Gain skills to counsel diverse communities

The Master's in Counseling program prepares you to make a difference in the world, and to build a career doing it.

Are you driven to support and inspire others? Do you want to help them overcome challenges and become stronger individuals? When you enroll in the online Master’s in Counseling program from PennWest, you’ll be ready for a lifetime of service to others.

This program not only prepares you to make a difference, but to build a career doing it.

The mission of the Counseling Department at PennWest University is to prepare professional counselors who embody ethical and culturally responsive behavior, advocacy and social justice, and a professional identity as a counselor. Students will use these attributes to enhance the well-being of families, groups, couples, and individuals and advocate on behalf of both the counseling profession and those who are served. The faculty at PennWest are a diverse community of counselor educators and art therapists who facilitate students’ development, model appropriate professional behavior, and engage in dynamic teaching, service, leadership, and scholarship. Our students are expected to develop self-awareness, a strong knowledge base, effective counseling skills, and cultural humility to practice ethically and professionally within a diverse society. Consistent with these expectations is the emphasis placed upon graduate student interpersonal effectiveness. This effectiveness includes growth in the dimensions of warmth, empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness with others.

View courses

Download the student handbook

CACREP Vital Stats Report - California

Nationally Ranked

Rated a Top Program in the Northeast by Best Counseling Degrees and ranked #4 among the 10 Best Deals in Online Master’s in School Counseling.

Learn by Doing

Rigorous hands-on training includes both practicum and internship experience.

Accreditation Matters

Although California University and Edinboro University were CACREP accredited before the integration on July 1, 2022, we must apply for CACREP accreditation as a new university. We plan to apply to CACREP in January 2023 and hope to have a site visit during the spring semester of 2024.

Fast Facts

2

Number of concentrations in PennWest’s M.S. in Counseling program. Choose the one that suits your interests.

Credits:

Varies by concentration

Format:

Face-to-face

Location:

California

Contact:

Graduate Admissions
gradadmissions@pennwest.edu
724-938-4187

Concentrations

PennWest University’s master’s degree in Counseling (School Counseling Concentration) trains students to be prepared to function as dynamic and highly effective school counselors on the elementary and secondary levels in Pennsylvania public schools. This program satisfies all requirements for PK-12 school counseling certification eligibility. The requirements include a 60-credit master’s degree and 720 hours of supervised field experience. In addition, students graduating with the school counseling concentration will also be eligible to become licensed as a Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania (LPC) and other states. They will be able to serve in that capacity in a variety of settings including mental health, human services, working with adults and children, and many others including private practice. Students will need two or more additional years of supervised work experience after graduation to complete the requirements for LPC in Pennsylvania. This program is taught by highly experienced professionals who have experience working in public schools and in community mental health.

Program Goals

It is expected that graduates of the PennWest University school counseling concentration will:

Be competent professional counselors.
Be knowledgeable about ethics, theory, clinical skills, and school counselor roles and functions.
Promote counselor accountability and professional credibility. • Be psychologically healthy people who use high levels of self-awareness in their work.
Learn how to become advocates and educational leaders within a pluralistic school and community that will assist in the academic, career and social development of students.
Become familiar with ASCA model of School Counseling.
Be provided learning experiences in the following CACREP identified general content areas, professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, helping relationships, group work assessment, research and program evaluation

Program Objectives‍

Demonstrate knowledge of the history, philosophy, and trends in school counseling.
Development of a “Plan of Study” for each student including 60 graduate credits that meet the educational requirements for certification as a school counselor and counselor licensure in the state of Pennsylvania.
Demonstrate knowledge of the school setting and curriculum.
Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical standards and guidelines of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), of policies, laws, and legislation relevant to school counseling.
Demonstrate methods of planning and presenting guidance-related educational programs for school personnel and parents. • Use surveys, interviews, and needs assessments and data to improve the school environment.
Design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive developmental school program.
Implement and evaluate specific strategies designed to meet program goals and objectives.
Design appropriate developmental structured activities for small groups, peer helper groups, classroom guidance, and programs for a pluralistic school community.
Demonstrate knowledge of issues which may affect the development and functioning of children and adolescents (e.g., abuse, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders).
Demonstrate methods of consulting with parents, teachers, administrators, support staff and community agency personnel.

Credits: 60
‍Start Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
‍Admission Requirements: 3.0/2LOR/Essay/Resume/Interview/GRE-MAT if GPA is under 3.0

View courses

Core Faculty

Dr. Kevon Bruce
Assistant Professor
204D Butterfield @ Edinboro
kbruce@pennwest.edu
814-732-1640

Dr. Adrienne Dixon-McCullum
Assistant Professor
127 Butterfield @ Edinboro
amdixon@pennwest.edu
814-732-1932

Dr. Grafton Eliason
Professor
312 Building B @ California
eliason@pennwest.edu
724-938-4464

Dr. Julaine E. Field
Department Chair, CACREP Liaison, and Associate Professor
204A Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
jfield@pennwest.edu
814-732-2794

Dr. Elizabeth Gruber
Campus Lead, Program Coordinator for College Counseling and Student Services and Professor
313 Building B @ California
gruber@pennwest.edu
724-938-1567

Dr. Sheila Lorenzo de la Peña
‍Undergraduate Coordinator for Art Therapy and Assistant Professor
204B Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
slorenzo@pennwest.edu
814-732-1237

Dr. Mark Lepore
Program Coordinator for School
Counseling and Professor 128 Harvey @ Clarion
mlepore@pennwest.edu
814-393-2474

Dr. Gabriella Locke
Program Coordinator for Clinical
Rehabilitation and Assistant Professor
Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
glocke@pennwest.edu
814-732-2421

Dr. Penelope P. Orr
Professor
125 Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
porr@pennwest.edu
814-732-1684

Dr. Everett Painter
Fieldwork Coordinator and Assistant Professor
126 Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
epainter@pennwest.edu
814-732-1567

Dr. Carolyn Brown Treadon
Program Coordinator for Art Therapy and Assistant Professor Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
ctreadon@pennwest.edu
814-732-1104

Dr. Jacqueline A. Walsh
Professor
311 Building B @ California
walsh@pennwest.edu
724-938-4123

Dr. Katherine Wardi-Zonna
Graduate Certificate Coordinator and Associate Professor
120 Butterfield Hall @ Edinboro
kwardizonna@pennwest.edu
814-732-1256

Dr. Jake Wheatley
Program Coordinator for Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Assessment Coordinator, and Assistant Professor
311 Building B @ California
wheatley@pennwest.edu
724-938-4874

Master’s in Counseling