The Counseling and Guidance Program has as its primary purpose the preparation of professional counselors. The master's degree is the first professional degree in counseling. Graduates holding this degree will gain the basic understanding and skills necessary for professional practice as a counselor.
The program currently offers four emphasis areas leading to the M.A. degree: Elementary and Secondary School Counseling, Couples and Family Counseling, Mental Health Counseling and Gerontological Counseling. Students are not currrently being admitted in the General or Substance Abuse Counseling Emphases areas.
Those electing the school counseling emphasis will, upon successful completion of the coursework and passing of the Praxis Exam for counseling, be eligible for school counselor certification in Missouri. The other counseling emphases are designed for students who wish to work in a variety of settings other than the public schools. Those earning degrees in counseling become employed in community colleges, four-year colleges, specialized areas in large universities (e.g. career planning and placement), the court system and community-based mental health services. Many students go on for advanced degrees. Students in this program will take all of the coursework needed to be eligible for licensure as a professional counselor in the state of Missouri. Students may also arrange their internship setting placements similar to those in which they plan to work.
Student Learning Outcomes
The goal of the master's program in Counseling and Guidance is to develop competent counseling practitioners who are eligible for licensure or certification in Missouri and Kansas.
Graduates demonstrate skills and knowledge in the following areas:
- Theories of counseling
- The counseling relationship
- Human growth and development
- Social and cultural foundations of counseling
- Career development
- Assessment
- Research methods
- Counseling skills
- Professional identity
- Ethical standards and issues
- Psychopathology and Diagnosis
- Program development and management (school counseling emphasis)
Admissions
Courses for the master's program in Counseling and Guidance are primarily offered at the Volker campus. Select school counseling courses are offered at the UMKC Northland campus; however, not all courses will be made available at that site. Applications for the program are accepted twice a year: by Sept. 1 to be admitted for the spring semester or by March 1 to be admitted for the fall semester. Application materials must be sent to both the UMKC Office of Admissions and the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology. It is suggested that students apply to the University as soon as possible to allow for processing time. Materials sent to the UMKC Admissions Office should be received by the application deadlines; materials sent to the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology can be postmarked by the application deadlines.
Admission Criteria:
- Overall undergraduate 2.75 GPA or better, or 3.0 or better (4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester hours.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score of 900 (Verbal + Quantitative) or a GRE Verbal score of 450 or better, and a minimum Analytic writing score of 4.0.
- Three letters of reference (use rating forms in application packet).In addition to the provided rating form, references should include a statement of applicant's strengths and areas of further development either in a separate letter or on the back of the rating form.
- Statement defining academic and professional goals.
- MA Counseling and Guidance Application.
Applying to the Program
Students who wish to apply to the program will have to submit two separate applications, one to the University (see A. below) and one to the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology (see B. below).
A. Send to the UMKC Admission office:
- Application for Admissions (available on-line at www.umkc.edu/admissions.
- $35 (domestic online) or $50 (international) non-refundable application fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities previously attended (in sealed envelope or sent directly from universities).
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) (official copy).
- Mailing Address
- University of Missouri-Kansas City
Office of Admissions
120 Administrative Center
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
B. Send to the Counseling and Guidance office:
- M.A. Counseling and Guidance Application http://education.umkc.edu/cep/MAinCounselingandGuidance/MAAdmissionsCG.html(detailed instructions available on the application).
- Three letters of reference (use rating forms in the application packet).
- Statement defining personal and professional goals.
- Mailing Address
- University of Missouri-Kansas City
ATTN: Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology
215 Education Building
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
For more specific information about the master's in Counseling and Guidance see http://education.umkc.edu/programs/view/16Degree Requirements
* Note: Only courses with an asterisk may be taken prior to being admitted to the program.
