Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2024-2025 Graduate Academic Catalog
assignments will result in an official absence and a lower grade . In addition , there are specific attendance expectations in several Counseling courses . These courses include but are not limited to the program field courses ( weekly 1.5 hours synchronous group supervision ), the program skills courses , and the Special Topics Residency course . Attendance is mandatory for the required residency in the Counseling Program . Attendance in field course weekly group supervision is also mandatory . Unexcused absences may result in a lower final grade and / or program dismissal . More information is available in the Counseling Program Student Handbook .
Students in the Counseling Program need to be aware of the following non-term program attendance policy : Should a student fail to attend a course for two consecutive weeks the student will be administratively withdrawn from the course and program .
Academic Progress , Probation , and Program Dismissal : Counselor trainees in the Master of Counseling Program are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association and the American School Counseling Association . Counselor trainees are expected to demonstrate proficiencies in the following areas : academic knowledge , counseling skills and professional dispositions ( behavior and demeanor appropriate for counselors ). Deficiencies found in any of these areas may trigger a Professional Development Plan ( PDP ) to remediate the identified deficiency / ies . Failure to meet the expectations of the Professional Development Plan may lead to dismissal from the program . For a full explanation of this policy and process , please see the Program Handbook . Regardless of the Professional / Personal Development Plan students are still obligated to meet the nonterm programs ’ academic policies , including but not limited to the Academic Warning , Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal policies found in the Graduate Catalog .
Course Withdrawal Policies : The Counseling Program maintains the same course withdrawal policies as outlined for all non-term programs in the Graduate Catalog .
Time to Completion :
1 . Master of Science in Counseling Program ( both concentrations of study ) is typically 2.5 to 3.5 years . The maximum time for completion of the degree is 6 years .
2 . Post-graduate Clinical Mental Health Certificate Program is between 7 and 10 months depending on start time of cohort
3 . Post-graduate PreK-12 School Counseling Certification Program varies based on the total number of Pennsylvania Department of Education competencies waived based other master ' s degree work .
Field Requirements : The Counseling Program offers three areas of field experience : Pre-Practicum , Practicum and Internship : 20 hours of Pre-Practicum ( built into counseling course work and the practicum application process ), 100 hours of Practicum and 600 + hours of Internship . Below are the main field experience expectations by area . For specific information regarding field placement particulars ( expectations , grading , application requirements , etc .) please review the appropriate field handbook . These handbooks can be found on the student portal .
Pre-practicum : Pre-practicum requirements are fulfilled in two classes ; CNS 505 Foundations of Counseling and CNS 527 Social Justice , Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Counseling ( and in preparing application materials for practicum ). These courses and the pre-practicum hours involved must be completed when
71