Department of Counseling and Higher Education


Previous Section  Table of Contents  Next Section


Ohio University Front Door -Undergraduate Catalogs- Graduate Catalogs


Graduate SABSEL courses are listed in five areas:


The Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CHE) prepares students for professional positions in schools, colleges, and community agencies. Graduates function in a variety of roles, including administration, supervision, counseling, consultation, teaching, and research. Programs are designed to meet state licensing requirements where applicable, in addition to providing flexibility to meet specific student interests and competency needs.

To pursue graduate study in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, you must meet established graduate requirements and be accepted by the appropriate program faculty.

If you are an applicant for a master's degree program and do not have a 2.9 overall (4.0 scale) or a 3.25 g.p.a. on the last 90 quarter hours (4.0 scale), you are required to submit scores from the verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

If you are applying for a doctoral program, submit the results of both the GRE (verbal and quantitative).

Applicants at all levels must submit letters of recommendation and an autobiography, and may be required to appear for interviews. Ph.D. applicants are required to take a writing exercise at the time of the admission interview.

If you are considering graduate work in CHE, arrange to complete the application process well in advance of the quarter in which you expect to begin study. If you have not taken the GRE within the past five years, note that this examination is administered on specified dates and that the interval between administration and receipt of scores is ordinarily six weeks. You also may take this exam by computer at selected locations for a faster turnaround time.

You may apply for OGS stipends, graduate assistantships, and fellowships. If you are accepted for a graduate associateship, you will do research or be assigned teaching responsibilities in the College of Education, other departments in the University, or other institutions or agencies outside the University.

Further information regarding programs and admissions procedures is available from the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, McCracken Hall, Ohio University, Athens OH 45701-2979, telephone 740-593-4440.


Counselor Education (EDCE)

Programs in community counseling, rehabilitation counseling, and school counseling are offered leading to graduate degrees in counselor education. Within these programs, you may emphasize courses and fieldwork leading to a professional counseling career in elementary, middle, or secondary schools; college counseling; business and industry; chemical dependency; agency work; or private practice. Doctoral-level work also leads to supervisory and university faculty positions.

The community counseling program is designed for those interested in professional counseling services in a community mental health center, in private practice, or in other agencies or business settings that provide health and social services. The program meets academic requirements necessary to become licensed in Ohio as a Professional Counselor (PC) with the option of completing the additional academic hours for a clinical endorsement in mental health counseling (Ohio Professional Clinical Counselor, PCC). It also meets academic and experience requirements for becoming a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

The rehabilitation counseling program meets the needs of personnel presently employed in public and private rehabilitation agencies, as well as graduates in such areas as psychology, sociology, education, and human services. Upon completion of the program, you will have met PC and NCC academic requirements and may sit for the examination to become a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).

The school counseling program is for those who wish to practice as elementary or secondary school counselors. It meets the academic and counseling experience requirements to receive state Department of Education certification as a school counselor in Ohio and most other states, and also meets academic requirements for LPC and NCC. School counselors in Ohio must be certified to teach in Ohio public schools and have teaching experience.

Master's degree programs consist of a minimum of 72 quarter hours of study and can be completed in six to eight quarters of full-time attendance, depending upon the area of concentration. Many core courses are offered during the summer, and many late afternoon and evening classes are available during the regular academic year to accommodate students with full-time employment. Along with a counseling practicum (120 work experience hours), two quarters of required internship (600 total work experience hours) provide extensive experience. Ohio licensing as a PC or PCC requires an additional 18 hours for a total of 90 quarter hours.

The doctoral program in counseling is psychological in content, experience, and nature. Ph.D. specializations are available in counseling, counselor education, supervision, and research and evaluation. The courses of study combine personal growth, theoretical foundations, research methodology, and relevant practical experience. They are designed on the basis of the specialty sought and the background you bring to the program. The array of courses included in the curriculum may be used to meet the requirements for professional certification or licensure. It is your responsibility, however, to consult the credentialing agencies to determine their exact requirements. Be aware that such credentialing agencies periodically change their qualification requirements. The program requires a minimum of 135 quarter hours beyond a bachelor's degree and 90 quarter hours beyond a master's.

Approximately 25 to 35 M.Ed. students and 8 to 14 Ph.D. students are admitted each year. Academic credentials, experience, and compatibility of personal characteristics and professional goals with advanced study in the field of counseling and counselor education are all taken into consideration in the evaluation process.You may apply for admission at any time, but priority will be given to those applications completed prior to March 1 since admissions and financial aid decisions are made early in the spring for summer or fall quarter entry.

Undergraduates interested in such work will find knowledge in the areas of the behavioral and social sciences, including psychology, education, sociology, and communications, most helpful. Those interested in school counseling will be required to have teaching certification and teaching experience for work in Ohio and many other states.

All degree programs in counselor education are nationally accredited. Community counseling (M.Ed.), school counseling (M.Ed.), and the Ph.D. program in counselor education and supervision are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP); the M.Ed. rehabilitation program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE); and all College of Education programs, including counselor education, are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Such accreditation can be advantageous in gaining professional credentials and employment after graduation.

