The course places career counseling concepts in a life-span perspective and reviews career development materials and cross-cultural strategies.

    Notes: Tuition includes materials fee. (3 credits)

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  • 861.605 Human Development and Counseling

    This course examines developmental aspects and stages of human beings across the lifespan with special regard to counseling and therapy. The primary assumption of the course is that individuals at all stages have the capacity for development, and thus for therapeutic change, across the range of their lives from childhood to their advanced years. Several lifespan developmental theories are studied in the course along with practical strategies for utilizing the knowledge of human development to enhance the practice of counseling. (3 credits)

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  • 863.681 Research and Evaluation for Counselors

    Participants learn the basic concepts for understanding and conducting research and program evaluation related to the counseling and human services fields. Students study experimental and quasi-experimental designs, examine quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and learn basic statistical procedures for data analysis. (3 credits)

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  • 861.502 Counseling Theory and Practice

    (Lab course) This course provides an overview of the major theories of counseling and therapy, such as cognitive, behavioral, existential, Gestalt, and Adlerian. Students explore integrative approaches, as well as multicultural and feminist perspectives. Participants focus on a wide range of specific techniques and practices that are associated with each theory and how they are applied in various situations.

    Notes: Students are required to attend the two-day laboratory sessions. Laboratory courses and internship classes involve an exploration of personal factors as they contribute to counseling skills and techniques. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507

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  • 861.503 Group Counseling and Group Experience

    (Lab course) Students investigate practical and theoretical concepts of group dynamics and group counseling to acquire skills in facilitating various kinds of group interaction. Students explore interpersonal dynamics, personal communication styles, fundamental group counseling strategies, and group facilitation through class and laboratory experiences.

    Notes: Students are required to attend the two-day laboratory sessions. Laboratory courses and internship classes involve an exploration of personal factors as they contribute to counseling skills and techniques. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507 AND ED.861.502

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  • 863.526 Introduction to Play Therapy with Children (formerly Practices of Counseling Young Children)

    The major goal of this course is to facilitate students' knowledge, dispositions and skills to counsel children through play therapy and other major theoretical applications. Students' learning will be facilitated through didactic presentations, interactive discussions, and supervised counseling practice with elementary school children. This course also emphasizes the counselor's collaborative work with children's legal guardians/family members. (3 credits) (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507

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  • 863.527 Counseling the Early Adolescent

    Students explore the physical, emotional, and social development of the early adolescent population (ages 10-14) and examine the relationship between development and counseling needs. Students review relevant research; apply individual and group counseling theory and techniques; and explore issues such as self-esteem, peer pressure, sexuality, substance abuse, anger, violence, suicide, and family relationships. Relevant ethical and legal issues are addressed.

    Notes: This course must be taken prior to ED.863.820. Master’s students must have completed a minimum of 15 credits before registering for this course. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507 ED.861.503

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  • 863.571 Counseling Adolescents

    This course provides an overview of the various aspects of adolescent counseling, ranging from adolescent depression, suicide, crisis, drug and alcohol abuse, peer pressure, self-esteem issues, culture, family issues, and developmental themes. Part of the course is dedicated to examining current research on adolescents. The emphasis of the course is on clinical training in group, family, and individual contexts. Relevant ethical and legal issues are addressed.

    Notes: This course must be taken prior to ED.863.820. Master’s students must have completed a minimum of 15 credits before registering for this course. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507 ED.861.503

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  • 863.633 The Ethics and Legal Issues of Counseling Young Children And Adolescents

    Participants explore an overview of ethical and legal issues related to professional orientation and responsibility across the lifespan, with an emphasis on counseling young children and adolescents. Some of the topics will include professional responsibility, competence, boundaries, confidentiality, collaborative professional relationships, licensing and certification, research, and cultural competency. Students will examine the ethics and legal issues involved when working with clients over the developmental life span, with an emphasis on children and adolescents engaged in educational systems, social institutions, and counseling practices.

    Notes: This course must be taken prior to the Internship. (3 credits)

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  • 861.614 The Context of School Counseling: Family, School and Community (formerly 861.610 Systems Counseling and Consultation: Family, School and Community)

    Students integrate knowledge and understanding of community, environmental, and institutional opportunities that enhance, or thwart student academic, career, and personal/social success and overall development. Students look at the impact of multiple systems on youth and families and the school counselor's role in helping to facilitate interaction between individuals, families, and larger systems. Students learn about systems theory and its application to families, schools, and the broader community. The course examines a variety of community-based services, including health, mental health, social services, and juvenile justice, and how school counselors can collaborate with these services. Students also examine different models of consultation for use with teachers, families, and community agencies. (3 credits) Note: This course is only open to students in the School Counseling program. Students must have completed a minimum of 15 credits in the program before registering for this course. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.502 AND ED.861.507

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  • 861.609 Diagnosis in Counseling

    Students study the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) to learn to assess, diagnose, and treat psychopathology based on current DSM criteria. Theories related to the etiology of major categories of mental disorder such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and personality disorders are examined. Students gain an understanding of the impact of abnormal behavior on individuals, families, and society. Instructors provide a developmental framework for understanding diagnosis from multicultural, feminist, and systems perspectives.

    Notes: Must be taken before ED.863.809. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507 AND ED.861.502

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  • 861.612 Appraisal and Testing for Counselors

    Students explore individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation through the use of standardized test instruments and rating scales. Emphasis is given to principles of test construction, reliability and validity, psychometric properties, and strategies for the selection, administration and interpretation of behavioral, psychological, and educational tests. Implications of age, gender, ethnicity, culture, heritage, language, disability, and professional/ethical issues are examined.

    Notes: Tuition includes materials fee. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507

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  • 863.607 Cross Cultural Counseling: Issues and Interventions

    Participants explore aspects of counseling clients from diverse ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Through didactic and experiential learning techniques, students consider counseling strategies for enhancing cross-cultural interventions. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.507

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  • 863.809 Counseling Practicum (formerly 861.712 Advanced Techniques in Counseling)

    This supervised practicum experience is offered in two modalities: (a) an experiential course including seminar discussions, review of major theories of counseling with an emphasis on the integration of theory and practice, interview analysis, video and/or audiotape observations, and supervised exercises. Emphasis is given to the development of foundational counseling skills (i.e. trust building, collaborative goal development, interpretation, summarization, paraphrasing, case conceptualization); (b) a practicum course involving practical training at a community based agency or intuition. Training focuses on integrating counseling theories in social context with individual counseling practice. Emphasis is given to the development of cultural competence in joining, trust building, developing clinical hypotheses and interventions and collaborating with clients in the development of goals, relevant legal and ethical issues. The course includes both didactic and experiential learning and is taken near the end of a student's program of study just prior to the internship. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.861.502 AND ED.861.503 AND ED.861.609 AND ED.863.603

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  • 863.820 Internship in School Counseling

    This supervised experience in school counseling includes both field work and class instruction. Students spend 600 hours, over the course of two consecutive semesters (Fall-Spring sequence), engaged in counseling, consultation, and program development activities under the direct supervision of a practicing, certified school counselor. Enrollment is limited to students in the Master's in School Counseling program who have completed 39 hours of required course work, including all counseling courses. (3 credits) Note: This course is open only to students in the School Counseling program. Students must have completed a minimum of 39 credits in the program before registering for this course. Students must attend the mandatory field placement and school counseling internship meeting held in January to begin the application and site selection process. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.863.681 AND ED.861.503 AND ED.861.609 AND ED.861.612 AND ( ED.861.614 OR ED.861.610 ) AND ( ED.861.712 OR ED.863.809 )

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