Counselor Education

Mission Statement

The mission of the School Counseling program is to train Professional School Counselors. Students acquire a foundation in the counseling core and strength in the specialty field courses in program development; consultation and intervention; counseling children and adolescents, and individual and group appraisal. Students become competent in utilizing the Alabama State Department of Education Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Plan that exemplifies national standards. The focus is to educate school counselors, and enable them to address elementary and secondary student's needs in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development. Teaching, scholarship, and service are values demonstrated throughout the program. Self-awareness, intellectual development, and social consciousness are supported and encouraged. The program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation(CAEP), and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), through March 31, 2026.

Prior to registering for ECG 593 (School Counseling Internship I) All students MUST pass the Praxis II/Subject Content Exam: School Counseling.  Dates & registration info.

All School Counseling students are required to take the Praxis II for Professional School Counselors Content. In addition, students are required to produce Praxis II exam scores in order to register for ECG 593.  

Office of Accreditation, Certification & Partnership Initiatives (OACPI) provides certification advisement for the College of Education and Professional Studies.  They will attempt to answer all questions regarding certification.  The first link will give you access to their homepage and the second link is Alabama Certification Instructions.

256-782-5054

Mission Statement

The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is to prepare graduate students from northeast Alabama and the surrounding area for success as they move toward: (1) counseling positions in mental health agencies; (2) LPC licensure application in Alabama, Georgia, and beyond; and/or (3) continued progress toward a terminal degree in Counselor Education.  The program is designed to identify, train, and assist candidates with the skills and dispositions needed to become capable counselors and creative decision-makers, able to facilitate client growth by utilizing refined communication skills, equipped to creatively and appropriately apply therapeutic techniques, consistently employ ethical practice in keeping with the Code of Ethics and Standards of practice endorsed by the counseling profession, and exhibit multicultural competence and respect for diversity. Teaching, scholarship and service are values demonstrated throughout the program. Self-awareness, intellectual development and social consciousness are supported and encouraged. The program has sought and been awarded transfer of accreditation of the Community Agency program to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This transition  was awarded in January 2016. The program is accredited through March 31, 2026.

Qualified and experienced faculty mentor each counselor-in-training, many of whom are first-generation college students. The program is designed to identify, train, and assist candidates who have or gain the skills and dispositions needed to become capable counselors and creative decision makers as they meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Prior to graduation, students who are in the non-traditional CACREP-option track must pass the National Counselor Exam (NCE). This exam is only offered twice per year (April and October), registration deadlines are far in advance (January and July). Please schedule this exam appropriately so it will not impede your progress through the program.  To start the application process, please send the following information to the program testing coordinator, Dr. Priscilla Wilson, pgwilson@jsu.edu  - First and last name, JSU email address, phone number, degree type (MS), degree track (CMHC or School), expected graduation date.