The 60-credit School and Community Specialization is designed for students who wish to work in both school and community settings. Students develop practical skills through self-reflection, collaboration with expert faculty and peers, and two years of field experience. Supervised internships with clients in the community and in schools is required.
• Qualify for the Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credential in Massachusetts
• Gain valuable field experience
• Study with experts in the field of mental health
There are two program options in this specialization:The School Adjustment Counseling option is ideal for those who wish to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents within a school setting. The program meets the educational requirements for Licensed Mental Health Counselors, and the requirements for
initial licensure in school adjustment counseling in Massachusetts (PreK-12).
The School Guidance Counseling option is ideal for those who wish to address the normal developmental needs (academic and psychological) of children and adolescents within a school setting. The program meets the educational requirements for Licensed Mental Health Counselors, and the requirements for
initial licensure in school guidance counseling in Massachusetts (levels PreK-8 or 5-12).
View the programs of study for the 60-Credit School and Community Specializations:
School Adjustment Track
School Guidance Track
Sample Course Descriptions
Issues in School Counseling for the School Adjustment Counselor
3 credits
Focus is on the provision of adjustment counseling services within the school context. Students come to understand schools as unique organizations with an understanding of how various personnel serve students. The counselor’s work with teachers, parents, other school and agency personnel, and the system as a whole is addressed with a focus on prevention and treatment models, the juvenile justice system as it relates to students in the community, and the unique legal and ethical issues facing the school adjustment counselor.
Introduction to Family Therapy
3 credits
Provides an overview of family therapy and systems theory. A systemic perspective of human development and functioning in the family ecosystem is presented. The contemporary family therapies approaches—structural, strategic, communications, feminist, and family of origin—are explored. Students are asked to reflect on their own family of origin.
Psychoeducational Approaches to Counseling and Prevention
3 credits
This course presents the theory and practice of developing educational models that make psychological information available to children, adolescents, and adults for the purpose of both prevention and intervention with adjustment, stress, and mentalhealth problems. The understanding of normal lifespan development and sound mental health practice inform psychoeducational programs employed in clinics, schools, hospitals, and social service agencies. The appropriateness, effectiveness, and limitations of psychoeducational programs will be addressed. Students will learn to select from available psychoeducational programs and to design their own curricula.
Faculty Spotlight
Sue Motulsky
Associate Professor, Counseling and Psychology
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Sidney Trantham, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Counseling and Psychology
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