College of Education > Leadership, Technology, and Human Development > Counselor Education M.Ed.

Counselor Education M.Ed.

Format: In person on the Statesboro Campus
Credit Hours: 60
Entry Terms: Fall and Summer

The Counselor Education Program at Georgia Southern University is a full-time residential program offered on the Statesboro campus with two concentrations: School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP Program Outcomes Report (PDF)

Counselor Education Program Reports

2023 Program Evaluation Report

2018 Program Evaluation Report

2022-2023 CAPR Results for Counselor Education MEd Program

Why Study Counselor Education at Georgia Southern University?

The focus of the Counselor Education program is on training professional counselors.
The Counselor Education concentrations in School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling, have been CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) accredited since January 2009.
Courses are taught by Counselor Education Faculty on campus using an experiential focus with implications for real-world practice.
Students engage in field-based clinical experiences (i.e., practicum, internship) that support surrounding communities.
Georgia Southern faculty, staff, and students embrace core values expressed through integrity, civility, kindness, collaboration, and a commitment to lifelong learning, wellness, and social responsibility.
Faculty, graduates, and students regularly participate in professional organizations and assume leadership positions in these organizations.
The Counselor Education program has two active student organizations: LPCA of Georgia Student Affiliate Group, and Gamma Sigma chapter of Chi Sigma Iota (an international honor society for professional counselors).
Faculty are actively engaged in national service as well as counseling research and have received national and international recognition for their research and service.
The program has a high job placement rate of graduates.

Ready to Apply?

Loading…

Or, you can:

Request Information

Visit Campus

Support GS and Give Today

Mission and Vision:

The Counselor Education Program prepares students to practice as professional counselors and to become leaders and advocates committed to professional and personal growth, ethical practice, and social justice in clinical mental health, higher education, and school settings. Graduates are reflective, dedicated professionals committed to meeting the needs of a diverse population and pluralistic society. The Counselor Education Program is committed to the preparation and continual development of counselors-in-training and professional counselors.

Counseling Programs

Depending on your experience, you can pursue one of two graduate school options. If you have a bachelor’s degree, take a look at the Master’s of Education in Counseling Education.

There are two degree concentrations offered in the Master of Education in Counselor Education program. Concentration One, School Counseling and Concentration Two, Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Both concentrations are offered in a hybrid format on the Statesboro campus. See details from the following links:

School Counseling, M.Ed. 60 hours – This concentration is designed for people who wish to work as school counselors. The concentration is designed for graduate students to meet the requirements for school counseling certification in Georgia.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.Ed. 60 hours This concentration is designed for people who wish to work as clinical mental health counselors in community agency settings (public, private, or non-profit).

Apply Now >

Courses and Curriculum

Program Overview

A Student Perspective

Frequently Asked Question

Will the Counselor Education program be offered in Savannah?

No. The program is only offered on the Statesboro Campus of Georgia Southern. There are no plans to open a second program in Savannah.

Is the program an online or on-campus program?

On-campus. Although there are several online courses the Counselor Education master’s degree is an on-campus program offered only on the Statesboro campus.

Is the GRE or MAT required as part of the application process?

No. We do not require applicants to take the GRE or MAT but applicants can upload those scores as part of their application if they have taken one of the tests.

How many credits is the program?

The program is 60 credits (Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling concentrations each require 60 credits).

When is the deadline to apply to the Counselor Education program?

The deadline to apply is February 1st every year. We do not offer rolling admissions.

What happens after I submit my application?

Faculty will review applications after the February 1st deadline and decide who to invite to campus for an interview (the interviews are typically in early March). The interview includes meeting with faculty, meeting with students, a group activity, and a writing sample. We view the interview as a two-way process, where applicants are interviewing us as much as we are interviewing applicants.

How long does it take to complete the program?

Full-time students complete the program in 2 years, attending classes during Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters for both years. The program requires year-round attendance since some required courses are only offered in the summer.

Part-time students typically complete the program in 3-4 years. Be aware the Practicum experience requires 100 hours throughout the semester. Those hours must be logged on a weekly basis and typically occur Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5 pm depending on the site selected. The Internship experience requires 600 hours across two semesters. Those hours must be logged on a weekly basis (20 hours a week) and typically occur Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5 pm depending on the site selected.

Once students are accepted into the program when can they start taking classes?

Summer semester (recommended start date) or Fall semester. People who are accepted into the program cannot begin taking classes until summer or fall. We strongly encourage students to begin the program in the summer. We don’t have a spring start date for new students.

Where can I complete the Practicum and Internship?

Students select their own Practicum and Internship sites; the faculty does not place students on their sites. Practicum is typically completed in the first Spring semester for full-time students, and Internship is completed during Fall and Spring semesters of the second year for full-time students. The program faculty has also developed a list of sites used over the past 6 years that enrolled students will be able to access.

Can the Counselor Education master’s degree be taken as part of the Georgia Southern ABM Program?

No. The Counselor Education master’s program is not part of the ABM program because all courses need to be taken post-bachelor’s degree to comply with counseling certification and accreditation.

Organizations

Chi Sigma Iota

Chi Sigma Iota is an international honor society established for counselors-in-training, counselor educators, and professional counselors. The purpose of ΧΣΙ is to promote and recognize the pursuit of scholarship, research, professionalism, and excellence in counseling. The Gamma Sigma chapter of Chi Sigma Iota was initiated in March of 1994 at Georgia Southern University. Membership requirements include a 3.5 GPA or higher and one or more full-time semester hours of counselor education studies or equivalent. Benefits of membership include opportunities for professional networking and development.

For more information contact the faculty advisor, Dr. Kristen Dickens (kdickens@georgiasouthern.edu).

Professional Organizations

Professional organizations provide important affiliations for counselors-in-training and professionals by promoting ethical standards, research, and accreditation. Benefits include publications that keep students informed about current issues within the field as well as research and practice; workshops, conferences, and other networking opportunities to become more involved with issues relevant to the profession; and reduced rates for professional conferences and professional liability insurance.

The Counselor Education Program and faculty support student involvement in professional organizations including:

American Counseling Association (ACA)
(800) 347-6647
www.counseling.org

American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)
(800) 306-4722
www.amhca.org

American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
(800) 821-7303
www.schoolcounselor.org

Georgia School Counselors Association (GSCA)
(888) 455-0997
gaschoolcounselors.com/

Licensed Professional Counselors of Georgia (LPCA of GA)
(404) 370-0200
www.lpcaga.org/

Professional License/Certification Disclosure

The College of Education anticipates that graduates will seek initial certification in the following programs: School Counselor
All programs meet the educational requirements for a teaching certificate in Georgia. The MEd-Counseling Education program meets the requirements for certification in CO, CT, FL, HI, ID, KY, MA, MN, MT, NH, NM, PA, TN, VT and VA, only. Unless listed above, Georgia Southern’s program does NOT meet educational requirements for certification in that state. Online students wishing to enroll in a program that does not meet requirements in their state of residence will be required to sign an attestation that indicates that they will seek GA licensure. Out-of-state students living in GA do not have to complete an attestation but may need to meet additional requirements in their home state after graduation.

Georgia Southern makes every effort to ensure information about educational requirements for licensure or certification is current; however, state requirements may change. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, residence requirements, jurisprudence exams, training, etc. For more information, as well as for a list of applicable state boards, visit the Georgia Southern State Authorization and Professional Licensure Webpage.

Last updated: 7/25/2024