For further information, contact the coordinator of counselor education.


Higher Education

The area of higher education consists of graduate programs in college student personnel and higher education administration. The primary mission of this area is to prepare people for leadership roles in colleges, universities, and other agencies devoted to adult learning. Adult learning occurs not only in traditional institutions of higher education, but also in business and industry, social and government agencies, the military, and health care organizations.

These programs differentiate application and theoretical conceptualizations according to degree level. The master's programs focus on the development and application of skills, while the doctoral programs emphasize the study, development, and testing of theoretical concepts. Students progress through the degree levels from M.Ed. or Ph.D. while increasing integration among the components of the individual, organi-zation, and society.

College Student Personnel (EDCP)

The college student personnel program focuses upon the knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills needed by entry-level student affairs practitioners. Students in this program are involved in direct services, which are educational and developmental in nature. The master's degree is a two-year program that follows national standards for professional preparation for student affairs practitioners. The deadline for completed applications is February 1.

Higher Education (EDHE)

Higher education focuses on administration and teaching. In administration, the program focuses on preparing individuals for leadership positions in higher education. Required coursework examines the background of higher education, the study of internal organizational standards, policy perspectives, and the principles of finance and governance. In college teaching, the program assists students in examining pedagogy and curriculum development on the collegiate level. Coursework provides an opportunity to examine the theory and practice of college teaching, professional development, and the nature of students and the collegiate environment.


Department of Educational Studies

The Department of Educational Studies provides courses for undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of educational leadership and administration, cultural studies of education, educational research and evaluation, technology in teaching and learning, and international studies in education.

The academic specialties of the department faculty and the courses they teach are interdisciplinary in nature and relate to programs across the entire College of Education. The faculty work in close collaboration with the other two departments in curriculum planning, teaching, advising, and research.

For more information about programs, contact the Chair, Department of Educational Studies, College of Education, Ohio University, McCracken Hall, Athens, OH 45701-2979.


Educational Administration (EDAD)

The Educational Administration Program at Ohio University prepares individuals for leadership positions in K-12 schools and other education agencies. Emphasizing the knowledge, skills, and practices of responsive leadership, the program fosters a vision of humane, engaging, inviting schools where administrators, teachers, and students work democratically to promote academic excellence. The program is committed to an ethic of leadership that is attentive to the human side of school change.

The program places special emphasis on rural and small schools. Course work and field experiences integrate conceptual and practical knowledge, grounding leadership practice in a thoughtful appreciation of the context in which schooling takes place.

The Educational Administration Program offers graduate degrees at the master's and doctoral levels as well as course work required for Ohio certification as an elementary, middle or high school principal; local superintendent; or county superintendent of special education.


Computer Education and Instructional Technology

The master's specialization serves educators in K-12 schools and technical and community colleges who wish to pursue advanced preparation in computer education and technology.

The program prepares classroom teachers to use technology effectively in their teaching and to become technology leaders in their schools or districts.

Graduates of the program who hold an Ohio teaching license will be qualified for the multi-age endorsement in Computer Education and Technology.

The doctoral specialization in Instructional Technology is designed for individuals whose major professional interest is in instructional and informational technologies in elementary and secondary schools or in institutions of higher education.

The program prepares graduates for positions as technology leaders in school districts, state technology consortia, professional development centers, educational technology centers, or distance learning projects; as instructional designers for educational enterprises; and for faculty positions in higher education.

It may also prepare individuals for technology leadership positions in ministries of education and higher education administration.


Cultural Studies in Education (EDCS)

Cultural Studies in Education is an interdisciplinary field that brings perspectives from the humanities and social sciences to bear on the study of education. It recognizes that educational systems are situated in the context of culture, knowledge, and power. Cultural Studies seeks to investigate and analyze the dynamic relationship between school and society with interpretive, normative, critical, and comparative theory and methods.

This program is designed to meet the academic needs of a variety of individuals and considers the diversity of its students a strength. This degree program offered in collaboration with the teacher education department is intended both for students who have teaching certification and for those who do not. If a student chooses to obtain teaching certification at the master's level, the student's program of study will be extended.

Students entering the master's program will take core courses in Cultural Studies topics, prepare themselves in two methods of inquiry, plan courses for an individualized concentration in conjunction with an advisor, and plan a culminating project that involves one of the following: action research, an internship, a thesis, comprehensive written exams, or a portfolio presentation.


Educational Research and Evaluation (EDRE)

The College of Education offers both a master's and Ph.D. program in Educational Research and Evaluation (EDRE) to prepare graduates for research and faculty positions as well as leadership roles in research organizations in Ohio and around the world. This program offers students courses in several areas-research design, testing and measurements, questionnaire development, statistics, computer programming, evaluation, and qualitative research. The student-faculty ratio is quite favorable, and there are opportunities for students to interact with faculty and to become involved with both new and ongoing projects and research in the United States and sometimes overseas.

