Ed.M. with Certification in School Counseling

Program Overview

The Ed.M. program with school counseling certification at the GSE is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is designed to prepare culturally competent professional school counselors. Students exiting this 60-credit degree program are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for counseling in grades preschool through 12, These include capabilities to study and assess individual students, counsel students regarding personal, social educational and vocational plans and programs, collaborate with school administrators, teachers, and parents to advocate for student success, and develop cooperative relationships with community agencies in assisting children and their families. In alignment with the GSE’s mission, the program has a multicultural programmatic focus dedicated to empowering all students, supporting parent engagement, and eliminating the achievement gap. Expert faculty will lead students through curriculum encompassing counseling, psychology, sociological and cultural influences, college and career-readiness, assessment, evaluation, statistics, and research while encouraging self-reflection and personal growth in our developing school counselors, so they are capable of acting as counselors, leaders, advocates, and consultants in the communities they serve.

After the program is completed and the master’s degree is awarded, the GSE will make a recommendation to the New Jersey State Department of Education on behalf of the graduate to receive their Standard Certificate as a School Counselor.

Program Goals as of 2022-2023
(Last updated: 5/09/2023)

Knowledge/Understanding 

• School Counseling students will develop knowledge and expertise necessary to implement a comprehensive school counseling program to address academic, career, and social-emotional development of their own students, as well as a deep understanding of contemporary issues that impact school counseling practice.  
• Students will learn and apply theories and models of counseling and school counseling, as well as research in the field, to inform their professional practice as school counselors. 
• Students will learn to effectively integrate their developing knowledge of Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), American Counseling Association (ACA), and American School Counselor Association (ASCA) professional competencies and standards into their roles as counselors, leaders, advocates, and consultants. 

Communication/Community Building 

• Students will engage in communities of practice in their coursework and develop community relationships through their work in their school counseling practicum and internship settings. 
• School Counseling students will develop their written and oral presentation skills and other interpersonal skills that contribute to effective communication, including giving and receiving feedback, engaging their own students, collaborating with parents, colleagues, and administration, and effectively advocating for their students and school communities. 
• Students will develop professional relationships through participation in clinical placements and organizations such as ASCA and the New Jersey School Counselor Association (NJSCA).  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 

• Students will engage in practices that promote DEI and social justice in school counseling through coursework that explores the concepts of diversity and equity and their importance in school settings.  
• Students will develop skills relevant to cultural humility and culturally responsive pedagogy through class assignments and continual self-reflection. Students will learn about themselves and others through activities that reflect an understanding and appreciation of cultural and human differences.   
• Students will understand the importance of the role of social justice and advocacy in educational and counseling settings and promote educational equity by establishing a counseling environment where diverse backgrounds and perspectives (educational, cultural, personal, social, economic) are valued and respected and inequities are addressed.  

Research/Professional Practice 

• Students will be introduced to research methods and develop an understanding of how to apply these methods to practice.  
• Students will learn to examine, interpret, and evaluate research evidence that enables them to become more sophisticated consumers of educational and counseling research.  
• Students will conduct original research and interpret and evaluate evidence from other peer-reviewed research to inform their professional practice and address problems of practice that may require change in policy and programs.  
• Students will gain essential experience in school counseling practice through diverse classroom opportunities and practicum and internship placements.  

Assessment 

• Students will learn about assessment models and approaches, including data-driven frameworks for comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) and Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and how to effectively apply these methods to effective design and implementation of assessment. 

Professional Development/Self-Reflection 

• Students will engage in multiple opportunities for self-reflection through coursework that incorporates self-reflection as a key component of applying theory to practice and addressing one’s biases and assumptions as students build a professional counseling identity.   
• Student will participate in opportunities for critical self-reflection, personal development, and the exploration of professional goals and interests through their practicum and internship experience.  
• Students will participate in professional development activities through active engagement in clinical placements, professional school counseling organizations such as ASCA and NJSCA, and professional development trainings and webinars. 
• Students will develop essential skills for working as a professional school counselor, including effective counseling skills and interventions; interpersonal communication; time and task management; advocacy and leadership; professional ethics; and self-care. 

For more information about this program:

• Download the program guide (includes course list and application requirements)
• As required by CACREP, the School Counseling program publicly reports outcomes annually. These reports can be found on our Accreditation page.
• Contact Matt Winkler, Assistant Dean for Advisement in the Office of Student and Academic Services

Program Details