With a stamp of approval from the state Department of Education, Sacred Heart University will launch a new Master of Arts in school counseling program this summer.
SHU’s School Counseling Program Director Sandra Logan-McKibben has been developing the curriculum since 2020.
“We built the program so it not only earned state approval, but it also is situated for national accreditation with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs,” she said, adding that the national accreditation is granted only after the first cohort of students has graduated. “Our program was created to serve a national audience as soon as we can.”
SHU’s master’s in school counseling will meet or exceed academic and fieldwork experiences that most states require for certification and licensure, Logan-McKibben said. While many states require 400 internship hours for accreditation, and the national requirement is 600 hours, Connecticut, and in this case, SHU, calls for 700 hours.
The 60-credit program will include courses and real-world experience. It is designed to help graduates support students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
Logan-McKibben developed a video series entitled “Voices from the Field” as part of the curriculum. The series features discussions with school counseling leaders from across the nation, including the last five honorees for school counselor of the year.
Students in the program will also complete two week-long residencies at SHU. The first residency will concentrate on developing individual counseling skills, so graduates will know how to listen effectively, reflect and counsel students. The second will focus on expanding skills to facilitate group counseling and large presentations, Logan-McKibben said.
“Our goal is to offer curriculum and to facilitate learning experiences that prepare the next generation of school counselors to handle the multifaceted role and daily challenges in the quest to best serve students, families and communities,” Logan-McKibben said.
SHU Dean and Vice Provost for Strategic Partnerships Michael Alfano lauded the new program.
“There is no doubt that it will prepare professionals for rewarding careers in school counseling,” Alfano said.
The course will be offered by SHU’s Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development, and will be online, except for two on-campus residencies.
