Gwynedd Mercy University AY2022-2023 Graduate Academic Catalog
Program Name : Counseling Accreditation : Program Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification Status : School Counseling Concentration : Meets PDE defined educational competencies for certification as a PreK-12 School Counseling in the State of Pennsylvania . Degree : Master of Science Tracks : Clinical Mental Health Concentration ; School Counseling Concentration ( K-12 Certification in PA ) Program Type : Non-Term Program Modality : Online Program Director : Ellen Henderson
Program Description : The Graduate Counseling Program at Gwynedd Mercy University is designed to help students become professional counselors with areas of expertise in the community mental health and school counseling settings . The program uses a scholar-practitioner model based in the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Program ( CACREP ) educational standards for training students . The scholar-practitioner model allows students to gain the prerequisite knowledge , skills , and expertise to be competent , well-trained and marketable entry-level counselors . Through involvement in program course work , interaction with peers , instructors , and their faculty mentor , students learn to integrate class content and skills to further develop counseling knowledge and deepen counseling identity . Students will synthesize their knowledge and skills in counseling experiences during two weekend residencies and extensive faculty supervised field experiences .
All program courses ( except field , skills , and group courses ) are accelerated ( 7 weeks long ) and are offered in an asynchronous online format . Field courses are 15 weeks long and involve weekly group synchronous supervision with class faculty one night per week . The two in-person weekend residencies are held during CNS 501 Counseling Skills and CNS 535 Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills or CNS 536 Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills for the School Setting courses . The 501 and 535 / 6 courses are 15 weeks .
Every student entering the Counseling Program at Gwynedd Mercy University is considered a professional in the counseling field . Our faculty interact with students as colleagues and mentors as we feel students learn best when they are valued as knowledgeable professionals . The expectations of the program ( academic , skills and dispositional ) are high and can be demanding . We know that students accepted into the program can be successful and benefit greatly from professional interaction with everyone in the program .
The program allows students to concentrate their studies in the following areas .
Master of Science Degree The Master of Science ( MS ) in Counseling degree requires 60 credits of coursework and has two concentrations of study : Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling . Students completing the master ' s degree will be eligible to sit for the National Counselor Exam ( NCE ) leading to license as a professional counselor .
The Clinical Mental Health concentration trains students to develop expertise in counseling children , adolescents , families , and adults and to gain the credentials to assume supervisory positions in mental health community agency settings . This concentration requires a 600-hour internship over three terms and a 100-hour practicum .
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