Our Program: What is a School Counselor?
LMU’s School Counseling program attracts candidates who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of school-aged children. As program alum Alyssa Feely states, "A good counselor understands the importance of being approachable on both academic and personal matters. We can provide an environment that makes the world seem much smaller, and where students feel safe.” Read more about the daily life of a school counselor.
Our nationally recognized program incorporates 48 units as well as 600 hours of fieldwork, and leads to a combined MA in Counseling and California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential. As the PPS credential is a requirement for all California public school counselors, this program is specifically designed for those who plan to serve in a California K-12 public school system.
LMU also offers a School Counseling Internship Credential Program for those candidates who have already been admitted to the MA/PPS program, completed six courses, met several other benchmarks, and have been offered a fulltime position as a School Counselor in a K-12 public school. The Counseling Department Academic Advisor can provide more details.
Program Coursework
General Courses (24 units)
- EDUC 6100 Anthropological Analysis of Cultural Diversity
- EDUC 6101 Education of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students with Exceptional Needs
- EDUC 6104 Evaluation of Instruction, Learning, and Achievement
- EDUC 6106 Human Development and Learning
- EDUC 6362 Counseling Theories and Techniques
- EDUC 6372 Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation in Pupil Personnel Services
- EDUC 6379 Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Appraisal and Response
- EDUC 6382 Professional Ethics, Legal Mandates, and Political Relationships
Specialized Courses (15 units)
- EDUC 6105 Assessment and Research Methodology
- EDUC 6366 Principles, Organization, and Administration of Pupil Personnel Services
- EDUC 6368 Educational and Career Planning
- EDUC 6376 Social Responsibility, Violence Prevention, and Crisis Intervention in Schools
- EDUC 6378 Communication Process and Counseling in Groups
Culminating Coursework (9 units)
- EDUC 6970 Fieldwork in School Counseling I (300 hours)
- EDUC 6386 Practicum in Culturally Responsive Counseling
- EDUC 6980 Fieldwork in School Counseling II (300 hours)
- EDUC 6995 Comprehensive Examination
Application and Admissions
To learn more about admissions, or to apply to this program, click here.
Program Administration
Program Director: Fr. Thomas Batsis, O.Carm.
Assistant Program Director: Professor Judy Pollick
Fieldwork Coordinator: Dr. Paul DeSena
Internship Fieldwork Coordinator: Professor Judy Pollick
Program Advisor: Gloria Davidson (gdavidso@lmu.edu)
Administrative Assistant: Kelli Smith (kksmith@lmu.edu)