MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COUNSELING

Purpose

The mission of this program is to prepare persons for careers in counseling. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Addiction Counseling, and School Counseling tracks all lead to eligibility for licensure as Professional Counselors (LPC). The School Counseling track also leads to eligibility for PK-12 school counseling certification, and those in the Addiction Counseling track will be eligible for licensure as Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADC).

Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes are aligned with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. These outcomes, articulated as key performance indicators (KPIs) are detailed in the Counseling Key Performance Indicators document.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling. All of the emphasis courses in the Master’s of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling option meet the academic requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Oklahoma (https://www.ok.gov/behavioralhealth/). A list of requirements can be found on the Oklahoma State Board of Behavioral Health web page under Acts and Regulations. Each applicant for the LPC licensure will take and pass a written exam according to State Board of Behavioral Health. The counseling program’s exit exam is designed to prepare students for the National Counselor Exam (NCE). The exit exam covers the same eight core subject domains. Clinical Mental Health Counseling students who wish to pursue the LADC licensure are required to complete an additional 12 credit hours of addiction counseling courses in order to meet state requirements.

School Counseling. All of the emphasis courses in the Master’s of Science in Counseling: School Counseling option meet the academic requirements to become a certified PK-12 school counselor in the state of Oklahoma. Licensing and credentialing varies by states as there is not currently a national license or certification for school counseling. The American School Counselor Association lists the credentialing requirements per state at the following website: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles/state-certification-requirements. Each applicant for the Oklahoma School Counseling certification will take and pass the following exams offered by the  Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (840 Research Parkway, Suite 455, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, 405-522-5399), www.ok.gov/oeqa: (1) The Oklahoma General Education Test [OGET]; (2) Oklahoma’s Subject Area Test in school counseling [OSAT]; and (3) Oklahoma Professional Teaching Exam [OPTE]. Students also leave the program with all the necessary course requirements in order to sit for the National Counselor Exam and to pursue licensing as a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Addiction Counseling. All of the emphasis courses in the Masters of Science in Counseling: Addiction Counseling option meet the academic requirements to become a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Oklahoma (http://www.okdrugcounselors.org). A list of requirements can be found on the Oklahoma State Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (OSBADC) web page under the link Basic Requirements. The OSBADC establishes the state examination requirements to become an LADC (Title 38; Senate Bill 1277) based on standards established by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Each applicant for the LADC licensure will take and pass written and oral examinations according to State Board standards. The counseling program’s exit exam is designed to prepare students for the National Counselor Exam (NCE). The exit exam covers the same eight core subject domains.

The M.S. in Counseling degree program is a cohort program. In order to take Counseling graduate courses, the student must be admitted to the M.S. in Counseling degree and MUST complete courses in the sequence listed on their degree plan. Any exceptions must be approved by the Department Chair.

Non-degree seeking students may not take any “clinical” (i.e., Group Process, Practicum I, Practicum II, and Internship) courses and enrollment in all other courses is contingent on space availability and prior approval of the Department Chair.