The mission of the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling is to prepare students for highly effective, ethical, and satisfying careers as professional educators and counselors working with individuals, families, and groups in educational, organizational, and community settings. The aim of our programs is to reflect a heuristic and developmental life-span approach to theory, research, and practice centered on the study and application of major concepts and skills from counseling, early childhood education, educational psychology, and psychological foundations of education. Department faculty is committed to continuous evaluation and improvement of our courses and programs.

Graduates completing a master's degree may qualify for private practice or positions in public schools, social agencies, community colleges and universities, business and industry, career development, marriage and family therapy, and related areas. With the completion of State requirements, students can receive a credential in pupil personnel services in either school counseling or school psychology and/or a license as a marriage and family therapist or educational psychologist.

School Counseling: The school counselor degree prepares you for a career in elementary, intermediate, and high school counseling, where you will work with students indivdually and in groups to enhance their academic, personal, and social growth.

Marriage & Family Therapy: The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) degree allows you to work effectively in a number of work settings such as community mental health clinics, child and family counseling centers, youth intervention programs, adventure-based counseling programs, mental health units in regional medical centers, emergency mental health centers, day treatment programs, community residences, half-way houses, theraputic communities, probation and corrections, in-patient treatment facilities for substance abuse and mental health, and community education and prevention programs. Completion of the MFT program may, with additional post-master's counseling hours completed, provide the opportunity to sit for the MFT licensure exams to become a Licensed Marriage & Family therapist.

College Counseling/Student Affairs Professional Practice: The Student Affairs Professional Practice degree allows you to work effectively in a variety of higher education settings such as student services, residential life, academic advisement, and higher education administration, particularly in those areas where a counseling background is necessary or helpful

CSUN's Career Center: The Career Center provides services, resources, and programs designed to help students and alumni to better understand the career development process, and to enhance their professional preparation and employability. Visit the Career Development Center online.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Counsel on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA), has conferred accreditation to MS programs in Career Counseling, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, and College Counseling and Student Services. These programs have been accredited through 2009.

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), a specialized accrediting body, has conferred accredited the MS program in School Psychology through 2010 (beginning January 1, 2005).

Department programs lead to State credentials in Pupil Personnel Services in two areas: School Counseling or School Psychology. Students seeking one of these credentials through CSUN must complete course work equivalent to the master's degree in counseling, specialization in either school counseling or school psychology, respectively, and hold a master's degree. For additional information, consult the catalog,the graduate advisor, or the program coordinators. See the Programs Page for more information.

Students seeking state licensure as a marriage and family therapist must complete the 60-unit master's degree counseling (specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy) and 3,000 hours of fieldwork and internship prior to applying for the State examination. Students seeking licensure as an educational psychologists must complete all requirements for the School Psychology credential, and subsequently meet additional fieldwork requirements. For additional information, contact program advisors. See School Psychology program advisor.

To fulfill the department mission, faculty engage in university and professional activities to develop and provide undergraduate and graduate programs for the preparation of students to:

1. Develop and apply expertise in their fields of study.

   Locate, critically evaluate and describe applications of research and other literature relevant to their field of study.

2. Think critically and engage in reflective, ethical, and legal practice throughout their education and professional lives.

   Demonstrate critical thinking and appropriately legal and ethical responses when presented with case studies involving legal and ethical dilemmas in their field of study.

3. Develop empathic, respectful, and congruent interpersonal skills and abilities to work successfully with groups and individuals from diverse backgrounds in educational, community, and mental health settings.

   Demonstrate empathic, respectful, and congruent interpersonal skills under observation during clinical practice and/or field work with groups and individuals from diverse backgrounds.

4. Communicate effectively using oral, written, listening, and non-verbal attending and observational skills.

   Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills, listening, and non-verbal attending and observational skills within their field of study.

5. Become information competent scholars and researchers through engaging in and disseminating creative, empirical, and applied studies and program evaluations.

   Complete culminating experiences demonstrating competent scholarship and research skills.

6. Collaborate skillfully and respectfully as leaders, consultants, and team members in a variety of settings.

   Demonstrate skillful and respectful collaboration within their field of Study

7. Develop skills necessary to assess and evaluate individuals and groups, and to utilize current technology in work environments.

   Demonstrate facility with current technology relevant to field of study.

   Demonstrate ability to apply individual and group evaluation tools relevant to their field of study.

8. Maintain an inclusive, multicultural, and global perspective, emphasizing social justice and educational equity, access, and support.

   Demonstrate dispositions consistent with an inclusive, multicultural and global perspective, emphasizing social justice and educational equity,access, and support.

9. View their roles as preventative, educative, and therapeutic in promoting well-being, healthy relationships, academic success, and career mastery.

   Demonstrate dispositions consistent with preventative, educative, and therapeutic roles in promoting well-being, healthy relationships, academic success, and career mastery.

10. Provide service through a wide variety of field-based partnerships informed by theory and practice.

    Demonstrate knowledge of how theory and practice inform diverse field-based partnerships related to their field of study.

11. Act as advocates with initiative, perception, and vision to lead and transform the practices and policies of those who provide services to individuals, families, schools, organizations, community, and policy makers.

    Demonstrate dispositions consistent with advocacy with initiative, perception, and vision to lead and transform the practices and policies of those who provide services to individuals, families, schools, organizations, community, and policymakers.

12. Pursue lifelong professional and personal development through such mediums as continuing education, information access via technology, psychological counseling, active participation and leadership in professional organizations, and doctoral study.

    Demonstrate dispositions consistent with pursuing lifelong professional and personal development through such mediums as continuing education, information technology, psychological counseling, participation and leadership in professional organizations, and doctoral study.