SHU to Launch Master's in School Counseling This Summer
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Sacred Heart University’s new Master of Arts in school counseling program has earned approval from the Connecticut Department of Education and will launch this summer. Offered by the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development (FCEHD), it will be online, except for two on-campus residencies.
Sandra (Sandi) Logan-McKibben, school counseling program director, has been developing the curriculum since 2020. “We built the program so it not only earned state approval, but it also is situated for national accreditation with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs,” she said, adding that the national accreditation is granted only after the first cohort of students has graduated. “Our program was created to serve a national audience as soon as we can.”
SHU’s master’s in school counseling will meet or exceed academic and fieldwork experiences that most states require for certification and licensure, Logan-McKibben said. For example, while many states require 400 internship hours for accreditation, and the national requirement is 600 hours, Connecticut―and therefore SHU―calls for 700 hours.
The 60-credit program incorporates real-world experience and a modern curriculum to produce competent, ethical, effective and data-driven school counselors who are social justice advocates and leaders. Graduates will be prepared to support PK-12 students across academic development, college and career readiness, and social-emotional learning and development.
One unique factor is a first-of-its-kind video series that Logan-McKibben developed, titled “Voices from the Field,” which features discussions with school counseling leaders from across the nation, including the last five honorees for school counselor of the year.
The program also requires students to complete two week-long residencies at SHU. The first residency will concentrate on developing individual counseling skills, so graduates will know how to listen effectively, reflect and counsel students. The second will focus on expanding skills to facilitate group counseling and large presentations.
“Our goal is to offer curriculum and to facilitate learning experiences that prepare the next generation of school counselors to handle the multifaceted role and daily challenges in the quest to best serve students, families and communities,” Logan-McKibben said. Summer and fall admission cycles will enable students to join when the time is right for them.
“We are incredibly excited to be launching our new master’s in school counseling program this summer,” said Michael Alfano, FCEHD dean and vice provost for strategic partnerships. “The program director, Dr. Sandi Logan-McKibben, is a national authority on school counseling and, along with her peers, has created curriculum that is comprehensive and cutting edge. There is no doubt that it will prepare professionals for rewarding careers in school counseling.”
About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers nearly 90 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 388 Colleges–2023 Edition, and Best Business Schools–2023 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliated radio station, WSHU, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu