DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND COUNSELING
Course Descriptions
Students seeking admission to the graduate programs in Educational Leadership and Counseling must meet the basic requirements of Graduate Studies specified in the Admission section of this catalog. Please contact the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling for additional requirements: Box 2119, Huntsville, Texas 77341 or by phone (936) 294-1147 or edu_elc@shsu.edu. Course Prerequisites, listed at the end of this section, are strictly observed.
Master of Education in Counseling. This degree plan is designed specifically for the student who wishes to work toward certification in School Counseling. It requires completion of forty-eight hours of graduate credit and may meet academic requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The program must comply with existing standards for professional certification. All students must take the comprehensive examination and usually take the exam during the final semester of coursework. Students must be enrolled in the university when taking the comprehensive examination. The degree plan originates in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling.
Master of Education in Counseling
School Counselor
| Required Courses | ||
| CNE 511 | Counseling Program Orientation (stem work) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 564 | Theories of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 663 | Assessment in Guidance & Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 585 | Pre-Practicum Techniques of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 597 | Human Growth & Development | 3 SCH |
| CNE 533 | Intro to Counseling & Guidance | 3 SCH |
| CNE 579 | Methods of Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 534 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 SCH |
| CNE 674 | Practicum in Group Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 570 | Career Counseling Across the Lifespan | 3 SCH |
| CNE 635 | Methods of Consultation, Coordination, & Counseling | 3 SCH |
| **CNE 512 | Workshop: Ethical & Professional Issues in Counseling | 1 SCH |
| CNE 676 | Supervised Practice in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 592 | Cross Cultural Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 632 | Theories of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| **CNE 510 | Workshop: Elective Psychopharmacology or Advanced Appraisal Techniques | 1 SCH |
| CNE 686 | Field Practicum I | 3 SCH |
| Elective: Select one of the courses below | 3 SCH | |
| CNE 591 | Child & Adolescent Counseling | 3 SCH |
| *CNE 593 | Community Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 599 | Play Therapy Basics | 3 SCH |
| CNE 631 | Advanced Play Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 633 | Techniques of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 634 | Professional & Ethical Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 637 | Counseling Clients with Sexual Concerns | 3 SCH |
| Total Hours | 48 SCH | |
| * LPC/community counseling students must take CNE 593. | ||
| ** An additional elective may be substituted for CNE 510 and CNE 512. | ||
Master of Arts in Counseling Education. This degree is designed for individuals who wish to write a thesis as part of the requirements for the degree. A comprehensive examination will be taken during the final semester of coursework. Students must be enrolled during the semester the comprehensive examination is taken.
Master of Arts in Counseling Education
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
| Required Courses | ||
| CNE 511 | Counseling Program Orientation | 1 SCH |
| CNE 564 | Theories of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 663 | Assessment in Guidance & Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 585 | Pre-Practicum Techniques of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 597 | Human Growth and Development | 3 SCH |
| CNE 579 | Methods of Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 534 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 SCH |
| CNE 674 | Practicum in Group Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 570 | Career Counseling Across the Lifespan | 3 SCH |
| **CNE 512 | Workshop: Ethical & Professional Issues in Counseling | 1 SCH |
| **CNE 510 | Workshop: Elective (Psychopharmacology or Advanced Appraisal Techniques) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 593 | Community Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 676 | Supervised Practice in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 592 | Cross Cultural Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 632 | Theories of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 686 | Field Practicum I | 3 SCH |
| CNE 698 | Thesis I | 3 SCH |
| CNE 699 | Thesis II | 3 SCH |
| ** An elective may be substituted for CNE 510 and CNE 512. | ||
Master of Arts in Counseling. This degree plan is designed for students seeking licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and/or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Students completing this degree will have all of the academic requirements needed to apply for the temporary license as a Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. Forty-eight graduate semester credit hours are required to fulfill the requirements for the degree. A comprehensive examination will be taken during the final semester of coursework. Students must be enrolled during the semester the comprehensive examination is taken. The degree plan originates in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling.
The LPC/Community Counseling Program is a CACREP accredited program. The LPC/ Community Counseling Program is generic in nature as it provides students with academic and practical information to help them in preparing for employment in multiple settings. Students may choose electives that will provide them with more specific information about working with special populations, i.e. Play Therapy, Child and Adolescent Counseling, Techniques of Marriage and Family Therapy, etc. This preparation allows graduates of this program to work in family service agencies, mental health centers, the prison system, community college counseling centers, treatment centers, etc. Once fully licensed, the graduates of this program may also work in private practice.
