Education Specialist in School Counseling Program
Argosy University, Sarasota
Program Overview
Argosy University recognizes the need to provide human services providers with the extensive knowledge and range of skills necessary to function effectively in their profession. Programs have been developed by Argosy University faculty members to enable working professionals to pursue their personal and professional goals through completion of a graduate program.
The Education Specialist (EdS) in School Counseling degree program is designed for experienced professionals who have master’s degrees in other fields and wish to become school counselors. The program is committed to educating and training students to enter a professional career as school counseling practitioners with a demonstrated knowledge of social and cultural diversity, and theoretical foundations of professional counseling, and field experience into appropriate client interaction and intervention skills for utilization in a school setting with diverse clients.
The EdS in School Counseling degree program is a 30 semester credit hour program of study. Students may transfer up to 9 credit hours into the program, but the courses must meet criteria for direct substitution for the existing curriculum offerings.
Eligibility for Certification/Licensure
While the EdS in School Counseling degree program is not approved as a certification program, students upon completion of the program can request a transcript review by the Florida Department of Education for certification in Guidance and Counseling (grades K-12) in the state of Florida.
Admission Requirements
- A master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a nationally accredited institution approved and documented by the faculty and dean of the College of Education, or an appropriately certified foreign institution.
- A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) in work leading to a master’s degree and in any subsequent graduate study.
- A minimum score of 550 on the written TOEFL® or 79 on the TOEFL® Internet (IBT) is also required for all applicants whose native language is not English or who have not graduated from an institution at which English is the language of instruction.
- Completion of an interview with a member of the program Admissions Committee.
All applications for admission must be submitted to the Admissions Department. An admissions representative is available to help interested applicants complete the following required documentation:
- Completed Application for Admission Form
- Application fee (Non-refundable, except in California and Arizona. In the state of Arizona, the application fee is refundable if the application is canceled within three business days of the applicant signing the Enrollment Agreement.).
- Official transcripts from the institution that conferred the master’s degree and any institutions where graduate coursework was subsequently taken. Bachelor’s level transcripts are not required.
Admissions Notification
Students are notified in writing of the decision made by the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Applicants who have been denied admission may reapply after the passage of one year from the date of denial by submitting all documents required of a new applicant. Individuals who intend to reapply for admission are strongly encouraged to contact the Admissions Department prior to reapplying.
Graduation Requirements
A student is eligible for graduation from the EdS in School Counseling degree program when the following requirements are met:
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements in the program of study developed in consultation with the faculty members
- Satisfactory completion of 30 semester credit hours beyond the master’s degree, including at least three of the five required in-residence courses being taken on-campus.
- Successful completion of an exit exam
- A grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0)
- A completed Petition to Graduate submitted to campus administration
Residency Requirements
Students may not complete more than 49 percent of the required program credit hours in an online or distance learning format. Students completing degree course requirements without meeting the in-residence course format requirement will be required to complete additional in-residence courses to achieve this in-residence format percentage standard.
Program Requirements
The EdS in School Counseling degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 30 semester credit hours distributed as follows: core course requirements, 27 credit hours and field experience requirement, 3 credit hours.
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