Master of Arts in School Counseling
Sandra (Sandi) Logan-McKibben, Ph.D., CSC (CA), LPC (CT), NCC, NCSC, ACS, BC-TMH
Program Director of School Counseling
Clinical Assistant Professor
Phone: (203) 307-5406
Email: logan-mckibbens@sacredheart.edu
Sacred Heart University’s Master of Arts in School Counseling degree is a 60-credit hour program that incorporates real world experience and 21st century curriculum to prepare competent, ethical, effective, and data-driven school counselors, who are social justice advocates and leaders, to support PK-12 students across the domains of academic development, college and career readiness, and social-emotional learning and development.
The School Counseling program is designed to meet the highest level of accreditation standards for counseling programs and has a foundation in The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 2016 Standards, as well as the ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies outlined by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). It will meet or exceeds the academic and fieldwork experiences for certification/licensure requirements in a majority of states throughout the U.S.
Mission
Sacred Heart University’s (SHU) Master of Arts in School Counseling is uniquely designed with the mission, vision, and values of SHU at its heart. In the spirit of whole person wellness, the philosophical tenants of counseling, as a field, align well with SHU. With careful attention to the comprehensive standards set forth by CACREP and ASCA, SHU’s School Counseling program is designed in a way that focuses on integrity, respect, and the ethical care of our learners and those they serve (primarily K-12 students). Building on SHU’s experience of delivering academic excellence in a low-residency, online format allows for broader outreach to diverse adult learner populations.
The Master of Arts in School Counseling program strongly supports SHU’s Farrington College of Education & Human Development’s goal of preparing educational leaders to “personally and professionally make a difference in the global community.” Additionally, the program aligns to Sacred Heart University’s Core Values. Specifically, the program is committed to excellence by actively pursuing truth and knowledge through teaching and scholarship of its faculty and students. The program is committed to the common good of society by addressing significant (and growing) societal issues in K-12 schools. It explicitly recognizes the dignity and worth of every human being by focusing on prevention, resilience, and holistic well-being of all students.
Methods of Instruction
The 60-hour Master of Arts in School Counseling degree at Sacred Heart University is a low-residency, online program. Students complete two, 1-week long, on-ground residency experiences at the Sacred Heart campus in Fairfield, CT. One residency occurs in students first term within the program, COU 520, while the second residency occurs during COU 610. Courses within the program include both asynchronous and synchronous instruction and is conducted through the learning management system, Blackboard Ultra. During the final terms of the program, students will complete fieldwork requirements totaling 800 hours (SCC 550, SCC 560, & SCC 570) in PK-12 school settings (across to state specific requirements).
Program Outcomes
Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
To train school counselors (SCs) to be ethical and competent with a strong counselor identity in accordance with American School Counselor Association (ASCA) ethical standards and state-level expectations, in order to prepare for careers as counseling professionals who advocate on behalf of the profession and promotes equity and access for PK-12 students.
Social and Cultural Diversity
To train SCs to cultivate knowledge and self-awareness of socially, culturally, and spiritually appropriate skills and practices in professional counseling that promote social justice, advocacy efforts, and minimize barriers between counselors and PK-12 students.
Human Growth and Development
To train SCs in theories, etiology of human growth and development, relevant environmental factors, and ethical strategies to promote optimum wellness for diverse PK-12 students across the lifespan.
Career Development
To train SCs to know and apply career development theories, decision-making models, vocational, and occupational information and to develop strategies for supporting and advocating for clients in relation to their unique career development, industry information, and identified opportunities within a global economy.
Counseling and Helping Relationship
To train SCs to understand and demonstrate essential and applicable counseling techniques and culturally relevant strategies as well as theories, models, and skills to support prevention, intervention, consultant and collaboration with and on behalf of PK-12 students.
Group Counseling and Group Work
To train SCs to implement knowledge of appropriate strategies for effectively forming and facilitating group counseling and group work in the educational setting with a diverse range of PK-12 students.
