Program Objectives & Curriculum
The course of study outlined in the School Counseling Specialization is adapted directly from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. These standards are intended to foster development of students' abilities to meet the following objectives:
► PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY - an understanding of all aspects functioning as a professional school counselor.
► SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY - an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society.
► HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT - understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels.
► CAREER DEVELOPMENT - an understanding of career development and related life factors.
► HELPING RELATIONSHIPS - an understanding of counseling and collaboration processes.
► GROUP WORK - theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development, and dynamics.
► ASSESSMENT - understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.
► RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION - an understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation.
With respect to School Counseling, CACREP standards that are specific to the public schools are underscored:
Understand history and trends in school counseling, ethical and legal issues, and roles and functions of the professional school counselor.
Understand the systemic, interdisciplinary, and social/cultural variables within school systems.
Coursework focuses on understanding of student development; namely, Academic/Learning, Life/Career, Multicultural, and Personal/Social. Students also learn the standards of school counseling through competency development in the Utah Model for Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance: K-12 (USOE, 2008).
Coursework is provided by faculty who are licensed professionals in the field; including licensed professional school counselors, licensed psychologists, former administrators, and public school teachers. Instruction follows a model of service delivery that conforms to State standards as described in the Utah Model for Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance: K-12 (USOE, 2008).
