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Program Director: Dr. David Tobin
Phone: (814) 871-7537
E-mail: tobin001@gannon.edu

OVERVIEW
The graduate certificate in Advanced Counselor Studies is specifically designed for students who have already earned a Masters degree in the counseling field and would like to earn more credits toward state licensure. Pennsylvania recently passed a law that requires licensed professional counselors to have at least 60 graduate credits. This certificate provides the additional coursework that many counselors will need to meet the new state requirement. These courses will provide active learning and skill development in counseling.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must:

• Have a Masters degree in counseling or a related field from an accredited institution
• Have a minimum of 48 credits of counseling coursework in all of the core CACREP content areas (deficiencies may be made up as part of the certificate requirements)
• Complete an application for admission
• Submit final, official transcripts from all graduate-level coursework
• Have the approval of the program director

COURSEWORK
A minimum of 9 credits from the following list:

GCOU 621 Elementary and Secondary School Counseling (3 credits)
This course examines the roles of the elementary and secondary school counselor. Students will review the foundations and contextual dimension of school counseling. Knowledge and skill requirements for school counseling will include student counseling, guidance, consultation, program development and coordination. An emphasis will be placed on legal and ethical issues in school counseling, diversity in school, and developmental guidance programs.

GCOU 642 Child and Adolescent Counseling (3 credits)
This course provides specialized knowledge and skills training in counseling children and adolescents. Students will learn to assess behavior and incorporate developmentally, ethically, legally, and gender appropriate strategies and techniques to meet the needs of counseling children and adolescents. Students will examine various theoretical, behavioral, and play therapy techniques for counseling children and adolescents.

GCOU 651 Supervised Internship (3-6 credits)
600 hours of supervised counseling experience in an appropriate community or school setting. Students will be given the opportunity to provide direct counseling services under supervision. Emphasis is placed on counselor identity development, legal and ethical practice, developing multicultural and counseling competencies. Students will receive individual on-site supervision and weekly on campus group supervision.

PRAXIS II Subject Test – School Guidance and Counseling (passing score is required prior to award of certificate).

* Applicants deficient in CACREP core courses may need to take additional counseling courses to meet all current certification standards.