Assessment and Testing
To train SCs in knowledge of ethical and appropriate assessment strategies, which including case conceptualization, data collection, progress monitoring, and referral to properly support PK-12 student development and success, across multicultural perspectives.
Research and Program Evaluation
To train SCs to evaluate and incorporate ethically and culturally relevant evidence-based research findings when selecting strategies for prevention, intervention, and program evaluation, through the use of data-driven school counseling practices.
School Counseling
To train SCs in knowledge of foundational and contextual dimensions of school counseling as a specialty area, including leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change.
Professional Practice
To train SCs to cultivate and implement culturally relevant counseling skills and strategies for best practice through supervised practicum and internship experiences and an integration of the knowledge and skills needed to provide appropriate counseling services across the domains of academic, college & career readiness and social-emotional development and learning.
State Specific Educational Requirements
To train SCs in the specific and added educational requirements, necessary for certification/licensure, that may be outlined by their intended state of certification/licensure.
State Licensure
The Master of Arts in School Counseling degree at Sacred Heart University is designed to prepare candidates to meet the educational and fieldwork requirements for school counselor certification/licensure in many states.
Students have a responsibility to understand the specific educational requirements, for licensure, of the state in which they intend to apply and practice. Students should also be aware of any changes to those licensure educational requirements. If a student moves to another state, the requirements for licensure may be different from the state where they currently live. As such, students are responsible for determining the licensure requirements in the state to which they relocate. The United States Department of Education provides a directory to access all state department of education contacts. Additionally, the American School Counselor Association provides a directory of state certification/licensure requirements.
Sacred Heart University does not guarantee that completion of its Master of Arts in School Counseling degree will result in state certification/licensure. In addition to successfully completion of the degree, students may need to meet other requirements, which include, but are not limited to, successful completion of a national exam or additional continuing education/professional development. Also, students are responsible for understanding background check requirements and fees associated with applying for certification/licensure and for understanding if their own life events create any barriers to licensure.
Licensure & Disclosures
Visit the School Counseling Certification/Licensure & Disclosures page for details.
Certification & Disclosures
If you are considering an academic program that leads to obtaining professional licensure or certification in your state, note the following information.
Sacred Heart University, as a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), is authorized to offer distance programs in all states that participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). Approval for institutional participation was granted by the State of Connecticut Office of Higher Education on January 11, 2017. California is the only state that does not participate in SARA therefore Sacred Heart University is exempt from approval from the California Bureau of Post-Secondary Education.
Although we are authorized to deliver distance education in all forty-nine SARA-participating states, some state counseling licensure boards have imposed restrictions on out-of-state students completing degree programs and/or clinical hours in their states. As a result, we do not offer our degree programs in every state; the exceptions are noted below. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to check with their state counseling licensure board or equivalent licensing board of the state in which they intend to obtain licensure and/or certification as requirements may be subject to change.
Prospective students who intend to relocate to a different state at any point after admission to a degree program are advised to review the information below to see if Sacred Heart University offers the program in the new state. You are required to file a change of address form to notify the university should your address change.
Failure to do so may lead to an inability to obtain field placements within the new state.
Prospective students are also encouraged to review Sacred Heart University’s Disclosures & Student Complaint Process for additional information.
Information on Our Specific Degree Program
The online Master of Arts in School Counseling degree program is authorized to operate in all states that participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).
Sacred Heart University has not determined whether the degree program’s curriculum meets the educational requirements, for counseling licensure, in the following United States Territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result, Sacred Heart University does not admit students that live in any of these territories or that will seek licensure in any of these territories.
Accreditation
Sacred Heart University is a private, nonprofit university accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Currently, Sacred Heart University’s Master of Arts in School Counseling degree is not accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. However, it is planning a self-study and pursing CACREP accreditation once eligible. The School Counseling program is a state-approved program with the Connecticut State Department of Education, allowing graduates to be eligible for the 068 School Counselor certification.