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MA in School Counseling

Master of Arts in Counseling, School Counseling

Guide and Inspire Students with a Career in School Counseling

The Master of Arts in Counseling with a School Counseling emphasis at UT Permian Basin prepares students to become certified Professional School Counselors in Texas. This program meets all Texas Education Agency (TEA) educational requirements, and graduates are eligible to apply for state licensure to begin making a difference in the lives of students across diverse educational settings.

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Program Requirements
Learn about the Graduate Studies programs and requirements.

Grad Studies Admission and Deadlines
Find application requirements, deadlines, and everything you need to start your graduate journey at UTPB.
MA in Counseling, School Counselor Degree Requirements
Explore the full list of courses, credit hours, and research components needed to complete the MA in Counseling at UTPB.
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Learn more about UTPB’s graduate programs. 

What You'll Learn in the School Counseling Program

Students who complete the school counseling emphasis will meet TEA educational requirements for Professional School Counselor certification. Students who complete the requirements for school counseling will be eligible to apply for state licensure. 

Students completing the program with a specialization of school counseling will demonstrate knowledge of: 
  • The roles, functions, credentialing and professional identity of professional school counselors.
  • Policies, laws, legislation, and other issues relevant to professional school counselors in a culturally diverse society.
  • Roles of a counselor in school settings, organizational and legal dimensions of a school setting and evidence-based interventions, consultation, education, and outreach.
  • Skills to work with all students K-12 individually or in groups to address their personal, social, academic and career concerns.
  • Competencies necessary to conduct research and use assessment in order to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive developmental guidance program.
  • Program development and delivery to diverse populations, including prevention, support groups, parent education, career/occupational information and counseling, and self-help.
  • Effective strategies for promoting client understanding of and access to community resources, and modalities for initiating, maintaining, and terminating counseling services with diverse populations.

 

What are Candidate Examinations?

Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE)

The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) is a national exam that is designed as a summative evaluation that measures the professional knowledge students have obtained during their counselor preparation at UT Permian Basin.

School Counseling Practice Exam

To be eligible to take the TExES exam for school counselor, candidates must pass the practice representative exam. Students must pass this exam before entering COUN 6393 Internship II. Upon passing this practice exam, the Certification Specialist will release a student to test in the online TEA system and will send the student instructions for registration in the TEA/ETS online systems. 

Graduate Admission for School Counseling

Criteria Regular Admission Conditional Admission
Bachelor’s Degree Required from an accredited college or university Required from an accredited college or university
GPA Requirement 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework Between 2.5 and 2.99 in the last 60 credit hours
Personal Statement 600-word statement outlining your background, goals, and reasons for graduate study at UTPB Same as Regular Admission
Letters of Recommendation Three letters (one may be replaced with honorable military discharge documentation) Same as Regular Admission
Additional Materials None At least one:
- Written explanation of GPA and academic support plan
- Personal interview (phone or face-to-face)
Review Process Holistic review considering academic and personal qualifications Holistic review considering additional socioeconomic, family, and geographic factors (per Texas Education Code Section 51.842)