Guidance Counseling

Hi Everyone,
Okay, I am finally narrowing my choices. In order to obtain a teacher loan which will be forgiven upon employmment, I have to get a master's which contains the word Guidance in it. Most programs out there just say Counseling. Can you help? I had really considered Liberty, cost etc. but again the degree is Counseling. Thanks for any help!

 

why guidance in the title?

Why do you need guidance in the title of the degree?
To work as a guidance counselor in most states you need to have a series of courses required by the certification office of that state. Some of the proficiencies include, school law, child counseling (at the appropriate level for your teaching endorsement), learning theory, a supervised practicum of at least 600 hours (in Vermont, in some state 800 hours, some states less), curriculum development, etc.
Good Luck!!!

 

Hi Annie,

Are you sure? Well, you can checkout City University in Bellevue Washington and the University of Sarasota (Argosy Insitute) which I believe offer Master Degrees in Guidance Counseling.

For the fifth time good luck!

 

Annie:

There are five schools that offer Masters in Guidance Counseling (that I am aware of), there of course may be more.

City University, Southern Christian University, College of the Southwest, Mississippi State University and University of Montana.

Hope this helps.

 

I believe that Southern Christian U. offers a Masters degree in Professional Counseling not guidance. The College of the Southwest does not offer a distance learning graduate degree in Guidance Counseling and neither does Mississippi State U. or the U. of Montana. The latter two universities offer external graduate degree programs for residents within specific catchment areas of their respective states.

 

Annie,
I believe Fort Hayes State University has such a program. Good Luck.

 

Fort Hays offers the Master of Liberal Studies - Counseling Concentration and the Master of Science in Counseling with concentrations in School or Community Counseling. I couldn't find a "Guidance" option.


Bruce

 

why guidance in the title?

Could you explain more about why you need "guidance" in the title of the degree?
I know many institutions which offer masters degrees in counseling with specialities in guidance. The degrees are recognized in the education field, meet state licensing critieria and students in them are funded with student loans, school teacher reimbursements, and teacher grants.
For example, the Johnson State Master of Arts in Counseling has three tracts, Guidance, Mental health or Substance Abuse. So I have a Master of Arts in Counseling with Guidance tract.
University of Vermont has a similar situation wth the Master of Education in Counseling. The tracts are guidance or mental health. So from UVM you would have a Master of Education in Counseling with a gudance tract. Both UVM and JSC meet the accrediting standards to train guidance counselors.
Good luck!

 

This one has me puzzled too. Could you enlighten us as to what state you are looking at for Guidance certification? This information will help us get some additional to help you.

Ted

 

Gentlemen,

I would'nt place too much more energy into this matter until we are certain that Annie is sure that Guidance Counseling is her final choice! We have provided this poster with numerous ideas, suggestions and possibilities but she continues to disregard this feedback and return for more!

So far, this poster has concluded on at least five previous occasions that she wes going to pursue masters and doctoral degrees in a host of mental health fields and most recently indicated that she was contemplating obtaining another bachelors degree, this time in social work!

Obviously it is her privledge to change her mind. However, it would be beneficial for this poster to conduct her own research in the future because this will demonstrate her readiness and motivation to pursue a distance learning degree program rather than to be dependent on others to perform this research on her behalf.

 

Hello,
Apparently I have offended one member, and I apologize for taking up your time and energy. I have to look this over very carefully because of financial and personal reasons. I have never considered getting a second bachlor's.

For the rest of you who have given your time and feedback: this loan is a SC Teachers loan in critical needs areas. Guidance is one of these critical needs. I asked the representative if Counseling would suffice, and she said no it would have to include guidance. The reason I have decided to pursue this area is because the loan will be forgiven in the end and there is a dire need for counselors in the schools here. I have two sons who will enter college soon and I need to have employment to see them through if they do not get schlorships.

This forum has been wonderful for me, I am sorry if I have asked too many questions. I am a person who really likes to research my options, and I am returning to school after many years away.

Thank you for your help. I will continue to look at the suggestions you have given me. Ft. Hayes does not yet have a distance learning option for counseling. They are very helpful folks, and I do wish I could get the degree there, but they say it will be "awhile" till it is up and running.
Peace

 

Annie - There will always be people here who will answer your questions.
Jack

 

college with acredited guidance tract

If what you need is a guidance counseling program which will license you as a school guidance counselor and meets the requirements of the teacher loaning organization you should have a fairly easy time.
Both the programs I mentioned earlier, with a master of arts in counseling with a tract and guidance counseling and the master of education in guidance counseling would seem to meet your needs.
Good luck!

 

Anne:

I just checked the South Carolina's teacher certification requirements and their alternate certification methods and I didn't get the impression that the degree had to say "guidance" in the title at all. True it required specific courses normally associated with a "guidance track" as mentioned earlier by another poster.

You may want to check into these two sites.

http://www.scstatehouse.net/coderegs/c043.htm
http://www.scteachers.org/scteachers/Cert/PACE/degree.htm

If this is the case--- then the MEd. degree with a guidance counseling concentration from Liberty should still be on the table.

If I was in your shoes (and I had a similar experience going for guidance certification in Florida) I would take the list of courses that Liberty requires to the certification specialist in your district and ask if that would suffice.

Ted

(P.S.) I'm not shilling for Liberty, I took my courses through Troy State University Florida Region)

 

It sounds as if the school district is a little behind in the naming of the degree .... it used to be guidance counseling v. community counseling. It is now school counseling v. agency counseling. School counseling and Guidance counseling are the same....the degree from Ft Hayes State in school counseling meets the reqirements in alabama. I attended Liberty, fantastic school, passed the LPC on the first try in the upper level of the bell curve, however, it does NOT met the requirements for school counseling in alabama.

Please don't let the reply of one poster deter you from seeking help here.

 

Annie,

I second Howard's motion. You offended no one and I hope you will continue to bring your questions to this forum.

Best of luck!

Simon

 

NEW! Master of Education in Counseling: School Guidance (UMass Boston)

Check out this Masters program at UMass Boston. It might be what your looking for.

http://www.conted.umb.edu/dl/degree/sg.html

 

It seems that the program requires a two month residency in the
first year (July and August). I didn't notice that before. All other requirements appear to be delivered online.

 

HOWARD/TED - Liberty counseling

Howard and Ted,
I did read the pages you suggested Ted, and I agree with you, Guidance may not be as specific as I thought - thanks that really helped.

Howard, I am really am leaning toward Liberty, and I am going to apply for the teacher loan. When you say Liberty did not give you what you needed for credentials in Alabama, what was lacking? The dept of education here is not very helpful in providing needed information. Maybe if I obtain the masters (hopeful since I have been out of school so long), I can enter the alternate certification program to get what Liberty doesn't give.
Was the program quite difficult?

Thanks so much

 

Annie,
Sorry, I may have misled you......Liberty gave me what I need for the credentials for agency counseling, however, the program does not meet the needs to obtain a school counseling certificate in Alabama. The program is challenging, but not impossible. You will need a proctor to give the exams, and you will have to do a major paper for each course. Also, there is the matter of the comprehensive......a very intense program, but one that will equip you to do counseling. I highly recommend it. You might also look at Capella, they offer counseling in both the Human Services Department and the Department of Psychology. Not sure how the cost per credit hour compares. Good Luck.