Counselor Education Programs

The Counselor Education program at Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to excellence in the initial preparation and continuing development of professionals in the counseling field.

Thanks to the university’s urban setting, the program provides graduate students with research-based professional studies and clinical experiences necessary for effective counseling, advocacy and leadership in diverse geographic and socioeconomic settings.

Specifically, the program prepares counselors with the specialized knowledge and skills required for placement in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as postsecondary educational institutions in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the nation.

Mission

The Counselor Education program at Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to excellence in the preparation and continuing development of professionals in counseling and counselor education. The program provides graduate students with research-based professional and clinical experiences necessary for effective counseling, supervision, teaching, advocacy and leadership in diverse settings.

Program Objectives

The following program objectives were developed by program faculty and are revised with the input of program alumni, adjunct faculty, and current students.

• Students will obtain theoretical knowledge grounded in research and reflective of current national and state standards in the areas of individual and group counseling, human development, multicultural counseling, wellness, and career counseling.
• Students will develop the skills and knowledge to support and enhance students’ and clients’ resiliency from a multicultural framework.
• Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills to be critical consumers of research in their roles as counselors.
• Students will develop and demonstrate advocacy, social justice, and leadership skills through their professional development and extracurricular learning activities.
• Students will continue their personal and professional development by adhering to the professional ethical codes of professional counseling organizations and the counselor education program dispositions.

Specific Objective for Each Concentration

School 6. Students will demonstrate competency in counseling, assessment, program evaluation, and consultation skills in K-12 school settings.

CCSA 6. Students will demonstrate competency in counseling, assessment, program evaluation, and consultation skills in higher education settings.

CFC 6. Students will demonstrate competency in counseling, assessment, program evaluation, and consultation skills in community, couples, and family settings.

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Undergraduate programs

B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching

Master's programs

M.Ed., concentration in School Counseling

M.Ed., concentration in College Student Development and Counseling

M.Ed., concentration in Couples and Family Counseling

Doctoral programs

Ph.D. in Education, concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision