The
mission of the Department of Counselor Education is to provide high
quality training and curricular experiences to masters-level graduate
students in counseling, leading to eligibility for certification and
licensure as professional counselors. We endeavor to train
academically-grounded and clinically-skilled generalist counselors who
are competent to work with diverse clients and settings, with special
emphasis on issues that emerge in an urban environment. Along with a
common core curriculum that supports generalist counselor preparation,
the Counselor Education program honors and supports learning associated
with four specialty areas: (a) Community Counseling, (b) Couples,
Marriage and Family Counseling, (c) Rehabilitation Counseling, and (d)
School Counseling. We strive to support our students as they become
critical thinkers, innovative practitioners, and leaders in the
counseling profession and in their particular specializations. The
Counselor Education mission statement operates in conjunction with the
following Guiding Principles of the Graduate School of Education.
Guiding Principles
We create and sustain educational environments that serve all students and address diverse needs.
We encourage and model exemplary programs and practices across the life span.
We build our programs on the human and cultural richness of the University's urban setting.
We develop collaborative efforts that foster our mission.
We challenge assumptions about our practice and accept the risks inherent in following our convictions.
We develop our programs to promote social justice, especially for groups that have been historically disenfranchised.
We strive to understand the relationships among culture,
curriculum, and practice, and the long-term implications for ecological
sustainability.
We model thoughtful inquiry as a basis for sound decision-making.
