School Counseling Online Information Session

School Counseling Application Checklist (.pdf)

The Master of Education, School Counseling program is geared toward socially responsible individuals who are aware that many of the issues that pupils confront have societal origins.  Designed to prepare educators interested in becoming school counselors in grades pre-K through 12, this program focuses on the challenges, issues, and dynamics relevant to urban schools. 

Successful candidates will obtain the Master of Education, School Counseling degree along with USC recommendation for the Pupil Personnel Services School Counseling Credential (P.P.S.).  Forty-eight units of course work, 100 clock hours in a practicum experience, and 600 clock hours of supervised field experience are required.

Faculty Lead:	Charles Espalin, Ed.D.
	Associate Professor of Clinical Education
	espalin@usc.edu

Distinctive Features:

• USC is authorized to request issuance of an internship credential for students requested by school districts for early assignment to the field of counseling.
• Coursework in school-wide prevention/intervention strategies, counseling services, staff development, and training programs for parents and teachers.
• Field-experienced professors.
• Program reputation results in job offers to graduates.
• Fieldwork experiences are demanding, exciting, offer unique opportunities for learning, and often lead to jobs before final completion of the credential. 

Career Options:

• Elementary, middle, and senior high school counselors
• College adviser in high school setting
• Administration leadership
• Other counseling assignments within the K-12 levels

Core Courses: 48 units

Fall First Year
EDCO 500         The Counseling Process (3)
EDCO 503         Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling (3)
EDCO 506         Development, Administration, & Evaluation of Pupil Personnel Services (3)
EDCO 541         Theories in Counseling Psychology (3)

Spring First Year
EDCO 504         Behavior Management in the Classroom (3)
EDCO 505         Counseling and Collaborative Consultation in the Schools (3)
EDCO 548      Career Development: Theory and Practice (3)
EDCO 574      School Counseling Practicum (2)

Summer First Year
EDPT 550         Statistical Inference (3)
EDCO 542        Group Counseling: Theory and Process (3)

Fall Second Year
EDPT 502         Learning and Individual Differences (3)
EDPT 520         Human Lifespan Development (3)
EDCO 544        Measurement Procedures in the Helping Process (3)
EDCO 575a      School Counseling Field Experiences (2)

Spring Second Year
EDUC 514         School Counseling Seminar (3)
EDCO 551         Cross-Cultural Counseling: Research and Practice (3)
EDCO 575b      School Counseling Field Experiences (2)

Frequenty Asked Questions

Admissions Contact:  Office of Recruiting and Admissions, soeinfo@usc.edu, 213-740-0224.  Waite Phillips Hall, Suite 800