# Note: Course can be taken if officially admitted to a graduate degree program. Required Core Courses(All Emphases) Hours
(42 credit hours)
* CPCE 5500 Intro. to Prof. Counseling 3
# CPCE 5505 Career Development I 3
* EDUC-R&P 5508 Principles. & Methods
of Research 3
CPCE 5515 Assessment Methods in
Professional Counseling 3
CPCE 5520 Theories of Counseling 3
CPCE 5530 Methods of Counseling 3
CPCE 5531 Counseling Practicum I 3
CPCE 5532 Counseling Practicum II 3
CPCE 5540 Theories and Methods of
Group Counseling 3
CPCE 5551 Counseling in a Pluralistic
Society 3
CPCE 5553 Ethics & Prof. Issues in
Counseling 3
CPCE 5575 Internship A 3
CPCE 5575 Internship B 3
Couples and Family Emphasis Area Hours
* CPCE 5500 Intro. to Prof. Counseling 3
CPCE 5503 Psychopathology: Diagnoses
& Classification 3
# CPCE 5505 Career Development I 3
* EDUC-R&P 5508 Principles & Methods
of Research 3
CPCE 5515 Assessment Methods in
Professional Counseling 3
CPCE 5520 Theories of Counseling 3
CPCE 5530 Methods of Counseling 3
CPCE 5531 Counseling Practicum I 3
CPCE 5532 Counseling Practicum II 3
CPCE 5540 Theories and Methods of
Group Counseling 3
CPCE 5551 Counseling in a Pluralistic
Society 3
CPCE 5553 Ethics & Prof. Issues in
Counseling 3
CPCE 5575A Internship 3
CPCE 5575B Internship 3
CPCE 5527 Theory/Methods of Sex Counseling 3
CPCE 5541 Couples & Family Therapy 3
CPCE 5542 Theory & Techniques of Family
Systems Therapy 3
CPCE 5533 Couples & Family Practicum 3
CPCE 5590CF Seminar in Couples &
Family Therapy 3
* EDUC-R&P 5513 Lifespan Human Development 3
Mental Health Emphasis Hours
* CPCE 5500 Intro. to Prof. Counseling 3
CPCE 5503 Psychopathology: Diagnoses
& Classification 3
# CPCE 5505 Career Development I 3
* EDUC-R&P 5508 Principles. & Methods
of Research 3
CPCE 5515 Assessment Methods in
Professional Counseling 3
CPCE 5520 Theories of Counseling 3
CPCE 5530 Methods of Counseling 3
CPCE 5531 Counseling Practicum I 3
CPCE 5532 Counseling Practicum II 3
CPCE 5540 Theories and Methods of
Group Counseling 3
CPCE 5551 Counseling in a Pluralistic
Society 3
CPCE 5553 Ethics & Prof. Issues in
Counseling 3
CPCE 5575A Internship 3
CPCE 5575B Internship 3
CPCE 5527 Theory/Methods of Sex Counseling 3
CPCE 5590MH Seminar in Mental Health
Counseling 3
CPCE 5521 Special Counseling Methods
- Substance Abuse 3
* EDUC-R&P 5513 Lifespan Human Development 3
Approved Electives (2 courses) 6
Gerontological Counseling Emphasis Hours
* CPCE 5500 Intro. to Prof. Counseling 3
CPCE 5503 Psychopathology: Diagnoses
& Classification 3
# CPCE 5505 Career Development I 3
* EDUC-R&P 5508 Principles & Methods
of Research 3
CPCE 5515 Assessment Methods in
Professional Counseling 3
CPCE 5520 Theories of Counseling 3
CPCE 5530 Methods of Counseling 3
CPCE 5531 Counseling Practicum I 3
CPCE 5532 Counseling Practicum II 3
CPCE 5540 Theories and Methods of
Group Counseling 3
CPCE 5551 Counseling in a Pluralistic
Society 3
CPCE 5553 Ethics & Prof. Issues in
Counseling 3
CPCE 5575A Internship 3
CPCE 5575B Internship 3
A&S 5500 Interdisciplinary Colloquium
on Aging 3
NURSE 5530 The Experience on Health in Aging 3
SOCIOL 410R Aging in Contemporary Society 3
CPCE 5589A Counseling and the Older Adult 3
CPCE 5590GC Seminar in Gerontological
Counseling 3
Approved Elective (1) 3
School Counseling Emphasis Hours
CPCE 5500 Intro. to Prof. Counseling 3
CPCE 5502 Foundations of Elementary
& Secondary Guidance 3
# CPCE 5505 Career Development I 3
* EDUC-R&P 5508 Principles. & Methods
of Research 3
CPCE 5515 Assessment Methods in
Professional Counseling 3
CPCE 5520 Theories of Counseling 3
CPCE 5530 Methods of Counseling 3
CPCE 5531 Counseling Practicum I 3
CPCE 5532 Counseling Practicum II 3
CPCE 5540 Theories and Methods of
Group Counseling 3
CPCE 5551 Counseling in a Pluralistic
Society 3
CPCE 5553 Ethics & Prof. Issues in
Counseling 3
CPCE 5575 Internship A 3
CPCE 5575 Internship B 3
* TCH-ED 404 (1) Education of the Exceptional
Child and Youth 3
CPCE 5504 School Guidance Programs 3
CPCE 5550 Organization and Administration
of Counseling Programs 3
* EDUC-R&P 5510 Child Behavior & Development 3
(Elementary and K-12 counselors only)
-or-
* EDUC-R&P 5512 Adolescent Development
& the school 3
(Secondary and K-12 counselors only)
-or-
* EDUC-R&P 5513 Lifespan Human Development 3
(Elementary, Secondary, and K-12 counselors)
* EDUC-C&I 5512 (2) Strategies for Effective
Classroom Management 3
* EDUC-C&I 5517 (2) Teaching Methods & Practices 3
(1) Many people with a teaching certificate already have this course. You may not need to retake it.
(2) Required for those who do not hold a current teaching certificate
