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This program prepares counselors for professional practice in all settings. The core course work covers a range of counseling and human development issues including approaches to individual and group counseling; ethical and professional issues in counseling; fundamentals of the counseling profession; counseling ethics; measurement and evaluation in counseling; lifespan and career development; research in counseling; and social and cultural issues.

The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Counseling is designed to further develop learners' knowledge and skills in counseling and to cultivate their capacity for leadership as professionals. The Ed.S. is suitable for master’s degree level counselors who wish to earn an additional graduate degree in counseling, or for individuals with master’s degrees in related fields who wish to satisfy the academic portion of the state requirements for licensure as a professional counselor or a school counselor. It is considered a terminal counseling practitioner’s degree.

The Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Counseling is intended to prepare professional counselors to provide leadership in the profession of counseling. Counseling leaders must be excellent counselors, supervisors, teachers, researchers, and scholars.

This program prepares students to practice as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in diverse contexts. As part of the overall CACREP accredited counseling program, Clinical Mental Health Counseling students are exposed to a wide variety of theories and skills, research and assessment techniques, professional identity and ethical concerns, as well as the importance of advocacy and multicultural-social justice principles for working with clients.

This program prepares students to practice as professional school counselors in K-12 educational settings and meets the school counseling licensing requirements in Virginia. The School Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Additionally, students can expect to receive training on the American School Counselor Association National Model through didactic and experiential instruction.

This program prepares students for entry-level positions in a wide variety of community and social service related settings. Graduates are prepared to assist clients in coping successfully with developmental tasks of normal growth and in solving problems caused by personal, social, and environmental stress.

With this minor, you will learn the roles and functions of the human services profession, characteristics of human growth and development; characteristics of human services agencies; theories and skills of human services and working with specialized populations.

This minor serves as a valuable addition to various academic programs and majors, offering comprehensive training in the 12 core competency areas outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).

Graduates will gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to recognize the signs and symptoms of substance abuse, understand crisis intervention and relapse prevention strategies, develop substance abuse prevention and recovery programs, treat individuals and families affected by addiction, and make ethical decisions as a human services professional.