School Counseling, M.A. with Pupil Personnel Services Credential, P.P.S.

Contact Information

• Academic Program Director: Sheri Atwater
• Assistant Director: Maryann Francis
• Academic Advisor: Ana Baez

Introduction

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in School Counseling program is a 48-semester hour combined degree and credential program. It is designed for individuals who plan to serve as School Counselors in a California K-12 public or private school setting. As a combined degree and credential program, it incorporates the required courses and fieldwork experiences mandated by the 2019 California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) program standards and School Counseling Performance Expectations (SCPEs) for the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential. Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the California PPS credential and can obtain the Child Welfare and Attendance (CWA) Added Authorization to the PPS credential by completing additional requirements for the LMU CWA program. The program leading to the School Counseling credential meets the California state requirements and is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Courses in this program are delivered in-person on the LMU campus. 

Program Outcomes

As a result of this training program, students will:

• Apply effective counseling strategies to meet the diverse academic, social, emotional, and career needs of PK-12 students using the ASCA model’s four professional competencies: Foundations, Management, Delivery, and Accountability
• Counsel PK-12 students individually using appropriate theoretical approaches to address academic readiness, language proficiency, cultural background, and individual development
• Counsel PK-12 students in group settings using group facilitation skills derided from appropriate theoretical approaches to address academic readiness, language proficiency, cultural background, and individual development
• Evaluate PK-12 students using suitable/pertinent assessment measures based on the purpose of measuring instrument and identified counseling need
• Implement prevention and intervention strategies for diverse PK-12 students based on scientific research and program evaluations
• Consult effectively with school parents, teachers, staff, community members, peers, and colleagues to improve instruction for all PK-12 students
• Exemplify the main dimensions of personal growth and dispositions central to successful counseling, including self-awareness, self-care, and self-reflection
• Adhere to the specific ethical codes related to school counseling (e.g., ASCA ethical standards)
• Demonstrate advanced intervention techniques in school-based consultation, prevention, and intervention in order to address the diverse needs of the PK-12 student population

Program Admissions Requirements

• Online Graduate Application
• Bachelor’s Degree from a Regionally Accredited Institution preferably in Psychology or a related field (e.g., Education, Child Development, Human Services, Communication Studies, Sociology, etc.).
• Official Transcript from all Colleges/Universities Attended, including all Community/Junior Colleges
  • Applicants who completed an undergraduate/graduate degree outside of the United States of America:
    • Official Transcript Evaluation from an approved evaluation agency that details content of coursework completed, degree equivalency, and cumulative GPA
    • Official Transcript still needs to be submitted with Transcript Evaluation
• Cumulative Undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or 3.05 in the last 60 Undergraduate Units, a 3.0 in at least 9 Graduate Units, or Completion of a Request for Exception to GPA Requirement
• Applicants whose citizenship is from a country where English is not the primary language:
  • TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo English Test Minimum Scores (unless a High School Diploma or a Bachelor’s Degree was obtained in the United States)
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• CTC Certificate of Clearance (COC)
• Basic Skills Requirement (BSR)
• Personal Statement of Intent addressing:
  • The characteristics the applicant possesses that he or she thinks will make him or her an effective counselor;
  • In what specific ways does the LMU Counseling Program help the applicant achieve his or her professional goals;
  • The applicant’s commitment towards preparing himself or herself to be an effective counselor, including devoting the required time and financial planning to a culminating internship in the field, a time when it is difficult and ill-advised to work full-time, and becoming active in related professional organizations (e.g., CASC, ASCA);
  • The applicant’s related work or volunteer experiences with individuals from diverse backgrounds (e.g., culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, and/or children/adults with disabilities);
  • The applicant’s perspective on multiculturalism and social justice, as outlined in the School of Education’s REAL conceptual framework;
  • A bulleted list (to be included at the end of Statement of Intent) indicating a) positions held, b) length of time/duration, c) supervisor name/contact information, and d) volunteer or paid positions.

Degree Requirements

Required Coursework

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
EDSP 6362	Counseling Theories and Techniques	3
EDSP 6365	Research Methodology and Statistics	3
EDSP 6368	Career Counseling and Educational Planning	3
EDSP 6376	Crisis and Trauma Counseling	3
EDSP 6377	Multicultural Counseling	3
EDSP 6378	Group Counseling	3
EDSP 6379	Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Functioning	3
EDSP 6382	Ethical and Legal Issues	3
EDSP 6386	Culturally Responsive Counseling with Individuals	3
EDSP 6390	Lifespan Development	3
EDSP 6391	Foundations of Counseling	3
EDSP 6508	Student Diversity and Exceptionalities	3
EDSP 6393	Assessment, Appraisal, and Diagnosis	3
EDSP 6394	Helping Skills	3
EDSP 6970	Fieldwork in School Counseling I	3
EDSP 6980	Fieldwork in School Counseling II	3
EDSP 6995	Comprehensive Examination (fee based, $150)	0
Total Semester Hours		48

The course requirements listed here meet the program standards required for a credential recommendation to the CTC for this academic year.   The CTC’s standards are subject to change in the future.  A candidate being recommended for a credential/authorization at a later year is held to the standards required by the CTC at that time and may need to take additional coursework to meet any new standards required for that credential/authorization. 

Additional Requirements

• Complete 100 pre-counseling hours of skill preparation prior to enrollment in Fieldwork courses within the following:
  • EDSP 6391 Foundations of Counseling (20 hours)
  • EDSP 6362 Counseling Theories and Techniques (10 hours)
  • EDSP 6394 Helping Skills (10 hours)
  • EDSP 6378 Group Counseling (25 hours)
  • EDSP 6386 Culturally Responsive Counseling with Individuals (25 hours)
  • Your Choice Pre-Counseling Hours (10 hours)
• Candidate Disposition Forms
  1. By end of first semester: One Self-Assessment Disposition Form and One Faculty-Assessment Disposition Form must be completed and turned in to the Counseling Program Advisor and Assistant Director no later than the end of the candidate’s first semester in the Program.
  2. By end of EDSP 6386 Culturally Responsive Counseling with Individuals: One Self-Assessment Disposition Form AND One Faculty-Assessment¹ Disposition Form must be completed and turned in to the Counseling Program Advisor and Assistant Director upon your completion of EDSP 6386 Culturally Responsive Counseling with Individuals.
• Completion of a total of 800 fieldwork hours (400 hours per semester)
• Fieldwork I Application Form
• Pre-Counseling Documentation Log (“Your choice 10 pre-counseling hours”)
• Counseling Organization Membership
• Proof of Liability Insurance with Counseling Organization
• Fieldwork Planning Document
• Approval of Fieldwork Site
  • Candidates seeking the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential must complete their fieldwork at an approved school site.
• Completion of all courses prior to enrollment in Comprehensive Exam with the exception of:
  • EDSP 6508 Student Diversity and Exceptionalities
  • EDSP 6980 Fieldwork in School Counseling II
  • EDSP 6970 Fieldwork in School Counseling I

¹

This Faculty Assessment MUST be completed by the candidate’s EDSP 6386 Culturally Responsive Counseling with Individuals Instructor.

PPS Credential Requirements

• To apply for the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential candidates must complete their fieldwork at an approved school site.
• All above-listed coursework and program requirements must be met in order to be eligible for a credential recommendation.
• All coursework must be completed within five (5) years.