School Counseling (MA)

The aim of the School counseling program at Concordia University Chicago is to prepare school counselors who exhibit high standards of professional competence and ethical practice. Graduate students receive a high quality educational program that emphasizes Christian beliefs. The program also recognizes, values and encourages the development of skills and competencies that will be needed throughout the candidate’s career as a school counselor. The School Counseling program is carefully designed to prepare candidates for work as school counselors in elementary, middle, and high school settings. Specifically, the School Counseling program offers training in providing individual and group work as well as development and refinement of individual skills in both public and private schools. The program of study meets certification requirements of the State of Illinois.

Upon completion of the program, candidates are eligible for the Illinois Professional Educator’s License: School Service Personnel Certificate K-12 (formerly Type 73) certification.

The program is designed to enable candidates to:

• Have a full understanding of the ASCA national model and its implementation in school counseling programs through developmental classroom leadership and responsive services, providing prevention and intervention services to the entire student population;
• Demonstrate knowledge of and skills in individual and group counseling services for students in school settings;
• Exhibit knowledge of and skills in consultation services for teachers, parents, and administrators and to coordinate counseling interventions with other professionals;
• Assume a leadership role in the schools, focusing on the academic, career, and personal/social development of every student;
• Coordinate testing and assessment in schools, analyzing disaggregated data to identify and advocate for underserved populations;
• Establish clear and appropriate professional identities as school counselors.