This program (in person, NOT online) is designed for individuals who currently hold a master’s degree in Counseling and wish to obtain a credential enabling them to work as a school counselor in a PK–12 school in California.
Students completing this program will meet the standards of quality and effectiveness as recommended by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). This program does not fall under the auspices of CACREP.
To complete the Pupil Personnel Services Credential-Only Program, candidates must demonstrate knowledge and skills in the following California CTC PPS School Counseling Program Standards:
- Foundations of School Counseling Professional Standards
- Professionalism, Ethics, and Legal Mandates
- Student Academic Development
- Student College and Career Development
- Social and Emotional Development
- Growth and Development, Learning Theory, and Academic Achievement
- Leadership and Advocacy in Social Justice, Equity, and Access
- Program Development
- Research, Program Evaluation, and Technology
Molly Strear
Associate Professor
School Counseling and PPSC Program Coordinator
The program is designed to supplement an already completed master’s degree in Counseling. It comprises a minimum of 18 semester units (all courses are only offered in person)
| Course | Title | Units |
| Coun 716 | Structural Elements for School Counseling | 3 |
| Coun 717 | Functional Elements for School Counseling | 3 |
| Coun 718 | Professional Issues for School Counseling | 3 |
| Coun 741 | Crisis Counseling | 3 |
| Coun 850 | Post-Masters Internship | 6 |
Upon admission, students may be required to take additional coursework to meet the CCTC program and credential requirements. The exact number of units required for PPS Credential-Only students will be determined after admission following a transcript review. The total number of semester credit hours must be a minimum of 48 semester units, which may include units from the candidate’s previous master’s degree program.
Pupil Personnel Services Credential-Only candidates must meet the same fieldwork and credential requirements as the School Counseling program (please see field practice and credential requirements tabs). However, 100 hours of previous fieldwork experience may be counted towards the 800 hours requirement. Candidates must demonstrate their previous fieldwork hours meet all CCTC fieldwork standards for school counselors. Total hour requirements for Pupil Personnel Services Credential-Only candidates will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Note: fieldwork cannot be done remotely; it must be in local placement