The mission of the specialization/emphasis in College Counseling and Student Personnel Work is to prepare master's level professionals to work in both counseling and student services roles at the community college and four-year college levels.
More specifically, the program is designed to develop the ability to facilitate the development of college students in both cognitive and personal areas. Emphasis is placed on preventative, remediation, and developmental counseling skills. In addition to the core competencies of the master's program, the specialization/ emphasis develops knowledge and skills in the areas of group counseling, educational counseling, problem-solving and decision making, assessment, evaluation and research, teaching, consulting and management, supervision, and organizational development.
Students with an emphasis in College Counseling and Student Personnel Work must document 600 hours of field placement supervised experience (CACREP program certification requirement) in a college setting.
Alvin Alvarez
Professor
College Counseling Coordinator
- Division of Graduate Studies Application (Cal State Apply)
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript(s)
- Personal Statement and Affidavit of Authorship
- Summary of Experience Form
- Letters of recommendation
- Writing assessment
After admissions decisions are made, Coordinators will determine the incoming student's readiness for graduate level writing. This assessment will use the Personal Statement. It is essential that the applicant is the sole author of their personal statement (a verification of authorship is required in the application). Once admitted, students who have demonstrated a need to strengthen their writing skills will be required to take a writing course (HSS 700) in their first semester of the program. Students can also self-select to take the writing course for greater success in graduate level writing. - In-person interview (depending on Specialization)
Specialized Counseling – the ability to facilitate the development of college students including skill development and remediation. The main types of skills essential for competency in this area are:
- Preventative. Intervention designed to prevent potential deficits from deteriorating.
- Remediation. Intervention designed to ameliorate skill deficits (academic, personal, social, etc.).
- Development. Intervention designed to intentionally enhance or enrich persons and/or their environment.
- Group Processes. The ability to assess the dynamics of group processes and to facilitate growth and development through group interaction with specific reference to adult concerns.
- Educational Counseling. The ability to facilitate students in formulating and clarifying educational values and goals.
- Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills. The ability to help students learn systematic problem-solving and decision-making strategies, including the ability to clarify values, formulate goals and objectives, design and implement programs of action and evaluate their effectiveness. Two areas in which these skills are typically applied are a) Educational Planning and b) Career and Life Planning.
- Focus in these areas is on developmental tasks of adults of all ages.
- Specialized Assessment, Evaluation and Research Techniques. The ability to assess college students' needs in such areas as learning skills, interests, personal development, etc., and the ability to communicate findings and results to other members of the college community.
- Teaching Methods. The ability to design instructional experiences which implement selected and defined goals and objectives in effective curriculum areas.
- Consulting. The ability to provide relevant and effective consultation to students, teachers, peers, administrators, and community members.
Curriculum
| Course Number | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 700 | Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| COUN 702 | Developmental Foundations for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 703 | Psychological Foundations for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 705 | Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| COUN 706 | Counseling Skills and Process | 3 |
| COUN 715 | Assessment in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 720 | Career Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 736 | Advanced Counseling Process and Internship | 3 |
| COUN 738 | Addictions Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 741 | Crisis Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 792 | Seminar for Counselors in Student Personnel Services (College Counseling) | 3 |
| COUN 793 | Organization/Administration of Student Services | 3 |
| COUN 794 | Seminar in Research | 3 |
| COUN 811 | Group Counseling Process | 3 |
| COUN 833 | Social and Cultural Foundations | 3 |
| COUN 857 | Law and Ethics in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 704, 716, 721 or 858 | Choose 1 of these courses | 3 |
| COUN 890 | Integrative Counseling and Internship | 3 |
| COUN 891 | Case Studies and Internship | 3 |
| COUN 892 | Culminating Experience | 3 |
Year 1: Fall — 15 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 833 | 3 | Social/Cultural Foundations |
| COUN 705 | 3 | Counseling Practicum |
| COUN 706 | 3 | Counseling Skills and Process |
| COUN 720 | 3 | Career Counseling |
| COUN 792 | 3 | Seminar for Counselors in Student Personnel Services |
Year 1: Spring — 15 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 700 | 3 | Theories of Counseling |
| COUN 715 | 3 | Assessment in Counseling |
| COUN 793 | 3 | Organization/Administration of Student Services in Higher Education |
| COUN 736 | 3 | Advanced Counseling Process/ Internship |
| COUN 857 | 3 | Law and Ethics for Counselors |
Year 2: Fall — 15 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 1 704,716,792 or 858 | 3 | Special expertise in counseling |
| COUN 702 | 3 | Developmental Foundations |
| COUN 811 | 3 | Group Counseling Process |
| COUN 794 | 3 | Seminar in Research |
| COUN 890 | 3 | Integrative Counseling/ Internship |
Year 2: Spring — 15 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 738 | 3 | Addictions Counseling |
| COUN 741 | 3 | Crisis Counseling |
| COUN 703 | 3 | Psychological Foundations |
| COUN 891 | 3 | Case Studies/Internship |
| COUN 892 | 3 | Culminating Experience |
Year 1: Fall — 15 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 833 | 3 | Social/Cultural Foundations |
| COUN 720 | 3 | Career Counseling |
| COUN 792 | 3 | Seminar for Counselors in Student Personnel Services |
Year 1: Spring — 9 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 700 | 3 | Theories of Counseling |
| COUN 857 | 3 | Law and Ethics for Counselors |
| COUN 793 | 3 | Organization/Administration of Student Services in Higher Education |
Year 2: Fall — 12 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 794 | 3 | Seminar in Research |
| COUN 702 | 3 | Developmental Foundations |
| COUN 705 | 3 | Counseling Practicum |
| COUN 706 | 3 | Counseling Skills and Process |
Year 2: Spring — 12 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 703 | 3 | Psychological Foundations |
| COUN 736 | 3 | Advanced Counseling Process/ Internship |
| COUN 738 | 3 | Addictions Counseling |
| COUN 715 | 3 | Assessment in Counseling |
Year 3: Fall — 9 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 811 | 3 | Group Counseling Process |
| Choose 1 COUN 704,716,792 or 858 | 3 | Special Expertise in Counseling |
| COUN 890 | 3 | Integrative Counseling/ Internship |
Year 3: Spring — 9 units
| Course | Units | Title |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 741 | 3 | Crisis Counseling |
| COUN 891 | 3 | Case Studies/Internship |
| COUN 892 | 3 | Culminating Experience |