Catalog 2007-2008
Graduate School of Education and Counseling

Please Note: This is the 2007-2008 catalog. It is now out of date, and included here only for archival purposes. Please use the current edition. Thank you.

School Counseling

Ensuring academic, career, and personal/social success for all students defines the school counselor's role in the school and community. Lewis & Clark's School Counseling Program prepares well-qualified school counselors to deliver a comprehensive school counseling program based on national standards in these areas of development. Candidates come to perceive education as a community endeavor requiring the best collaborative efforts of students, educators, families, and community members. Program participants develop close relationships with practitioners and faculty in small class settings while learning how to promote this collaboration through leadership and advocacy.

Lewis & Clark's School Counseling Program offers an innovative master's degree program with licensure and a licensure-only program for those interested in becoming school counselors. Candidates begin working in the schools during their first semester of coursework. This on-site involvement continues throughout the program and emphasizes a commitment to diversity and social justice issues and to the use of data, assessment, and technology.

The School Counseling Program continually reviews and improves course offerings to reflect changing expectations at the local, state, and national levels while maintaining academic and philosophical integrity.

The Lewis & Clark School Counseling Program fulfills the following:

• Provides a quality academic experience that develops knowledge and skills and reflects school counseling in the 21st century.
• Provides professional support and assistance for all candidates to meet state requirements for licensure.
• Focuses on the individual needs of candidates, their students, their schools, and their communities.
• Provides opportunities to work collaboratively with families, volunteers, colleagues, and community members in applying course content to actual work situations, beginning during the first semester of coursework.
• Promotes success for all participants via continued formal and informal feedback and evaluations.
• Provides an arena for multiple professional growth opportunities.

  Additionally, the Lewis & Clark School Counseling Program prepares candidates to

  • Develop advocacy, leadership, and collaboration skills through a comprehensive and challenging curriculum.
  • Understand culturally diverse populations and issues of social justice and equity through field placements and hands-on work.
  • Explore and foster collaborative efforts between schools and communities.
  • Be critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and visionaries for their schools and communities.
  • Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate a broad and comprehensive knowledge base of best practices in school settings, particularly those that apply to ensuring equity for all students.

  Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and NCATE have approved Lewis & Clark's licensure programs in school counseling.

  Academic Advising

  Each accepted candidate is assigned a faculty adviser. Advisers assist candidates in planning an official course of study and answer questions about the School Counseling Program and the profession in general, as well as providing additional support as needed. Each candidate has the responsibility to develop an approved course of study with his or her adviser prior to enrolling; to stay informed about registration, course schedule changes, and deadlines; and to obtain approval for any changes to the approved course of study. (See also Policies and Procedures.)

  Waivers and Transfers

  Candidates seeking master's degrees may petition to waive required courses based on competency or experience. All required courses that are waived must be replaced by preapproved elective coursework with equivalent credit.

  Candidates seeking master's degrees may petition to transfer credits from another institution. The maximum number of transfer credits allowed is 10 semester hours, earned no more than five years prior to admission.

  Licensure-only candidates meet with their advisers to develop individualized programs that fulfill the licensure requirements of Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.

  Core Program

  The Core Program, a graduate school elective option, is described in detail in this catalog. Students should consult with their advisers for the specific Core requirements for school counseling.

  Ongoing Candidate Evaluation

  Candidates are evaluated each semester by course professors. Evaluation criteria include successful completion of courses (e.g., timeliness of work, cooperation with peers, quality of academic work) and performance rubrics developed according to the performance objectives approved by Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and NCATE. (Instructors address these in class.) Candidates must begin a professional portfolio during the first semester of coursework. The portfolio includes documentation of the following:

  • All completed coursework/projects (e.g., an evaluation summary for each course)
  • Micro-internships (e.g., academic development and consultation internships)
  • Professional organizational membership beginning in the first semester of coursework
  • Completion of all prerequisite coursework prior to the final internship
  • Completion of all courses (i.e., no outstanding Incompletes prior to the final internship)
  • Applicable coursework in the development of a comprehensive school counseling program plan

  Joint Program: Master of Education in School Counseling and Initial License

  Track I
  Candidates who hold a valid Oregon Teaching Certificate or License and have completed two years of successful teaching are eligible for the Track I program in school counseling. Candidates must complete 42 semester hours (distributed as follows), including 1 semester hour of an approved elective:

