The School Counseling option is designed to meet the licensure requirements established by the Office of Public Instruction for counseling in a school setting in the state of Montana. The intent of the program is to prepare individuals to work with elementary and secondary students (K-12 OPI licensure) in a professional, compassionate manner to promote positive intellectual, behavioral, and emotional change. Those students who want to do a thesis for a Master’s degree in School Counseling will develop their plan of study in direct consultation with their advisor.

For students who wish to pursue both school counseling licensure from the Office of Public Instruction and State of Montana licensure (LPC or LCPC) simultaneously, there is a 60-hour degree program that can be set up with consultation with an advisor. Students should be aware the Montana Board of Social Work and Licensed Professional Counselors, not the MSU Billings College of Education, control that licensure. Students who wish to pursue licensure should use the coursework for the K-12 option and the programmatic requirements established by the Montana Board of Social Work and Licensed Professional Counselors for LPC/LCPC eligibility.

Most of the courses in this program are offered in the evening and some are offered online allowing for flexible completion of the program.

Careers: What can you do with a School Counseling degree?

Admission Criteria/Application Procedures

• Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
• Graduate GPA of at least 3.0
• Standardized graduate admission test (GRE)
• Three letters of reference, which must address academic, professional, and work-related experiences.

Online? Some Online Evening Classes? Yes Program Length If you take a full load of 9 credits per semester, you could finish this program in about 5-6 semesters.

Program Structure

Courses	Credit	Courses	Credit
EDF 501 Research Design & Interpretation	3	SCOU 557 Group Process: Theory & Practice	3
EDF 503 Advanced Human Development & Learning	3	EDCI 500 Curriculum Development	3
SCOU 506 Practicum Counseling & Therapy Techniques	1	EDF 515 Social, Philosophical, & Legal Issues in Education	3
SCOU 508 Practicum: Multicultural & Gender Issues in Counseling & Family Therapy	1	SPED 540 Education of Exceptional Learners	3
SCOU 505 Theories of Counseling	3	EDCI 610 Curriculum Theory: analysis & Practice	3
SCOU 507 Ethical & Professional Issues for Counselors & Family Therapists	3	REHA 521 Advanced Individual & Group Counseling	3
SCOU 504 Career & Lifestyle Development	3	REHA 543 Marriage & Family Therapy: Theory & Practice	3
SCOU/REHA 520 Group & Individual Evaluation	3	SCOU 590 Internship: School Counseling	12
SCOU 527 Counseling in the Elementary & Middle School	3	SCOU 597 Capstone in School Counseling	1
SCOU 554 Organization and Administration of School Counseling	3	Total minimum credits required for degree	47-60
Disclaimer

See also: Graduate Faculty for the College of Education

Contact Us

Please contact the office of Graduate Studies for information about this program, admission requirements, application forms, graduate assistantships and other scholarship information. Contact us as well for information about any of our graduate degree programs.

Our office is located in McMullen Hall, First Floor.
The office is open from 8:00 to 5:00 (Mountain time) Monday through Friday. Office: 406-657-2238 Fax: 406-657-2302