School Counseling Programs, Director or M.Ed.

The 48-credit School Counseling program is open to experienced teachers as well as individuals who are not teachers. The program prepares individuals for the broad range of responsibilities across grade levels that school counselors encounter as they work in school settings with students, their families/caregivers, teachers, administrators, and school and community support services. Eight major areas of counselor development are addressed: professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, career development, helping relationships, group work, assessment, and research and program evaluation. The 48-credit program leads to a Master of Education and eligibility for New Jersey educational services certification as a school counselor.

Certified school counselors may become eligible for endorsement as a Director of School Counseling Services by taking 6 to 9 additional credits to fulfill certification requirements in administration, staff supervision, and curriculum development. In addition, the Director of School Counseling Services certification requires at least three years (full-time) of successful school counselor experience under standard New Jersey or out-of-state school counselor certification. A letter from the superintendent or principal will be required to document this experience and should include the dates of employment and the qualifying positions held during those specific dates.