MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING WITH AN EMPHASIS IN SCHOOL COUNSELING
Admission Requirements - Master of Arts in Counseling with an Emphasis in School Counseling
After completion of the application for admission, each student is required to provide an official transcript from the institution awarding his/her undergraduate degree, and an official transcript from each institution granting graduate credit the student wishes evaluated for transfer credit. These transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to the Graduate Studies in Education office at Doane University and must bear the official stamp of the issuing institution. Transcripts issued to students are not acceptable for submission. Students must have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. Applicants not meeting this requirement will be referred to the Graduate Education Faculty Committee of the Whole for consideration. Three letters of recommendation are required, a copy of applicant’s current teaching certificate, completion of the “Verification of Teaching Experience” form and a self-reporting survey. The application file should be complete before the student registers for their first course in the program.
Transfer of Credit Policy - School Counseling Program
Any request for transfer credit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis as there are no elective courses in the School Counseling program. Transfer decisions will be made by Doane’s certification officer.
Students are responsible for making formal requests to graduate institutions they have attended to have their graduate transcripts sent directly to Doane University, Graduate Studies in Education, 303 North 52nd Street, Lincoln, NE 68504.
Full Graduate Standing for the School Counseling Program
After completion of nine credit hours of graduate study, the file of a degree-seeking student is reviewed to determine if the student is eligible for full graduate standing. The criteria for full graduate standing in the Master of Arts in Counseling with an Emphasis in School Counseling program are as follows:
- The applicant must have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited University or university with an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher.
- The applicant must obtain three letters of recommendation from professional educators who are well acquainted with the applicant and can speak to his/her ability to pursue certification as a school counselor, complete the verification of teaching experience, submit a photocopy of applicant’s current teaching certificate, complete a self-reporting survey, and have all official transcripts on file in the graduate office.
- The applicant must maintain the highest ethical conduct in coursework and in professional positions held as defined in the Standards for Professional Practices Criteria in 92 NAC 27. A student must be a model, representing the ideals expected of members of the teaching profession.
- The applicant must have completed nine hours of graduate study at Doane with a 3.00 or higher cumulative grade point average. A student receiving a grade below a B- for any graduate course will have his/her file reviewed even though the student’s cumulative GPA might be 3.00 or higher.
All decisions regarding full graduate standing are based upon reviews of official transcripts of prior University work, letters of recommendation, GPA, and other pertinent information. If evidence of a breach in ethical behavior is presented, the Dean and/or graduate faculty reserve the right to evaluate this factor as a criterion for denying full graduate standing.
Decisions are communicated in writing as soon as practical after the student completes nine credits of study and has on file the three letters of support and the required transcripts. Decisions cannot be given by telephone, nor can they be given to any person other than the applicant without a written release from the applicant.
Doane E-Mail Accounts Required for Faculty and Students
To comply with the Higher Education Act, ALL course communication between faculty and students will use Doane e-mail addresses. Students should also use their Doane e-mail for communication with Doane offices. The Graduate Office, Business Office, Financial Aid and Blackboard will all use students’ Doane e-mail accounts. All Doane students have access to a Doane e-mail account and receive instructions about setting this up when they apply. If students do not set up their e-mail or have forgotten their password or user id, they should contact helpdesk@doane.edu.
Online Coursework
Students are limited to 15 hours maximum of online coursework in their program. Students requesting any exemption to this limit must have permission of the Dean.
Program Design
Forty-eight credit hours are required for the Master of Arts in Counseling with an Emphasis in School Counseling. All courses are required. Students are allowed to register for a maximum of six credit hours each term in the fall and spring, and 12 credit hours during the summer term. COU prefixed courses are offered on an eight week term schedule instead of a semester schedule. The required courses are:
EDU-601 Critical Issues in Curriculum & Instruction 3 credits
EDU-602 Assessment of Learning Or 3 credits
EDU-645 Assessment of Literacy Or 3 credits
EDU-614 Assessment Literacy Development 3 credits
EDU-603 Research Methods 3 credits
EDU-604 Culminating Project Or 3 credits
EDL-695 Research/Project Implementation and 6 credits
COU elective
COE-601 Counseling Theories & Methods for K-12 Schools 3 credits
COE-602 Practicum Lab in Counseling (150 hours in school 3 credits
based activities)
COE-610 Assessment Literacy in School Counseling 3 credits
COE-615 Counseling Skills & Crisis Intervention Or 3 credits
EDU-615 Counseling Skills & Crisis Intervention 3 credits
COU-618 Mental Health Ethics, Law & Professional Practice 3 credits
COE-620 School Guidance Curriculum 3 credits
COE-630 Social & Cultural Awareness in School Counseling 3 credits
COU-634 Group Processes 3 credits
COU-635 Human Development across the Life Span 3 credits
COE-640 Counseling for Gender & Diverse Populations 3 credits
COE-650 Programming for School Counseling 3 credits
COE-691 Internship in Counseling (450 hours of internship) 3 credits
May be K-6; 7-12 or K-12 depending on certification
Content Testing
Effective September 1, 2015, candidates applying for any initial endorsement(s) to be placed on a Nebraska certificate must provide evidence they have passed the required Praxis II content test for the endorsement. For School Counseling this is the Professional School Counselor - test code 5421.
Guidelines for Student Teaching and Internships
Doane University assumes the responsibilities for an effective student teaching experience. The initial program at the advanced level follows the requirements of the initial program for student teaching. All student teaching supervisors meet the required standards in Rule 20 for the State of Nebraska.
Time Limitations
A student is expected to complete the program within seven years of beginning graduate study at Doane University. Credits taken in the program which were completed more than seven years prior to graduation are reviewed by the dean or assistant to the dean. The criteria for accepting or rejecting these credits as a part of the student’s program are always based on the relevance of the material at the time of review. If the course is not accepted because the course material is no longer relevant, the student must then retake the appropriate graduate course(s) as part of the program of study, or in the case of elective courses, select additional electives.
Academic Standing
A graduate student is in good academic standing if he/she maintains a graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher.
Academic Probation
A degree-seeking school counseling graduate student is placed on academic probation if, at any time, the graduate cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00. The student is notified in writing of his/her academic status and of any specific conditions for retention.
Academic Suspension
- A school counseling student may be suspended from Doane University for any of the following reasons:
- Failure to return to good academic standing after the specified probationary period.
- Failure to meet requirements set forth in the letter of probation.*
- Receipt of a second course grade below a “B-“.
- Breach of academic integrity.
In all cases, the student is notified of the suspension in writing by the Dean of the program. For the right of appeal, consult that section in this handbook. For specifics on what constitutes plagiarism, please see a later section of this handbook.
Academic Dismissal
A graduate student may be dismissed from Doane University when the appeal process for suspension has been exhausted. Such students are notified in writing by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
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