  Required Courses
  500 Introduction to School Counseling, 3 semester hours
  501 Academic Development and Consultation, 2 semester hours
  502 Internship: Academic Development and Consultation, 1.5 semester hours
  503 Career Development and Consultation, 2 semester hours
  505 Personal/Social Development and Consultation, 2 semester hours
  506 Internship: Personal/Social Development and Consultation, 1.5 semester hours
  507 Development of the Learner: Children and Adolescents, 2 semester hours
  508 Social Justice, Diversity, and Cultural Issues, 2 semester hours
  509 Ethical and Legal Issues in Education and School Counseling, 3 semester hours
  510 Family Dynamics, Community Resources, and Consultation, 3 semester hours
  511 Group Leadership Skills for School Counselors, 2 semester hours
  512 Special Needs Populations in Schools, 2 semester hours
  513 Continued Studies in Educational Research and Assessment, 3 semester hours
  516 School Counseling Internship, 8 semester hours

  Graduate Elective Requirement
  A minimum of 4 semester hours

  Track II
  Candidates who do not hold a valid Oregon Teaching License--or who do hold such a license but have less than two years of teaching experience in an accredited school for grades K-12--are eligible for the Track II program in school counseling. Candidates must complete the 42 semester hours described above plus 517 Practicum in Classroom Instruction, 5 semester hours.

  Curriculum: Initial School Counselor

  SCED 500 - Introduction to School Counseling

  Perspectives and practices for school counseling in the 21st century, multicultural and diversity issues impacting school counseling, overview of counseling theory as applied to the child and adolescent in a school setting. Introduction to counseling-skill development with an emphasis on solution-focused, micro-skills, and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Direct involvement with local practicing school counselors and diverse student groups.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 3 semester hours.

  SCED 501 - Academic Development and Consultation

  First of three courses addressing National Standards for Comprehensive School counseling Programs and the role of the school counselor in consultation. Skill development with an emphasis on resiliency/asset-building using solution-focused, microskills, cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, and reality/choice counseling as applied to the academic development of a diverse population of students to eliminate achievement gaps. Topics include developmental assets as identified by the Search Institute. Participants practice consultation skills with students and faculty.
  Corequisite: SCED 500, 502.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 502 - Internship: Academic Development and Consultation

  Direct experience in school settings working with students and faculty. Candidates conduct classroom activities to support academic success based on the National Standard for academic Competencies. Under the direction of the school counselor, participants consult with students and faculty on academic issues and the elimination of achievement gaps between and ethnic and racial groups.
  Corequisite: SCED 500, 501.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 1.5 semester hours.

  SCED 503 - Career Development and Consultation

  Second of three courses addressing National Standards for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and the role of the school counselor in consultation. Continued skill development with an emphasis on resiliency/asset-building using solution-focused, microskills, cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, and reality/choice counseling as applied to the career development of a diverse population of students. Topics include developmental assets as identified by the Search Institute. Content knowledge is enhanced by technology. Participants practice consultation skills with students and faculty.
  Prerequisite: SCED 500-502.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 505 - Personal/Social Development and Consultation

  Third of three courses addressing National Standards for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and the role of the school counselor in consultation. Continued skill development with an emphasis on resiliency/asset-building using solution-focused, microskills, cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, and reality/choice counseling as applied to the personal/social development of a diverse population of students. Topics include developmental assets as identified by the Search Institute. Participants practice consultation skills with students and faculty.
  Prerequisite: SCED 500-502.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 506 - Internship: Personal/Social Development and Consultation

  Direct experience in school settings working with students and faculty. Candidates conduct classroom activities to support personal/social success based on the National Standard for Personal/Social Competencies. Under the direction of the school counselor, participants consult with students and faculty on personal/social issues.
  Corequisite: SCED 505.
  Prerequisite: SCED 500-502.
  Credit: 1.5 semester hours.

  SCED 507 - Development of the Learner: Children and Adolescents

  Discussion, critique, and application of theories of child and adolescent development and learning. Application of theory to the school setting in the areas of learner development, learner styles/differences, the nature of the learner, and learner motivation. Topics include the impact of culture and diversity on learning. Examines from the perspective of the school counselor the contribution of internal/ external asset development that helps today's youth thrive.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 508 - Social Justice, Diversity, and Cultural Issues

  Strategies for interacting and working with diverse communities as identified by race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religion. Addresses methods for positively impacting social and cultural diversity and equity issues including the possible effects of culture, race stereotyping, family, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual identity, language, and values on student development and progress in the school setting. Content and methodology emphasize small-group activities, collaboration, and use of data to create equity for all students. Candidates practice taking an active role in supporting all students and focus on eliminating the achievement gap.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 509 - Ethical and Legal Issues in Education and School Counseling

  Study of sources of law under which educators operate. Case law, lectures, and discussions concentrate on legal rights and responsibilities of all individuals attending or employed by public schools. Examination of areas of educational governance (e.g., courses of law and the courts, schools and the states). Explores the ethical codes of the American School counselor Association and the American Counseling Association using case studies. Meets the requirement of Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for knowledge of federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 3 semester hours.

