Program Requirements

  • Student Internship

  • Students role playing

  • West Plains Spring 2016

  • Dr. Mingo presenting

Teacher Certification

Program requirements

COMP and NCE

The Comprehensive Professional Counselor Exam (COMP) is held in March, July and November; and the National Counselor Exam is held in March and November. Please visit the Testing Center for additional information. If you have not received an email from the department and you are in your last semester but have not taken the exam, contact Lisa Monkres.

All students are required to complete a 47 hour professional counseling core and a minimum of 13 credit hours in one of two counseling options: (a) School Counseling or (b) Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Students in each option will complete additional requirements as specified below and may complete additional courses as electives. Students interested in K-12 School Counseling certification should complete the School Counseling option.

Total required hours for each option area are:

  • School Counseling: 60 hrs
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling: 60 hrs

Counseling core

Course Code

 Course Title Credit Hours
COU 701 Assessment and Testing for Counselors 3 hrs
COU 703 Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice in School and Mental Health Counseling 3 hrs
COU 705 Orientation to Personal and Professional Development in Mental Health and School Counseling 1 hr
COU 707 Human Development and Development 3 hrs
COU 708 Play Therapy and Child Counseling Techniques 3 hrs
COU 710 Counseling and Helping Relationships 2 hrs
COU 711 Counseling and Helping Relationships Lab 1 hr
COU 714 Social-Cultural Diversity in Counseling 3 hrs
COU 716 Adolescent and Young Adult Counseling in School and Mental Health Settings 1 hr
COU 720 Substance Abuse 3 hrs
COU 724 Assessment and Diagnosis 3 hrs
COU 733 Couples and Family Counseling 3 hrs
COU 751 Theories and Techniques in Counseling 3 hrs
COU 752
or
COU 754		 Career Development
or
Counseling for Post-Secondary and Career Readiness K-12		 3 hrs
COU 756
or
COU 757		 Group Counseling and Group Work
or
Group Counseling Through Play		 3 hrs
COU 768 Crisis Counseling and Disaster Mental Health Response 3 hrs
COU 777 Counseling Practicum 2 hrs
COU 794 Introduction to Research and Program Evaluation in Counseling 2 hrs
COU 765 Research and Program Evaluation Seminar in Counseling 2 hrs
Total 47 hrs

School Counseling option

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
  Core Credit Hours 47 hrs
COU 704 Introduction to School Counseling 2 hrs
COU 779 School Counseling Practicum 2 hrs
COU 781 Secondary School Counseling Internship 3 hrs
COU 783 Elementary School Counseling Internship 3 hrs
  Counseling Electives 3 hrs
Total 60 hrs


Clinical Mental Health Counseling option

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
  Core Credit Hours 47 hrs
COU 709 Introduction to Mental Health Counseling 1 hr
COU 778 Mental Health Counseling Practicum 2 hrs
COU 785 Mental Health Counseling Internship 6 hrs
  Counseling Electives 4 hrs
Total 60 hrs

Courses that students may choose from to get to the 3-4 credit hours of required electives can include:

  • Any course in the two counseling option tracks
  • Any course in EdS, Special Education and Assessment degree not otherwise listed above
  • COU 700 - Problems in Counseling (1-3 hrs)
  • COU 753 - Analysis of Childhood Learning and Adjustment (3 hrs)
  • COU 766 - Psychopharmacology for Counselors (3 hrs)
  • COU 787 - Advanced Play Therapy Practicum (3 hrs)
  • COU 789 - Advanced Level: Play Therapy Supervisor (3 hrs)
  • COU 795 - Topics in Counseling (1-3 hrs)
  • COU 799 - Thesis (1-6 hrs)

For students interested in school counselor certification who do not have a teaching degree and certificate, additional course work in teaching will be required in the following areas: Psychology of the Exceptional Child, Teaching Methods/Practices and Classroom Management. These courses are not part of the degree program, but are required for certification in Missouri.