Counselor Education - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Education Specialist)
The Ed.S. program emphasizes the development of clinical skills that may be used in various community settings, such as private practices, mental health agencies, or marriage and family therapy clinics. While working on clinical skills, candidates will be encouraged to pursue the associate professional counselor license (ALC) in Alabama. Coursework in the EdS program focuses on the application of knowledge in the candidates' professional settings and candidates will target areas for improvement and/or research in their current work settings, institute projects and plans, and summarize findings.
The curriculum is based upon program objectives that provide students with a structured sequence of curricular and clinical experiences reflecting the present and projected needs of a pluralistic society for which specialized counseling and human development activities have been developed. The program objectives are consistent with state licensing and certification and national certification educational requirements. They are defined by course objectives, assignments, and are measurable, as documented in course syllabi. These objectives reflect input from the Program Faculty members, Advisory Committee, and former students in the Counselor Education program.
There are nine elements essential to this mission:
There are nine elements essential to this mission:
- Technological Competence: The program will expect the student to demonstrate the ability to use technology to enhance services delivered to clients/students.
- Professional Identity: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of professional functioning including history, roles, technological competence, organizations, credentialing, advocacy process and ethical standards in professional counseling.
- Social and Cultural Diversity: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural and diverse society as they relate to factors such as age, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, education, family values, spiritual values, socioeconomic status and other unique characteristics.
- Human Growth and Development: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of individuals at all developmental levels, including theories of development across the life span, theories of learning and personality development, human behavior including environmental factors effecting both normal and abnormal behavior, ethical and legal considerations and strategies for facilitating development over the life span.
- Career Development: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of career development and related life factors including theories and developmental modes, career development program planning, educational and occupation information as well as computer-based career information systems, diversity issues in career development, career planning, placement and evaluation including assessment instruments, ethical and legal considerations, and career counseling techniques.
- Helping Relationships: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of counseling and consultation processes including basic interviewing and counseling skills as well as knowledge and application of counseling theories. An understanding of family and other systems theories in family assessment and counseling is included. Other helping considerations include knowledge of self, consultation and ethical and legal considerations.
- Group Work: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of group development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods and skills and other group work approaches.
- Assessment: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.
- Research and Program Evaluation: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of research, statistical analysis, needs assessment and program evaluation.
Additional Facts
- 100% Online
- All School Counseling Programs and Clinical Mental Health Programs at JSU are accredited by CACREP (Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs)
