Frequently Asked Questions

To some extent, yes we do. We need to keep our admissions at a certain number in order to remain within our accreditation requirements and because of the size of our department. We attempt to select the best students who are qualified and motivated to learn about counseling and as such may exceed even our own guidelines.

Yes, the department has a LinkedIn page that is available exclusively to current students and alums where we post job openings. In addition, students in their last semester receive notices about area job openings via email. Often employers will call the department with job announcements. These are passed on to our students as soon as we receive them.

Yes! Often employers will contact the department with job announcements, which are passed on to our students and alumni as soon as we receive them. We share job announcements via email, Facebook and LinkedIn posts.

Applicants applying to the program come from a variety of academic majors. Although many applicants have a major in the behavioral or social science areas, students with a variety of other majors have successfully completed the program. The Department does not require a specific undergraduate major in order to apply. An undergraduate course in Statistics, however, is recommended. If an applicant has not taken an undergraduate Statistics course, the candidate will be provided with information about learning modules that will prepare them for success in the program.

Our programs can be completed part-time or full-time. Full-time graduate work is 9 credits (12 credits if you are receiving TAP financial aid). Once students begin their clinical experiences, full-time status becomes more difficult due to the time demands of the clinical courses. In addition, because our clinical placements take place during typical weekday “business hours”, students who have employment or other significant responsibilities outside of the program may need to adjust their work/life schedules during their field placement semesters. Deciding upon part-time or full-time status is something students should discuss with their advisor, and often requires advanced planning.

Course syllabi are available for review by contacting the department’s administrative assistant, Darlene LaGeorgia dlageorgia@brockport.edu.

This program seeks to prepare excellent counselors who choose an emphasis for special preparation in mental health, school, or college settings. Such counselors possess knowledge of human behavior and social systems, counseling and communication skills, self-awareness, and respect for human dignity and diversity. As a result, they are able to integrate this knowledge, skill, and attitude with their personhood. This combined emphasis on skill development, theory, and utilization of self produces counselors who function effectively in a variety of helping settings and who have a positive impact on the individuals, agencies, institutions, and/or communities in which they work.

The philosophy of the department emphasizes the personhood of the counselor and utilization of self as the most important instruments in effecting therapeutic and systemic change. Thus, classroom instruction combines experiential (self) and didactic learning to create opportunities for students to acquire and demonstrate theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and understanding and utilization of self necessary to be effective counselors. Further, the program exposes students to multiple theoretical orientations. Finally, students are expected to learn how to learn, by acquiring the skills necessary to continue personal growth and professional development while in the program and after the completion of their formal education.

Some students indicate that taking EDC 501, 502 or 503 before applying was helpful for them. The rationale seems to be that the applicant becomes more aware of our program in terms of the department’s expectations and our experiential focus (re: work requirements, self-awareness, ability, commitment and interpersonal skills). Therefore, if you want to take a course before applying to the program, the department recommends that you take EDC 501, 502 or 503. However, you may be accepted into the program, before, while or after you have taken EDC 501, 502 or 503. You may also take other courses besides EDC 501, 502 or 503 but check with the department regarding which courses are appropriate for you to take.

CACREP provides leadership and promotes excellence in professional counselor preparation through the accreditation of counseling programs. As an accrediting body, CACREP is committed to the development of standards and procedures that reflect the needs of a dynamic, diverse, and complex society. CACREP is dedicated to (1) encouraging and promoting the continuing development and improvement of preparation programs, and (2) preparing counseling and related professionals to provide services consistent with the ideal of optimal human development.

At last count, 434 higher education institutions have CACREP accredited programs. There are 900+ CACREP accredited programs nationally and internationally. Our institution was the first to gain CACREP accreditation in New York in 1987. Our MSEd – in School Counseling program and our MS in Mental Health Counseling program are CACREP accredited (CACREP accreditation is not needed for those pursuing a career in college student affairs)

 

Students are eligible to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) during their last semester. This exam leads to the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential. The experience requirement for the NCC is waived for students graduating from a CACREP accredited program.

Certification is a “professional, statutory, or nonstatutory process by which an agency or association grants recognition to an individual for having met certain predetermined professional qualifications” (Fretz & Mills, 1980, p.7). A state or national board issues a certificate to an individual in a specialty. Certification deems that a person meets the minimum skills necessary to engage in that profession and has no known character defects that would interfere with such practice.

Licensure is a “statutory process by which an agency or government, usually a state, grants permission to a person meeting predetermined qualifications to engage in a given occupation and/or use a particular title and to perform specified functions” (Fretz & Mills, 1980, p.7). Like certification, licensure requires that the individual meets predetermined educational and experiential qualifications. Once licensure requirements are established by a state, for example, individuals cannot practice a profession legally without obtaining a license.

“The department’s MSEd – Counseling program, School Counselor emphasis results in students receiving initial certification as school counselor in the State of New York. Initial certification is granted by the New York State Education Department. This certification allows students to work as school counselors. Currently, the state requires that students obtain professional certification as a school counselor within 5 years from graduation.”

Graduates of the department’s MS – Mental Health Counseling program are eligible to sit for New York State’s Mental Health Licensure examination. The 60 credit-hour program has met the New York State Education Department’s requirements and is registered as a license-eligible program.

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) (www.nbcc.org) is the leading national organization that certifies counselors. All students enrolled in both the MSEd degree and MS degree programs are eligible to apply for certification from NBCC. Individuals who take and pass the National Counselor Exam (NCE) (offered twice a year – in October, and in April) receive the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential.

Absolutely! Contact DarleneLaGeorgia, department secretary, at (585) 395-2258 or at dlageorgia@brockport.edu.

Our programs, which are NYS registered & CACREP-Accredited can be completed in as few as:

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling & School Counseling: 29 months
• Our NYS Registered program in College Student Affairs and Development can be completed in as few as 24 months.

None of our master’s degree programs can be completed entirely online, but we do offer some online courses.

All students will take approximately 55% of their classes at Brockport Downtown (Rochester), and about 45% of their classes in Brockport. Thus, our students are in both locations throughout their course of studies. Our classes are usually scheduled on Mondays- Thursdays between the hours of 3:30-6:15pm or 6:30-9:15pm.

While many of our students are employed while attending our program, it is important to note that our MS in Mental Health Counseling and MSEd in School Counseling programs require students to complete a one-semester long practicum (with a time commitment of about 20 hours per week) and a two-semester long internship (with a time commitment of about 30 hours per week). Most practicum and internship sites require students to complete their on-site hours between Monday - Friday between 7am - 6pm, depending on their hours of operation; this is especially true of those students pursuing our school counseling program. Thus, many students find it necessary to have a job, in which they can flex their hours and/or can reduce the number of hours they are on the job. These three semesters worth of clinical hours are set by CACREP and by New York State. Thus, any students enrolling in a school counseling or mental health counseling program in NYS will need to meet these requirements, regardless of with college they attend for their program.

While candidates need a 3.0 out of 4.0 to be admitted to our programs, candidates with less than a 3.0 may be provisionally admitted. Those candidates, who are provisionally admitted, have one semester to earn a 3.0 or higher in our courses to continue as an admitted student.

No, we do not require the GRE.

Candidates, who successfully make it through our first screening process (review of materials submitted with the application), will be invited to a group interview.