Certified School Counselor (RANK1)

Admission Requirements

Graduates of the University of Louisville MEd in Counseling and Personnel Services program, with a concentration School Guidance Counseling, are eligible to pursue this Rank 1 program.

Candidates who have completed a master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling from other institutions must provide documentation, before applying for admission, that they have completed the requirements leading to the provisional and standard certificates in Kentucky.

Students may apply to the program by first going to the Graduate School website. Admission requirements include the following credentials:

  • Official transcripts with a GPA of 2.75 in the bachelor's degree and a GPA of 3.0 in the master's degree
  • Kentucky certification as a School Counselor
  • For international students, TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo (students holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. are exempt from this requirement.)

Applicants who have attended a college or university outside of the United States are also required to submit an evaluation of their transcript through either WES (World Education Services) or ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators)Please note that transcript evaluations can sometimes take several weeks.

Please have transcripts sent to the Graduate School.

If transcripts are sent electronically, please have them sent to the following email: gradadm@louisville.edu

Please contact the College of Education and Human Development Graduate Student Services for more information at (502) 852-2628.

Rank 1 Program in Certified School Counseling (P-12)

Inquiry
Select one of the following:
LEAD 600Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics3
or EDAP 639 Education Research in P-12 Setting
or EDSP 639 Education Research in P-12 Setting
Advocacy (Professional Leader)
Leadership
Select one of the following:3
Human Development
Learning Systems: Theory and Practice
Assessment Methods for Counselors
Developing Collaborative Groups: Facilitating, Coaching and Mentoring
Group Process and Practice
Social, Legal & Ethical Issues in Counseling
Diversity
Select one of the following:3
Using Assessment to Improve Student Achievement
Instructional Strategies for Diverse Learners
Literacy Learning and Cultural Differences
Introduction to Gifted Education
Multicultural and Diversity Issues
Area of Emphasis
Select at least 12 credit hours; may be chosen from courses above that are NOT taken to meet the Advocacy requirement12
Electives
Select 9 credit hours from the following: 19
Introduction to Educational Technology: Integrating Technology into Instruction
Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Differential Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling
Prevention & Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
Graduate Seminar in Educational and Counseling Psychology
Advanced Counseling Seminar
Introduction to Exceptional Children
Applied Behavior Analysis
Topical Seminar in College Student Personnel Services (Topic must be approved by advisor)
Social Work and Human Sexuality
Advanced Death & Grief
Introduction to Family Therapy Practice
Motivation and Change: The Process of Change and Strategies to Elicit Intrinsic Motivation.
Special Issues in Alcohol and Drug Counseling
Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders
Prior Master's degree in School Counseling 230
Minimum Total Hours60

Exit Requirement

A portfolio is required for successful completion of this program.

Notes

  1. The candidate for Rank 1 should hold a School Counseling certificate and a master's degree in School Counseling which includes the requirements leading to both provisional and standard licensure.
  2. The Rank 1 classification shall require the completion of 60 credit hours of approved graduate level credit including a master's degree2.
  3. Candidates will plan the Rank 1 program in consultation with a faculty advisor in the ECPY Department prior to enrolling in Rank 1 courses.
  4. Of the total number of credit hours on the Rank 1 program, at least 15 credit hours beyond the master's degree must be taken at the University of Louisville. The remaining credit hours may be taken at the University of Louisville, or upon approval of the faculty advisor, at other institutions. There is no stipulation as to recency of completion of Rank 1 credit.
  5. All coursework for Rank 1 must carry graduate credit, and no less than half must be earned in courses open only to graduate students.
  6. An academic average of 3.0 is required on the course hours submitted for Rank 1, and no credit will be accepted for courses carrying a grade lower than C.
  7. The resulting School Counseling certification will include grades P-12.
  8. A portfolio is required for successful completion of this program. 
1

Independent Study or Directed Readings may be included as approved by faculty advisor; also courses in the Advocacy section may be used here as long as they have NOT been taken in the Advocacy or Area of Emphasis sections

2

If the master's degree is more than 30 credit hours, the number of credit hours a student needs to complete Rank 1 may be fewer than 30 additional credit hours.