Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counselor Education

The Master of Education in Counselor Education offers two tracks, School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Please contact Dr. Cunningham at tjcunnin@valdosta.edu for additional information about the School Counseling Track.  Please contact Dr. Adams at ksadams@valdosta.edu for additional information about the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track.

The mission of the Valdosta State University Counselor Education Program is to educate professionals who will be leaders in the school and clinical mental health environments and who accept responsibility for removing barriers and offering equal access to services for all students and clients.  The main emphasis of the Counselor Education Program is to train school counselors and clinical mental health counselors who function as leaders in a global society. Trained counselors utilize data, advocacy, collaboration and consultation to provide counseling and services to assist students and clients from diverse backgrounds in achieving high levels of academic success, personal success, and well-being.  

Program Director: Dr. Teddi Cunningham, email: tjcunnin@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-219-3550

Department of Human Services Website

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Summer and Fall Semester:
• Application Deadline for Summer is March 15. 
• Application Deadline for Fall is July 15.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Online Graduate Application
  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online
• Official transcript from your bachelor’s degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.
  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution in an appropriate major. Any major may apply.
  • Must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 Scale OR meet requirements for one of the following alternative pathways:
    • Alternative Pathway 1: Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree (i.e. 3000 and 4000 level coursework); or
    • Alternative Pathway 2: Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all graduate coursework (must have completed at least 6 hours of graduate work in which a letter grade was awarded); or
    • Alternative Pathway 3: Have earned a cumulative undergraduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.74 on a 4.0 scale ten or more years prior to admission. 
  • GPA will be calculated on all attempted undergraduate coursework in which a letter grade was awarded.

• Counseling Goal Statement
  • A written statement (250-500 words) describing your plans to pursue a degree in counseling education. Please see the linked prompts for more guidance. 

• Case Study
  • Candidates will respond to a case study using the instructions provided in the link in the left column and address the questions at the end. 

• Three Recommendations
  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • The Human Services Department prefers recommendations come from current or former  professors who have had you in class.
  • The reviewing committee needs both letters of recommendation AND the above required accompanying General Recommendation form. 

• VSU Medical Form
  • The VSU Medical Form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
  • This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
  • Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form. 

• Verification of Lawful Presence (For applicants who believe they qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.)
  • This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.
  • This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
  • Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.
  • Check out a complete list of accepted documents and residency information here.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• Candidates considered for admission by the Departmental Committee may be required to engage in an interview before final decisions are rendered.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam or International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam or IELTS exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.
• Certificate of Finances: The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

• Student admission status may be classified as either regular or probationary. 
• Non-degree admission is available only for applicants who hold a Master’s degree and departmental permission.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Director: Dr. Teddi Cunningham, email: tjcunnin@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-219-3550.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Candidates must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date;
2. A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
3. Candidates will successfully pass the Comprehensive Professional Counseling Examination.
4. Candidates will complete a comprehensive developmental school counseling program portfolio.
5. Candidates earning an M.Ed. degree in school counseling must take the GACE Content Tests in School Counseling prior to graduation.

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

The university faculty has the duty and responsibility to provide the public with ethical and competent practitioners. To achieve these goals, the university adopts selective admissions, retention, and graduation policies. The delivery of psychological and counseling services, especially of a clinical nature, in schools, mental health settings, and organizations requires the practitioner to meet both academic and professional standards of competence. Accordingly, the faculty of the Department of Human Services has adopted requirements that candidates must meet in order to graduate from one of the department’s graduate programs. These requirements include that candidates must demonstrate professionally appropriate behavior and may be terminated for academic and non-academic reasons. Academic progress is determined by grades earned in the program of study for which the candidate is currently enrolled, as well as performance on comprehensive examinations as required by the specific program.

1. Candidates must  have met the competency requirements by demonstrating skill level or completed course work in the following areas: Special Education (SPEC 3000), Curriculum (CIED 7060), and Computer Skills (ACED 2400).Those who do not meet these competency requirements will be required to take course(s)to successfully meet this requirement;
2. Candidates must have passed or exempted the GACE Basic Skills tests and the GACE Content Tests for School Counseling in order to be certified in School Counseling by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
3. Candidates will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C,” while credited toward the degree, will result in one deficiency point. A grade of “D” is two deficiency points; a grade of “F” or “WF” or “U” is three deficiency points;
4. If a candidate wishes to withdraw from a class with a grade of “WP,” it is the candidate’s responsibility to initiate and complete the withdrawal process prior to the midterm deadline. “WP” grades do not affect academic deficiency points or grade point average.
5. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. This credit must be documented in the form of an official transcript at the time of admission. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old prior to completion of the degree.
6. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 
7. If dismissed from the program, the student must wait a minimum of two semesters before applying for readmission. The academic program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed and prior academic performance and conduct in the program will be considered.

Remediation Process

Steps 1-3, below, constitute “due process.”  Student are advised of the areas that need improvement and the actions needed to improve these areas, are given an opportunity to correct the problems they are experiencing, and are made aware of the possible consequences of failure to make improvements in the areas in which they are experiencing difficulty.

Step 1:   Faculty regularly confer about the progress of each student in the School Counseling Program.  When a student is experiencing difficulties, the student’s advisor gathers relevant documentation identifying any particular problems the student is experiencing. Students are informed that this information is being gathered. The written documentation gathered includes grades, coursework, semester reports, and information from the student's advisor, instructors, site supervisors, and other school personnel who have had contact with the student.

Step 2:   The faculty advisor then meets with the student, summarizes the documentation gathered, and discusses the problem with the student. 

Step 3:   When appropriate, a written remediation plan will be approved by the advisor and two other program faculty members. This plan will clearly state:

        a.     specific areas needing improvement

        b.     specific changes that are expected

        c.     the steps needed to make the outlined changes

        d.     the time frame in which the changes must be made

        e.     that failure to remediate may result in termination from the program.

        f.     the appeals process

Retention, Dismissal, and Readmission Policies Page - M.Ed. Counselor Education