FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Counseling Master's Program Accommodates Working Teachers
Program Details
The counselor education program in the College of Education and Health Professions recently made several modifications to the school counseling master's program:
- The number of credit hours for the degree was reduced from 54 to 48.
- Classes to be taken in the first two years of the three-year program are scheduled in the evenings and summers to accommodate the typical school schedule.
The changes are designed to accommodate an already employed teacher who wants to go back to school to obtain a master's degree in school counseling.
After taking 42 hours over six semesters in those first two years, students would be required to complete a school counseling internship of 600 hours worth 6 credit hours in their third year of the program.
Contact: Kristin Higgins, coordinator, (479) 575-3329, kkhiggi@uark.edu
The Arkansas Department of Education lists guidance and counseling as one of three endorsement areas where personnel are in critically short supply. The College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas recently changed its Master of Science degree in school counseling to help more people earn credentials in the counseling field.
Shortage areas are determined partly by how many requests the Department of Education receives for waivers concerning personnel. State law requires that school districts employ one counselor for every 450 students, but districts can seek a waiver if they can't find someone certified to hire.
Arkansas is one of a few states that require school counselors to also be certified teachers. That necessity, combined with a second requirement of the Arkansas Department of Education that school counselors have a master's degree, sets a steep path for those interested in the field.
"We wanted to create some opportunities for people interested in counseling, to make our program more school-friendly," said Kristin Higgins, assistant professor of counselor education and coordinator of the school counseling program. The college also offers degrees with an emphasis on community counseling and college counseling.
"Counseling is one of the areas in the state's education system that is experiencing a shortage of qualified people," Higgins said. "Our master's program now allows a teacher to complete all the coursework in two years taking classes in the evening."
Ginny Wiseman, associate superintendent for administration in the Fayetteville School District, meets monthly with the 22 counselors at the district's schools.
"There is a limited supply of school counselors available," Wiseman said.
The UA master's program provides more opportunities for those teachers who want to open new employment possibilities, she said. The Fayetteville district had five openings for counselors last year, all due to retirements, and Wiseman believes that may be a trend that continues for several years. The positions were filled by people working in nearby districts, she said.
"We need more people to go into counseling," Wiseman said. "The changes the university made should benefit people who want to go back to school."
Marsha Jones, assistant superintendent for curriculum and K-5 instruction for the Springdale School District, also said it's challenging to find qualified personnel when counseling positions come open.
"There is a need for counselors," she said. "It's a regional and a statewide concern."
Any effort to facilitate master's students taking the curriculum is an asset, Jones said.
"We are thrilled that the university is helping to streamline the credentialing process," she said. "We also believe internships are a good thing. For us, partnerships are necessary – arrangements that benefit the school while benefiting the personnel involved."
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Contact:
Heidi Stambuck, director of communications
College of Education and Health Professions
(479) 575-3138, stambuck@uark.edu