Counseling and Development

Faculty members in the Department of Counseling & Development draw upon their extensive experience in working in their respective fields to provide dynamic learning opportunities for our students. Our students benefit from:

Expert and diversely trained faculty.
State of the art classroom technology.
Small class sizes which allow the faculty to work intensively with students.
Experiential hands-on learning opportunities.
An active partnership with the SRU Counseling Center.
A life-changing experience that prepares emerging professionals to make impacts with their careers in a range of professional settings.

We offer several degree programs that will help students excel in their chosen fields.

Master of Arts degree programs:

Clinical Mental Health Counseling*
Student Affairs in Higher Education
College Counseling*

Master of Education degree program:

School Counseling

* These programs meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. Passing the National Counselor Examination is also a required to obtain the LPC. CDev is a graduate student administration site for the NCE allowing our students to take the exam prior to graduation. The final step to obtain licensure in Pennsylvania is to obtain supervised experience which can begin after the completion of 48 credits. Licensure requirements vary between states. If you wish to practice outside of Pennsylvania, we recommend you look at the specific state for their requirements. The American Counseling association provides contact information for state boards at: https://www.counseling.org/

Mission

In order to enhance the lives of individuals in our diverse communities, the Department of Counseling and Development prepares competent, reflective, and ethical helping professionals and provides responsive and effective counseling and development services through the University Counseling Center.

Learning Outcomes

Departmental Learning Outcomes for Graduate Students:

Graduates will be able to demonstrate a commitment to and competency for working with diverse clients/students

Graduates will be able to demonstrate both personal awareness and professional confidence in their work

Graduates will be able to conduct themselves as ethical practitioners, which includes acting as allies to and advocating for their clients/students
Graduates will be able to demonstrate the sensitivities and skills of a reflective practitioner
Graduates will be able to understand and apply a developmental orientation to their work with clients/students
Graduates will be able to understand and apply a systems orientation to their work with clients/students
Graduates will be able to demonstrate active participation in appropriate professional organizations and obtain all relevant licensures and/or certifications
Graduates will be able to demonstrate an orientation to active learning in service of their ongoing professional development
Graduates will be able to demonstrate one or more abilities (listed below) depending on the particular service experience(s) they are provided through their particular academic program:
1. Counsel students experiencing personal adjustment, developmental and/or psychological problems
2. Facilitate students' learning skill development assisting them in meeting their educational, transition, and career goals
3. Deliver outreach programming in group and/or didactic workshop settings to enhance healthy growth and student development

Departmental Learning Outcomes for Slippery Rock University Students Receiving Services from the Student Counseling Center:

Students will develop a sense of overall wellness and life balance
Students will develop coping skills for individualized concerns including:
1. Social adjustment
2. Academic preparedness
3. Psychological challenges
4. Substance abuse concerns