Description of Programs and Mission
Students can pursue a Masters degree in Counseling at Boston College in either Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, or the Joint Degree Program with Pastoral Ministry. The programs are situated within the Lynch School of Education, which was ranked 19th among schools of education nationally by U.S. News and World Report in 2007. The Master of Arts degree programs in Counseling are two-year programs providing students with a broad background in counseling theories and skills, clinical training during practicum/internship, and exposure to research and scholarship at the forefront of the counseling profession.
Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to gain entry-level counseling positions. These, in turn, will help them further develop their skills and areas of specialization, under supervision in a variety of educational, mental health, and industrial settings. Students may also develop their skills and knowledge through further graduate education in Ph.D., Ed.D., or Psy.D. programs.
A central part of the mission of the MA Counseling programs take shape from the Lynch School of Education's commitment to the promotion of social justice. Through excellence and ethics in scholarship, teaching, and service, the Lynch School - and the Counseling program - aspires to enhance the human condition by promoting a world of greater equity and opportunity.
Students at Boston College are also taught to bring critical perspectives on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation to their work as mental health and school counselors. Sensitivity to the ways in which an individual's membership in each of these groups shapes identity, influences experiences in society, and affects psychological health and well-being is a central part of students' training. The human experience and development are viewed as embedded in multiple contexts.
Students follow one of two program tracks: Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. The program tracks are differentiated in terms of whether a student desires to work in a mental health agency or a school setting as a school guidance counselor.
Most students in the Mental Health Counseling program complete the 60-credit hour program that meets the current pre-Master's requirement for licensing as a Mental Health Counselor in the state of Massachusetts. A 48-credit hour Mental Health track option is also available for students who do not plan to pursue Mental Health licensure or who plan to enter doctoral study after completion of the Master's degree.
The School Counseling program track is a 42-credit hour program that meets the current requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Education for initial licensure as an elementary or secondary school counselor.
The Joint Master of Arts degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Pastoral Ministry includes completion of the 60-credit hours Mental Health Counseling program along with the 37-credit requirements for the MA degree in Pastoral Ministry. A small number of courses are shared between these programs resulting in a small reduction in the total number of credits required for the two degrees.
Student must commit to a program track prior to beginning their program of studies. Students seeking licensure from other states are responsible for assuring that they meet the standards for credentialing in those states. The Internship and Practicum Director, Dr. Sandra Morse, is available to assist students in reviewing the requirements of specific states.
In the first year of the two-year program, Mental Health Counseling students complete academic and practicum course work and skills training, with internship and any remaining coursework to be completed in the second year. Similarly, School Counseling students complete academic and pre-practicum course work and skills training during the first year, with practicum and remaining course completed in the second year. Students may take summer offerings from the program to assist in the completion of their degrees. Students in the 60-credit Mental Health Counseling program must take summer courses to complete degree requirements in two calendar years.
In cases where an individual's background in behavioral and social sciences is limited, additional course work may be required. Courses in developmental, personality, social, and quantitative psychology are particularly good foundation courses.
Program of Study
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/academics/pos.html
Transfer of Credit and Waiving Courses
A maximum of six graduate credits not applied to a previous degree may be transferred from another institution. All transfers of credit from other institutions must be approved by the advisor, Department Chair, and Associate Dean for Students and Outreach.
Graduate Admission Information
Applying to the Lynch School of Education
On-line and printable application
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/admission/applying/Application Requirements
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/admission/applying/instructions/Application Timeline
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/admission/applying/deadlines/
Financial Aid
Funding Sources (includes loans, assistanceships, and scholarships)
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/admission/funding/
