SECONDARY SCHOOL GUIDANCE

The Secondary Guidance program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Progams (CACREP).

Guidance counseling is considered to be an integral part of the total educational process. Guidance objectives at the secondary level are related to the overall objectives of secondary education. As counselors, we have a particular interest in helping students make the transition into the next phase of life.

The next phase usually involves post secondary education and/or the world of work. Rapid changes during adolescence are frequently accompanied by uncertainty, adjustment difficulties, and interpersonal stress. Counselors are trained to help high school students with various issues, using a variety of methods, to assist them in their overall growth and development.

Adequately prepared counselors must be skilled in many areas including interpersonal relationships, psychological knowledge, philosophical knowledge, educational process, occupational resources, testing and computers.

The objective of all guidance counseling services is to help individuals, families, and groups develop their potential.

Secondary School Counselor Certification: Students seeking certification as an Secondary School Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania must pass the Level I  Praxis Exams (Reading, Writing, Math) and the Level II Counseling Praxis Exam.

Program Requirements

Sixty semester hours, including a 12 semester hour internship is required.
The internship consists of 600 clock hours working as a high school guidance counselor.

I. Required Core for School Guidance(24 semester hours)

COUN705 Group Process in the Helping Professions (3)

COUN710 Appraisal Techniques in Counseling (3) 

      COUN715 Career Development and Life Planning (3)

COUN720 Counseling and Consulting Theories (3)

   COUN725 Organization and Development of Programs in the Helping Professions (3)

COUN730 Supervised Counseling Practice (3)

COUN735 Counseling Practicum (3)

EDUC788 Research Seminar in Guidance and Counseling (3)

 

II. Required Specialized Courses School Guidance Track (36 semester hours)

• COUN700 Introduction to the Helping Professions (3)
• COUN740 Individual Development Through Adolescence (3)
• COUN742 Developmental Counseling in Schools (3)
• COUN744 Counseling Students with Disabilities (3)
• COUN745 Multicultural Counseling (3)
• _________Elective (3)
• _________Elective (3)
• _________Elective (3)