Master of Arts in Counseling
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
| Required Courses | ||
| CNE 511 | Counseling Program Orientation (stem work) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 564 | Theories of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 663 | Assessment in Guidance & Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 585 | Pre-Practicum Techniques of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 597 | Human Growth & Development | 3 SCH |
| CNE 579 | Methods of Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 534 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 SCH |
| CNE 674 | Practicum in Group Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 570 | Career Counseling Across the Lifespan | 3 SCH |
| **CNE 512 | Workshop: Ethical & Professional Issues in Counseling | 1 SCH |
| **CNE 510 | Workshop: Elective (Psychopharmacology or Advanced Appraisal Techniques) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 591 | Child & Adolescent Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 593 | Community Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 676 | Supervised Practice in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 592 | Cross Cultural Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 632 | Theories of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 686 | Field Practicum I | 3 SCH |
| Electives Select one of the courses below: | 3 SCH | |
| CNE 599 | Play Therapy Basics | 3 SCH |
| CNE 631 | Advanced Play Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 633 | Techniques of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 634 | Professional & Ethical Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 637 | Counseling Clients with Sexual Concerns | 3 SCH |
| PSY 534 | Theory & Research in Psychotherapy II | 3 SCH |
| Total Hours | 48 SCH | |
| ** An additional elective may be substituted for CNE 510 and CNE 512. | ||
The LMFT/Community Counseling Program provides specific coursework and practical information to help prepare students for employment in settings that focus on the family system. These specific courses are Theories of Marriage and Family Therapy, Techniques of Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling Sexual Problems, and Professional and Ethical Issues. Typically, students graduating from the LMFT/ Community Counseling Program secure employment in agencies that provide services from a system's perspective such as family service agencies, adoption and placement agencies, community agencies that specialize in counseling survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and home-based family therapy programs in community mental health agencies, etc. Once licensed, the graduates of this program may also work in private practice. Please note that an additional one-hour orientation seminar is a prerequisite for the degree. Students who want to graduate from the CACREP accredited Community Counseling Program must take CNE 593.
Master of Arts in Counseling
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) 48 Hours
| Required Courses | ||
| CNE 511 | Counseling Program Orientation (stem work) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 564 | Theories of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 663 | Assessment in Guidance & Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 585 | Pre-Practicum Techniques of Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 597 | Human Growth & Development | 3 SCH |
| CNE 579 | Methods of Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 534 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 SCH |
| CNE 674 | Practicum in Group Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 570 | Career Counseling Across the Lifespan | 3 SCH |
| CNE 632 | Theories of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 633 | Techniques of Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| CNE 634 | Professional & Ethical Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 676 | Supervised Practice in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 592 | Cross Cultural Issues in Counseling | 3 SCH |
| CNE 686 | Field Practicum I | 3 SCH |
| CNE 637 | Counseling Clients with Sexual Concerns | 3 SCH |
| CNE 686 | Field Practicum II in Marriage & Family Therapy | 3 SCH |
| Total Hours | 48 SCH | |
Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Counselor Education
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education provides the highest professional degree available to students who aspire to leadership positions in counselor education and school counseling. Although the degree includes a prescribed curriculum of required and elective courses, the doctoral degree will be awarded on the basis of successful completion of coursework and completion of a major research study resulting in the presentation and defense of a dissertation. A comprehensive examination will be taken during the sixth semester of coursework. Students must be enrolled during the semester the comprehensive examination is taken.
The program design requires completion of the nineteen hours of the Counselor Education Core, a minimum of fifteen hours in the Research component, nine hours in Research Tools, twenty hours in the area of specialization (Counselor Education or School Counseling), and six hours in a Cognate outside of Counselor Education.
The Ph.D. program follows a cohort model. This means that individuals are admitted to a specific cohort group and are required to take the Counselor Education core, Research component, Research Tools, and specialization internships at the same time as the cohort group. Cohort groups begin in May/June of each year. In the event that students encounter personal emergencies that result in dropping out of the normal schedule, they may be required to join another cohort group with a different schedule.