  SCED 510 - Family Dynamics, Community Resources, and Consultation

  Effective ways to include family members as active contributors in their children's education. Examines concepts of family dynamics and dysfunction requiring referral and use of community resources. Topics include developmental assets as applicable to the family setting and impact of the special-needs child on the family organizational structure. Explores diversities inherent in families and focuses on ways of relating to families who differ from each other in terms of age, race, socioeconomic background, and/or family form.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 3 semester hours.

  SCED 511 - Group Leadership Skills for School Counselors

  Principles and practices of group counseling, group dynamics, group leadership, and group processes with students and parents. Topics include group approaches for promoting academic, career, and personal/social success for all students. Candidates plan, organize, facilitate, and evaluate small groups within the educational setting. Addresses ethical considerations of group work with children and adolescents using the ethical codes of the American School Counselor Association and the American Counseling Association.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 512 - Special-Needs Populations in Schools

  Overview of the special-needs child in today's schools and the knowledge and skills necessary to better advocate on behalf of this student. Topics include exceptionalities including communication disorders, learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, behavioral disorders, orthopedic impairments, traumatic brain injuries, hearing and vision impairments, and special talents and giftedness. Participants review criteria for special-needs populations as outlined in the Oregon Administrative Rules.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 513A - Continued Studies in Educational Research and Assessment

  Major uses and components of classroom or school-based research processes, academic test interpretation, and limitations. Participants explore quantitative and qualitative research methods, critique of research studies, assessment and evaluation, integration of assessment with instruction, portfolios, comprehensive school counseling programs, and what it means to be a practitioner-researcher. Topics include cultural assumptions held by researchers and the effects of these assumptions on research practices and results. Candidates develop a database, PowerPoint presentation, and Web page for data display.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 2 semester hours.

  SCED 513B - Continued Studies in Educational Research, Assessment, and Technology

  
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 1 semester hour.

  SCED 516 - School Counseling Internship

  Application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained from previous courses (e.g., consultation, research, ethics/law). Candidates focus on the school counselor's role within the educational setting and prepare a professional portfolio that showcases their graduate work/experiences. Candidates assess, design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program based on national standards, the ASCA National Model, and Oregon's Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Framework. Explores school reform initiatives (e.g., Certificate of Initial Mastery, Certificate of Advanced Mastery, Proficiency-based Admissions Standards) including curriculum, instruction, leadership, and politics. Two semesters.
  Prerequisite: Portfolio meeting/signoff with adviser, completion of all required coursework.
  Credit: 4 semester hours fall; 4 semester hours spring.

  SCED 517 - Practicum in Classroom Instruction

  Foundations of education and curriculum. Classroom instruction is complemented by a teaching practicum, allowing the candidate to integrate theory and practice. Participants complete student teaching and prepare a work sample. Two semesters.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Credit: 3 semester hours fall; 2 semester hours spring.

  Continuing School Counselor Licensure

  The Continuing School Counselor Licensure Program at Lewis & Clark College is designed to meet the advanced competency requirements of Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission while providing students with opportunities for direct application of course content to school, community, and professional development.

  The Continuing School Counselor Licensure Program builds on the knowledge and skills developed in the Initial Licensure Program. Completion of the Continuing School Counselor License assists the candidate in ensuring student success and school improvement through action research while developing leadership, collaboration, and advocacy skills for the school-community partnership.

  Courses in the Continuing School counselor Licensure Program include SCED 560 Professional Development, Collaboration, and Advocacy; SCED 561 Organizational leadership and Decision Making; SCED 562 Models of Organizational Change; and SCED 563 Research-Based Collaboration Internship. For full course listings, please visit graduate.lclark.edu/dept/gradreg/offerings.html.

  Technology

  All courses address the appropriate use of technology. Candidates are expected to have e-mail accounts and correspond electronically with instructors, other candidates, and fellow professionals. Candidates learn how to use databases, PowerPoint presentations, and Web pages to advance their school's leadership, advocacy, and collaboration efforts within the community.

  Documentation

  Documentation of work completed within each course is housed in the Continuing License Educational Portfolio (CLEP). Each course section of the CLEP contains all evaluations and pertinent documentation. Identified professors, practicing school counselors (with advanced professional standing), and/or a designated Continuing License Committee evaluate the completed CLEP.

  Program Planning

  Candidates are encouraged to begin study for the continuing school counselor license upon completing the initial school counselor license. See the department for details.