CSUN Home Page School of Ed homepage

Dept. of Educational Psychology and Counseling Logo

Home Classes Faculty Forms News People Programs Resources


Programs in College Counseling and Student Services

Masters Program | Certificate Program

Program co-coordinators:
Photograph of Merril Simon
Merril A. Simon, Ph.D.
merril.simon at csun.edu
818-677-2558
Photograph of Rie Rogers Mitchell
Rie Rogers Mitchell Ph.D.
rie.mitchell at csun.edu
818-677-4976

Master of Science in Counseling, Specialization in College Counseling and Student Services

The M.S. degree in counseling with a specialization in CCSS is designed to prepare students for career opportunities in higher education with particular emphasis on positions serving university and community college students on urban campuses. Special attention is given to working with diverse student populations including returning,minority and disabled students. This program is designed for two types of students:(1) for those individuals who desire training for entry level positions in student affairs, and (2) for those who are already experienced professionals in student affairs and wish to increase their theoretical background and range of experience. The program meets the accreditation standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).

Prerequisites for the M.S. Program (all majors) (9 Units*)

EPC 600Educational Statistics for Research and Measurement
An equivalent statistics class taken in past seven years may be considered at the department's discretion
EPC 430Development and Learning in Early Childhood Education
EPC 612Advanced Study in Child and Adolescent Development
Only one of either EPC 430 or EPC 612 is required.
An equivalent 3-unit course may be considered at the department's discretion.
EPC 451Fundamentals of Counseling and Guidance

*Each class shown is 3 units. Equivalent 3-unit courses may be considered at the department's discretion.

Click here to return to the top of the page

Admission Requirements for All Masters Programs

The admission requirements for classified standing in all degrees are:

  1. Completion of application and meeting admissions requirements of the University. (Application available online at http://www.csumentor.edu/AdmissionApp/)

    Requirements include:

    1. Acceptable score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) if undergraduate GPA is below 3.0.
    2. Successfully pass the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam.
    3. A Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. Completion of application for admission to the Department graduate programs (may be downloaded here). See program advisors for specific details. This includes:

    1. Two letters of recommendation.
    2. An admission interview.
    3. Approval by the Department Student Affairs Committee.
  3. Satisfactory completion of all prerequisite courses pertinent to the specialization selected,with a grade of B-or better.

Click here to return to the top of the page

Core Program for the M.S. in Counseling (21 units*)

EPC 601 Individual and Group Assessment
EPC 602 Research Principles
EPC 643 Counseling in Cross-Cultural Settings
EPC 655 Seminar in Counseling Theory and Practice
EPC 657A Seminar in Career Counseling Theory
EPC 659A Counseling Practicum: Communication
EPC 659B Counseling Practicum: Skills
*Each class shown is 3 units.
In addition to the courses listed in the above table, an additional 36 units are required for the specialization in College Counseling and Student Services.
A total of 60 units are required for the M.S. degree.

*All programs must be approved by the program coordinator. This listing is provided for information purposes only, is subject to change without notice, and is not guaranteed to be correct. The student should consult the university catalog and the program coordinator for further details and course descriptions.

Click here to return to the top of the page

Additional Requirements for the M.S. in Counseling with a Specialization in College Counseling and Student Services (39 units*)

ELPS 601 American Higher Education (3)
or EPC 695SSpecial Topics in Student Personnel Services (3)

ELPS 605 Administration of Programs in Student Services and College Counseling (3)
or EPC 695SSpecial Topics in Student Personnel Services (3)

EPC 606 Seminar in Adult Development (3)
or EPC 609 Human Development:A Life-Span Perspective (3)

EPC 608 Social Psychological Education (3)
or EPC 615 Instructional Design (3)
or EPC 653 Career Assessment (3)
or Approved Course in Department of Management

EPC 542 Meeting the Needs of Students (1)
EPC 543 The Reflective Practitioner (1)
EPC 620 College Counseling and StudentServices Profession (3)
EPC 622 American College Student and Campus Environment (3)
EPC 658 Seminar in Group Counseling (3)
EPC 658L Group Counseling Laboratory (1)
EPC 659JB Fieldwork (Supervision of First Year Mentoring Experience) (3)
EPC 659JC Fieldwork in College Counseling and Student Services (3)
EPC 659KC Fieldwork in College Counseling and Student Services (3)
Electives Must be approved by program coordinator (1-4)

