Master of Arts in Counselor Education (CEDM)

Advisors: Carla Adkison-Johnson, Gary H. Bischof, Stephanie T. Burns, Stephen Craig, Jennifer M. Foster, Phillip Johnson, Glinda J. Rawls, Jennipher Wiebold
Department Office, Room 3521, Sangren Hall.

The Counselor Education Master of Arts program options (Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CEMM); Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling (CEFM); Rehabilitation Counseling (CERM-admission suspended); and School Counseling (CESM)) are designed to prepare individuals to counsel individuals in specific settings with specific credentials. The program options are:

Clinical Mental Health Counseling ^{a, d}
School Counseling: K-12 ^{a, b, d} or School Counselor License, K-12 ^{a,c, d}
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling ^a,d
Rehabilitation Counseling ^{a, d, e,} (admission suspended) is offered as a stand-alone degree and as part of the Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching program (RCTM), which is jointly administered by the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology and the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies.
Certificate in School Counseling ^b,c

Superscript ^{(a,b,c,d,e,f)} Definitions

^aLeads to Michigan license as a professional counselor.

^bLeads to endorsement as a counselor on a current, valid Michigan teaching certificate.

^cPrepares students who do not hold a valid Michigan Teaching Certificate for school counselor license recommendation in Michigan.

^dAccredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

^eLeads to eligibility for certification by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).

Admission Requirements

Admission to one of the options above is based upon grade point average, educational background, work and/or volunteer counseling/rehabilitation experiences, as well as other factors. Prior to consideration by the M.A. Admissions Committee, applicants are required to complete and return a questionnaire indicating, among other things, the program option desired. Interviews, transcripts, a resume, letters of recommendation, a written statement, test scores, and other material may be required.

The Department has three different application deadlines for M.A. program admissions during the year: January 15, for the following Summer or Fall (early admission) semesters, May 15, for the following Fall semester (regular admission), and September 15 for the following Spring semester. Applicants interested in beginning their graduate master’s degree studies in the Fall semester are encouraged to meet the January 15 application deadline. This allows applicants to receive admission offers well in advance of the fall semester. Also, applicants who plan to seek assistantships or campus employment beginning in the fall semester should apply by January 15 to be competitive for such assistance or positions. Applicants must complete a WMU graduate application through the online application system.

Application materials are available on-line through links on the WMU Office of Admissions and department web pages. Upon admission, each student is assigned an advisor who will assist in preparing a program of study. It is recommended that the program of study be completed during the first semester or session of enrollment.

The department recognizes the importance of increasing the educational opportunities of racial minority students, as well as the importance of ensuring an increased diversity of role models in the fields represented by its training programs. Therefore, the department strives to create an atmosphere conducive to the concerns of racial minorities and diverse populations, to integrate these concerns into programs and course offerings, and to fulfill its commitment to recruit, admit, support, and graduate a diverse population of students prepared for their chosen careers.

Program Requirements

Curriculum guides for the Counselor Education Master of Arts program options (Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; Rehabilitation Counseling; and School Counseling) are available online at wmich.edu/cecp/student-resources.

Students are expected to work with advisors in order to be informed of policies, course offerings, prerequisites, and applications required for designated courses. A student’s performance and progress will be evaluated throughout the program. This process includes “checkpoints”, such as the program of study, assignment of a grade below “B” in any course, and final evaluation prior to graduation. The student is referred to the Professional Dispositions Plan and Retention Policy for WMU Counselor Education Programs.

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling 60-credit hour program trains students to appropriately assess clients so that the correct diagnosis can be made to ensure that the most effective evidence-based counseling intervention is selected to help clients reduce the impact of mental and emotional disorders. As reliable and valid assessments must first be used with clients to make the correct diagnosis and ensure that the most effective counseling intervention is selected, CMHC students are trained in many types of assessments by taking two assessment classes. Because students will work with diverse clients, students learn strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination. The program includes a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship in a clinical mental health setting. This option leads to licensure as a professional counselor.

The Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling 60-credit hour program trains students to apply family systems theory, assessment, and therapy to a range of presenting issues and to modify counseling systems, theories, techniques, interventions, and preventive practices to make them culturally appropriate for diverse couples and families. Students learn to encourage couples and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner. Because students will work with diverse clients, students learn strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination. The program includes a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship at a community setting in which students have adequate exposure to couple and family cases. This option leads to licensure as a professional counselor. Working with an advisor, the option can also lead to licensure as a marriage and family therapist.

The Rehabilitation Counseling option is a 53-credit hour program designed to prepare students for employment in vocational rehabilitation settings serving persons with disabilities. Students learn to develop rehabilitation plans that fit clients’ aptitudes, education levels, physical abilities, and career goals. Students learn to locate barriers to client employment, such as inaccessible work sites, inflexible schedules, or transportation problems, and work with clients to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers. The program includes a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship rehabilitation counseling internship in a vocational rehabilitation employment setting. This option leads national rehabilitation counselor certification. In the online application system, please apply for the Master of Arts in rehabilitation counseling (CERM), by selecting Counselor Education: Rehabilitation Counseling. The Rehabilitation Counseling program is also offered in conjunction with the Master of Arts in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy as a dual Master of Arts degree program in rehabilitation counseling specializing in blindness and low vision. The Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching (RCTM) dual degree program is a 76-credit hour program. Upon completion of the RCTM program, the individual earns a Master of Arts in Counselor Education Rehabilitation Counseling (CERM) and a Master of Arts in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. To apply for the dual Master of Arts degrees in rehabilitation counseling/teaching (RCTM) select Counselor Education: Rehabilitation Teaching.

The School Counseling 59 or 48 credit hour program trains student to consult with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children’s progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their needs. Because students will work with diverse clients, students learn strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination. The program includes a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship in a school setting. The School Counseling program leads to an endorsement as a counselor on a valid Michigan Teaching Certificate (48 credit hours) or prepares students who do not hold a valid Michigan Teaching Certificate for school counselor license recommendation in Michigan (59 credit hours).