Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology

The master of arts program has two tracks:

• community counseling
• school counseling

Students are admitted to one track or the other when they are accepted into the program. The community counseling track takes an average of 2 ½ years to complete, depending on the number of courses students elect to take per semester. The school counseling track is designed to be completed in 2 years with most classes taken during summer sessions because most school counseling students are full time teachers and attend the program only part-time. School counseling students are admitted as a cohort.

The Community-based Counseling Specialization is designed to provide the academic requirements for licensure as a mental health practitioner in Nebraska. Licensure at the Masters level requires 600 hours of counseling practice at the pre-degree stage.

The School Counseling option requires a total of 48 credits. School Counseling students must take EDPS 974, Guidance and Counseling in Schools in place of EDPS 984, Ethics and Ethical Decision Making in Counseling and Education, and are required to take only one semester of field placement. Completion of the School Counseling Specialization meets the academic requirements for endorsement through the state office of education in school counseling. School counseling endorsement in Nebraska also requires teacher certification and two years of teaching experience.