EPC 697 Directed Comprehensive Studies (3)
or EPC 698 Thesis/Graduate Project (3-6)

*All programs must be approved by the program coordinator. This listing is provided for information purposes only, is subject to change without notice, and is not guaranteed to be correct. The student should consult the university catalog and the program coordinator for further details and course descriptions.
Click here to return to the top of the page

Suggested Two-Year Course Sequence by Semester*
For full-time students who are not employed beyond internships

Semester 1
(Summer)
EPC 542, 543, 657A

Semester 2
(Fall)
EPC 622, 655, 659A, 659JB

Semester 3
(Spring)
EPC 602, 620, 643, 659B

Semester 4
(Summer)
EPC 659S, 609

Semester 5
(Fall)
EPC 601, 658, 658L, 659JC, 698C or Elective (3 units)

Semester 6
(Spring)
EPC 659KC, 698C or Elective (3 units), 608 or 615 or 653 or approved MGT Course, 695S

Semester 7If needed to complete thesis or project

*All programs must be approved by the program coordinator. This listing is provided for information purposes only, is subject to change without notice, and is not guaranteed to be correct. The student should consult the university catalog and the program coordinator for further details and course descriptions.
Click here to return to the top of the page

Certificate in College Counseling and Student Services

Click here for Certificate Information and Financial Aid Disclosure

The Specialist Certificate program in College Counseling and Student Services is designed to prepare students for career opportunities and advancement in higher education with particular emphasis upon those positions that serve university and community college students on urban campuses. Special attention is given to working with diverse student populations including returning,minority and disabled students. The College Counseling and Student Services program is designed for two types of students: (1) for those individuals who desire training for entry level positions in student affairs; and (2) for those who are already experienced professionals in student affairs and wish to increase their experience.

Fieldwork. There is a strong emphasis on the fieldwork component in the College Counseling and Student Services program. Students will have an opportunity to participate in several student affairs placements at both the community college and university level. Placement opportunities include,but are not limited to:academic advising, athletics (development, club sports, intramural), campus religious organizations,career planning, clubs and organizations, cooperative education, Dean of Students (administration,discipline), educational equity, entertainment, EOP, ESL, financial aid, fraternities and sororities, disabled students,health services (administration, family planning),housing (administration, off-campus housing, residence halls), international programs, leadership training, Learning Resource Center, orientation, outreach and retention, student government, Student Union (food service, maintenance, operations, programming), veterans, volunteer organizations, Women's Center.

Click here to return to the top of the page

Requirements fof admisson to the certificate program

The Specialist Certificate in College Counseling and Student Services is a post-masters program. Students applying for the Specialist Certificate should hold a Masters degree in Counseling (or the equivalent Masters degree). Students who hold Masters degrees in closely aligned fields other than counseling may be required to take courses beyond those outlined for the Specialist Certificate. Each candidate's background and experience will be taken into consideration in determining requirements. Master's degrees in education or other areas do not fulfill this requirement.

Program Requirements and Suggested Course Sequence by Semester*

The following course requirements meet the requirements for the Certificate in College Counseling and Student Services (CCSS) for graduate students who have a masters degree in counseling or equivalent masters degree.

Semester 1
Fall
EPC 622 American College Student and Campus Environment (3)
EPC 657A Career Development (3)

Semester 2
Spring
EPC 620 College Counseling and Student Services Profession (3)
EPC 643 Cross-Cultural Counseling (3)

Semester 3
Summer
EPC 695S Introduction to Higher Ed

Semester 4
Fall
EPC 659JC Fieldwork in College Student Personnel Services (3)
EPC 601 Assessment (3)

Semester 5
Spring
EPC 659KC Fieldwork in College Student Personnel Services (3)
EPC 695S Capstone

*All programs must be approved by the program coordinator. This listing is provided for information purposes only, is subject to change without notice, and is not guaranteed to be correct. The student should consult the university catalog and the program coordinator for further details and course descriptions.



Click here to return to the top of the page




[05-21-07]