Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2024-2025 Graduate Academic Catalog
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 residencies and extensive faculty-supervised field experiences .
All program courses ( except field , skills , and group courses ) are accelerated ( 7 weeks long ) Most 7-week courses are offered in an asynchronous online format , with the exception of CNS 537 : Special Topics Residency . Detailed information regarding the program residency requirement is available in the Counseling Program Student Handbook . Field courses are 14 weeks long and involve weekly group synchronous supervision with class faculty one night per week . CNS 501 Counseling Skills and CNS 535 Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills / CNS 536 Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills for the School Setting are also 14-week courses and include intermittent synchronous course meetings .
Every student entering the Counseling Program at Gwynedd Mercy University is considered a professional in the counseling field . Our faculty interact with students as emerging colleagues and mentors as we feel students learn best when they are valued . The expectations of the program ( academic , skills and dispositional ) are high and can be demanding . 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 ( LPC ).
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 100-hour practicum and 600 hours of internship .
The School Counseling concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved PreK-12 school counseling certification program . The School Counseling curriculum aligns with the components of the American School Counseling Association ( ASCA ) National Model . Graduates of the program are eligible to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education to become certified K-12 school counselors in the State of Pennsylvania . This concentration requires a 100-hour practicum and 620 hours of internship .
Post Graduate Programs PreK-12 School Counseling Certification program The post-graduate PreK-12 School Counseling Certification program is a 48-credit program that offers graduates with a master ' s degree ( from an accredited institution of higher education ) a pathway to certification as a PreK-12 School Counselor in the State of Pennsylvania . Students must complete the required course work and pass the appropriate Praxis test to become certified . Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits at Gwynedd Mercy University . Up to 24 credits of required Pennsylvania
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