Low minimum course requirements allow students to design individualized programs with courses across the University. In particular, we often have students taking courses in higher education, mathematics, psychology, and computer science. In addition, many students develop areas of interest within various specializations of teacher education.

Our students come from a variety of undergraduate disciplines. While there are no specific requirements, we seek students with a reasonable background in mathematics (calculus and linear algebra) or in an area closely related to mathematics. Statistical and/or computer skills are desirable.


Department of Teacher Education

The Department of Teacher Education in collaboration with the Department of Educational Studies offers programs of graduate study designed to meet the academic and professional requirements of those involved in teaching, curriculum development, technology planning and educational policy.

Master's degree programs are offered in curriculum and instruction, including emphases in elementary education, middle child education, reading, adolescent to young adult education, special education, instructional technology, cultural studies, and mathematics education. An initial teaching certificate may be pursued in the following areas: middle child, adolescent to young adult, or special education.

The doctoral program in curriculum and instruction is offered jointly with the Department of Educational Studies. It is designed to prepare curriculum and instruction personnel to serve in schools, two-year community or technical colleges, and university settings. The Ph.D. program provides a common core of experiences and specializations in curriculum and instruction, instructional technology, cultural studies, reading and language arts, social studies education, mathematics education, middle level education, and special education.

To pursue graduate study, you must meet established graduate entrance requirements and be accepted by the graduate committee. Depending upon the grade-point average you earned as an undergraduate, you may be required to submit the results of the Graduate Record Examination (verbal and quantitative) or the Miller Analogies Test if you are applying for master's degree study. If you are applying for doctoral study, you must submit Graduate Record Examination (verbal and quantitative) or Miller Analogies Test scores.

Students not seeking a degree may pursue graduate courses on a non-degree basis in a planned professional development program.

You should arrange to complete the application process a month in advance of the term in which you plan to begin study, since you can take the Graduate Record Examination only on certain dates throughout the year. Submit your application for financial aid by March 15 to receive consideration for the following academic year.

For more information about programs, contact the chair, Department of Teacher Education, or chair, Department of Educational Studies, College of Education, Ohio University, McCracken Hall, Athens OH 45701-2979.

Special Education

The College of Education offers a masterŐs degree in Education with a major in Special Education for a teacher license in the following: Intervention Specialist for Mild-Moderate Educational Needs (to serve students with specific learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, mild developmental handicap, and/or emotional/behavioral handicap); Intervention Specialist for Moderate-Intensive Educational Needs (to serve students with moderate-severe mental retardation and/or multihandicapping conditions); or Early Childhood Intervention Specialist (to serve students with special needs ages 0-8). Each program meets the Ohio teacher licensure requirements. Persons holding no previous teacher license/certification are encouraged to apply. Specific training is provided for all students in assessment, curriculum planning, career development, teaching methodologies, prescriptive and remediation techniques, behavioral management, collaboration, technological applications, research methods, and educational foundations.

The College also offers a masterŐs degree in Special Education with certification in Adult Services, Adult Services Management, Case Management, Residential Services, and a degree without licensure or certification. The Adult Services certifications are for personnel working with adults in the field of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The non-licensure or non-certification emphasis is intended for professionals from another discipline who work with persons with disabilities throughout the life span and wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in Special Education, but do not desire a teacher license.

Additional information concerning these programs may be obtained from a special education faculty advisor or from the Office of Graduate Studies, Student Personnel Services, McCracken Hall 124, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, 740-593-4413.

Planning Graduate Programs of Study. Before or while completing the first 16 credit hours of graduate study, students must meet with their advisor to clarify personal and professional goals, which are to be written on Form A. Before completing 25 credit hours, students should plan a graduate program of study based on their professional goals. The graduate program of study is to be approved by the advisor who forwards it to the graduate committee for final approval. Any change in a graduate program of study must be approved by the advisor and the graduate committee and be filed with the studentŐs original program of study.

Students must complete a minimum of 48 graduate hours of course work. The number of hours required is determined in consultation with their advisor and is based on previous experience and areas of preparation. A typical intervention specialist teacher license program is 57 hours for a person with a previous elementary teacher license or certification and it will require 82 hours for persons seeking their initial teacher license in a single area and 96 hours for a dual license. The typical non-license/certification and the adult services program of studies total 48 hours.

Requirements for Continuation. Students must maintain a 3.00 average to remain in the program.

Professional Laboratory Experiences

Professional laboratory experiences are designed individually by the director of field experience in consultation with your graduate advisor. The experience is planned as a meaningful extension of your experience as a teacher, counselor, or administrator. In general, undergraduate student teaching is a prerequisite for all graduate-level laboratory experiences.


Previous Section  Table of Contents  Next Section


Ohio University Front Door -Undergraduate Catalogs- Graduate Catalogs


University Publications and Computer Services revised this file (https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/01-03/areas/sabsel.htm) September 27, 2001.

Please e-mail comments or suggestions to "gcat@www.ohiou.edu."