Admission to the program requires a commitment to devoting a significant amount of time for the period of the individual's program. The inability to devote the necessary time will require the individual to drop out of the program. Students who complete the doctoral degree in counselor education will be able to:
- apply counseling theory and research to the counselor education and/or school counseling leadership functions;
- plan and deliver research based counselor education didactic courses;
- apply counselor supervision theory and research to individual and group supervision in counselor education and school counseling programs;
- use advanced level communication and interpersonal skills in consultation, counseling, counselor education, supervision and evaluation;
- interpret the relationships among federal, state and local agencies and the laws and ethical considerations applicable to the counselor education and school counseling program management fields;
- apply advanced level diagnostic and assessment methodology, and develop the capacity to teach appropriate treatment plans for a wide range of psychological concerns to master's level students;
- demonstrate multicultural awareness and competence during doctoral level counseling, supervision and consultation;
- incorporate adult education pedagogy and research as a basic tool in administering counselor education and staff development programs;
- design doctoral level counseling research and interpret results;
- apply data to advanced level counseling capabilities and school counseling leadership functions; and,
- successfully complete extensive internship experiences directly related to the student's individual professional goals.
Recruitment efforts will focus on attracting intelligent, highly motivated individuals.
Requirements for Admission
Students seeking admission to the graduate programs in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling must meet the basic requirements of Graduate Studies specified in the Admission section of this catalog. Applicants for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program in Counselor Education must have:
- A master's degree from an accredited institution. The master's degree and additional coursework should be substantially equivalent to a core of 48 hours of Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) required curriculum areas.
- 3.50 grade point average on all graduate work.
- Taken the Graduate Record Exam.
Additional Counselor Education Ph.D. Application Guidelines
A completed application form, accompanied by a $35 non-refundable processing fee, should be submitted by February 1 of the year the applicant proposes to begin the program to: Director, Center for Research and Counselor Education (CRCE), Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling, Box 2119, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas 77341-2119.
In addition, the applicant must submit the following to the Director of the CRCE:
- One official copy of transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work completed.
- One copy of scores for the Graduate Record Examination.
- References Rating Forms from: Three officials in schools, or mental health agencies where the applicant has been employed, plus two recommendations from current or former graduate-level professors. These must be "closed" recommendations, i.e., mailed directly to the Counselor Education Program at the above address, from the individual making the recommendation.
- A 1000-word personal statement.
Applicant Interview and Selection Process
The Counselor Education doctoral admissions committee will consider all applications through a holistic review process, taking into account higher GPAs, GRE Scores, work experience, recommendations, and interview scores. After reviewing the pool of applicants, the doctoral admissions committee will recommend the top candidates for the on-campus interview process. Applicants invited for the interview will be given specific guidelines for the interview process which will include an interview with the doctoral admissions committee, an on-site writing proficiency assessment. All qualified doctoral students are admitted under regular admission to the Graduate School. At the close of their second semester they will meet with the Doctoral Director as to the status of their confirmations in the doctoral program.
After admission to candidacy, students and their dissertation chair will jointly select their doctoral dissertation committee.
Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Education
| Counseling Core (19 SCH) | |
| CNE 710 Doctoral Seminar in Counseling (taken four times) | 1 SCH |
| CNE 731 Advanced Counseling Theories | 3 SCH |
| CNE 732 Advanced Appraisal Techniques | 3 SCH |
| CNE 734 Theories of Counselor Supervision | 3 SCH |
| CNE 735 Practice of Counselor Supervision | 3 SCH |
| CNE 737 Advanced Counseling Techniques and Practicum | 3 SCH |
| Research Component (15 SCH Minimum) | |
| CNE 762 Methods of Educational Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 763 Application of Educational Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 833 Dissertation (taken a minimum of three times and until completion of the dissertation; minimum of 9 semester hours total) | 3 SCH |
| Research Tools (9 SCH) | |
| CNE 773 Statistical Methods for Counselor Education Research | 3 SCH |
| CNE 772 Qualitative Methodology | 3 SCH |
| CNE 774 Multivariate Methods for Counselor Education Research | 3 SCH |
| SPECIALIZATION AREA: Complete either A or B below | 20 SCH |
| A. School Counseling | B. Counselor Education |
| CNE 739 Doctoral Internship in Counseling (Clinical) (3 SCH) | CNE 739 Doctoral Internship in Counseling (Clinical) (3 SCH) |
| CNE 739 Doctoral Internship in Counseling (Directing School Counseling and Guidance Programs) (3 SCH) | CNE 739 Doctoral Internship in Counseling (Clinical) (3 SCH) |
| Specialization Electives (12 SCH) | CNE 736 College Teaching in Counseling (3 SCH |
| CNE 710 (2 SCH) | Specialization Elective (9 credits) |
| CNE 710 (2 SCH) |
Cognate Electives (6 SCH)
The student will work with the Director of the CRCE to choose two, three credit hour cognate electives that support the student's specialization, experience and research interests.