Philosophy of Our Program

The School Counseling Program in the Department of Counseling at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is designed with a multicultural focus and based on the American School Counselor Association National Model. The School Counseling Program is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). In addition, our school counseling program meets the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards in school counselor preparation, as well as North Carolina’s state requirements leading to K-12 school counseling licensure. The School Counseling Program prepares school counselors to be student advocates and supportive of the school’s academic mission in public or private elementary, middle, and secondary schools.

The faculty expects our graduates to serve as leaders in the school counseling profession, be multiculturally competent, advocate for all students, work for school wide systemic change, and be committed to continual professional growth. As a result of the faculty’s high expectations and quality of instruction, student’s will be able to organize and coordinate school counseling programs appropriate to the needs of all students and in support of the school’s academic mission. Students trained as school counselors will be competent in individual and group counseling, will be effective at consultation and collaboration with teachers, parents, community agencies as well as other community resources and important stakeholders. At the completion of their training, students will be eligible to obtain credentialing as National Certified Counselors and apply for CAS-level licensure as a school counselor in the state of North Carolina.

Mission

The mission of the Master of Arts Program in School Counseling is to prepare and equip graduate students from diverse backgrounds to be multiculturally competent and have confidence to excel as K-12 licensed professional school counselors in comprehensive, developmental and collaborative school counseling programs. In addition, our program is designed to facilitate growth and learning in an effort to prepare school counselors to become advocates for social justice as well as system change specialists who are capable of assessing, developing, implementing, and sustaining programs for students from diverse backgrounds and delivering equitable services for all students.