Foundations of School Guidance Counseling This course introduces the roles and responsibilities of a school counselor. The course provides an overview of the functions and skills critical to delivering a comprehensive competency-based guidance program (ASCA Model) for ALL students in grades pre-k-12. The course will provide an introduction to school counseling knowledge and skill competencies, including historical perspectives, professional identity of the school counselor, knowledge of school setting, current policies and legislation relevant to school counseling, the role of technology in school counseling, and ethical and legal considerations in school counseling as endorsed by CACREP and ASCA. Vocational Counseling and Career Development This course examines career and vocational development theories; occupational and advanced education planning information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance, and education; decision making and vocational and career development program planning and placement; and evaluation. School Guidance Counseling: Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation This course is based on the study of design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of comprehensive competency-based developmental school counseling programs, including an awareness of various systems that affect all P12 students, school, and home. This course will explore the means to work collaboratively in a competency-based program with students, teachers, administrators, school support personnel, business partners, and community leaders. Research Methodologies This course will provide students with fundamental knowledge about the area of research method and design in the field of school guidance counseling. After demonstrating competency in research methodologies students should be well-versed enough in research methods to 1) read and critically review current research in the field of school guidance counseling; and 2) design, implement, and confidently articulate the underlying theoretical principles used in the required scholarly research project. This course will require a demonstrated understanding of the following: individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation; appropriate research methods within the field; statistical analysis; needs assessment; and program evaluation.
Supervised School Guidance Counseling Practicum The school guidance counseling practicum is designed to provide the opportunity for graduate students to participate in all forms of counseling services in the school setting under the supervision of a certified school guidance counselor and Prescott College core faculty. The 600 supervised clock hours (with a minimum of 240 direct-service clock hours) of graduate practicum builds upon the student’s graduate and undergraduate studies in counseling as well as any prior field experience in working with P-12 students in paraprofessional school counseling contexts. The expectation is that the student will not only professionally address the daily practicum requirements and expectations for school guidance counseling certification, but that she/he also will be responsible for demonstrating graduate level scholarship and application of research in the completion of this course. In addition to the practicum content and log, the graduate student will submit at least two 15 to 20 page scholarly papers that discuss the student’s practical experience with school guidance counseling in relation to counseling theories previously studied. These scholarly papers evidence graduate-level synthesis, perspective, and foci in the context of the capstone experience. Students will work in a school setting under the supervision of an experienced school counselor. Throughout the school guidance counseling assignment the student is expected to respond to critical feedback and participate in every facet of school guidance counseling. This will include daily direct and indirect interaction with students and staff; involvement with parents, administrators, and other community members; and any other additional responsibilities typically conducted by the supervising certified school guidance counseling practicum supervisor within the school environment. This final preparation will serve to prepare the practicum student for obtaining a position as a school guidance counselor in a P-12 setting.
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