Amended August 15, 2023
A Master of Science Degree in Clinical School Counseling will professionally develop school counselors and prepare individuals seeking certification for School Counseling in Texas. The 60-credit master’s degree must be completed at the graduate level. The master’s degree requires an internship in lieu of a thesis. The internship should be the last enrollment in the master’s program. The University of North Texas at Dallas is an approved school counseling certification program of the Texas Education Agency. The Counseling programs at UNT Dallas are nationally accredited by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).
In addition to completing the course work, candidates must pass the TExES School Counselor exam to become certified school counselors in Texas.
For details on requirements to become a Certified School Counselor in Texas, visit the Texas Education Agency website at https://tea.texas.gov/academics/college-career-and-military-prep/school-counseling.
Program Coordinator: Dr. Samuel Bore, Email: Samuel.Bore@untdallas.edu
TEA School Counseling Program Objectives
Graduate coursework requirements leading to school counseling certification are established by the State Board for Education Certification and addressed in Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §239.15. Thus, the specific Student Learning Outcomes are:
- Understand professional issues such as history theories, practices of school counseling, learner developmental characteristics and needs, legal and ethical standards, and school counselor role and responsibilities.
- Demonstrate skills to promote the educational, personal, social, and career development of the learner.
- Understand the processes that address the development, monitoring, and evaluation of a developmental school guidance and counseling program that promotes learners’ knowledge, skills, motivation, and personal growth.
- Support equity and excellence in the promotion of academic success for all learners by acknowledging, respecting, and responding to diversity while building on similarities.
- Communicate through the demonstration of effective professional and interpersonal exchanges in the advocacy of all students in the school.
- Participate in professional development through a commitment to learn, improve the profession, and model professional ethics and personal integrity.
Admission Procedures
- Submit the following to the UNT Dallas Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Submit additional admission materials for review by the Department of Counseling and Human Services.
- 3 Letters of Recommendation Forms
- A one-page, type-written Writing Sample.
- A copy of your Teaching Certificate (if applicable)
- A copy of your Teaching Service Record (if applicable)
- If applicable, a signed copy of the Acknowledgement of the Requirements for School Counseling Certification in Texas (for candidates without teaching experience)
- An individual interview with UNT Dallas graduate Counseling faculty may be required at any of the levels of the holistic applicant review process described below in the Admission Standards section. The purpose of the individual interview is:
- To assess personal qualities useful for graduate and eventual professional work as a counselor;
- To clarify questions and/or concerns that the committee may have about an applicant’s admission materials; and
- To determine whether the applicant’s professional goals are in alignment with the objectives of the program.
If application materials are deemed satisfactory, applicants will be invited to the required group interview.
All required admission materials must be filed in the program office by the deadlines stated on the Office of Graduate Admission website.
Admission Standards
- Applicants must have a 3.0 or better GPA on the last 60 undergraduate semester hours of work prior to receiving the bachelor’s degree, or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate work toward the bachelor’s degree, to be considered for unconditional admission to graduate studies at UNT Dallas. Applicants who have already completed a master’s degree must have at least a 3.4 GPA on the master’s or meet the undergraduate GPA standards.
- Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
- Successful applicants who receive an invitation to the group interview and who currently live within 100 miles of campus must attend the in person, required group interview.
- All students granted admission to the master’s program are required to enroll in both and COUN 5680 - Basic Counseling Skills. during the first term/semester of enrollment in graduate school and must receive a grade of B or higher in these two courses. The student’s progress is evaluated on the basis of the demonstration of adequate subject matter knowledge and the personal and interpersonal skills required for counseling.
- Throughout the program the student will be routinely evaluated on the criteria of knowledge, personal and interpersonal skills and counseling skills to determine if progress is adequate, if remedial work is needed, or if the student should be withdrawn from the program.
- This degree requires a passing score on the comprehensive examination administered during the student’s internship.
Degree Requirements
60-hour degree prepares counselors to work in a K-12 setting.
*The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 60 semester hours, including successful completion of internship, / , and passing a comprehensive examination.
Core Courses
Clinical Core Courses
Track Specific Courses
** Indicates electives - students need to choose one of three electives listed
Certification - School Counselor
The program is recognized by the Texas Education Agency as an approved Educator Preparation Program for School Counselors. All 60 credits of the master’s degree are completed at the graduate level. Students must complete the core courses for the master’s degree plus one concentration content area.
Eligibility for School Counseling Certification: In order to receive recommendation for school counselor certification through UNT Dallas, students must:
- Successfully complete the 60-credit Master of Science in Clinical School Counseling degree and 160 hours of supervised school counseling internship experience.
- Submit certification application and fee to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
- Submit fingerprinting for Federal background check through TEA.
- Pass all appropriate state certification exams which includes the TExES 252 School Counselor Exam.
Note
- See the UNT Dallas Teacher Certification Officer (Dallas 1, Room 201Q) for more information.
Total hours to complete degree: 60 semester credit hours