Counselor Education Program

Welcome to the Counselor Education Program at Sul Ross State University. We take pride in the fact that our counselor education program has been preparing graduates for many years to serve in the counseling profession. Graduates of our counselor education program receive a Master of Education degree with a major in counseling. Our program is designed to develop knowledge and skills needed to act as facilitators of change and growth for culturally diverse individuals, groups, and organizations, and to prepare them to work as professional counselors in a variety of settings, including:

public and private schools
colleges and universities
mental health agencies
community agencies

A Master of Education degree with certification requires 36 semester credit hours of approved coursework. Successful completion of the School Counselor program provides the academic preparation required for certification as a school counselor in Texas.

The Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) requires that an applicant

successfully complete a school counselor preparation program,
hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education,
have a minimum of two years’ teaching experience in a public or accredited private school, and
pass the TExES in Counseling

Students interested in emergency certification to work as a school counselor are required to complete 12 semester credit hours of specific coursework before being eligible to apply for a deficiency plan through Sul Ross.

Academic coursework required for licensure by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (Licensed Professional Counselor—LPC) at Sul Ross includes the 36-hours for the master's degree plus 12 additional hours. Note that the Board has additional requirements for licensure. Contact them directly for additional information.

Classes are offered in a convenient weekend format. During Spring and Fall semesters classes meet on four designated weekends (Saturday and Sunday). For Summer sessions the format is slightly modified, classes meet on designated days (i.e., Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, or Saturday and Sunday) for four consecutive weeks in June or July. Students may enroll in a maximum of 9 semester credit hours during each Fall and Spring term, and a maximum of 6 semester credit hours in each of the two annual summer sessions. Students may join the program at the beginning of any term.

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

All applicants for the M.Ed. degree in counseling must meet the admission requirements for graduate studies which includes holding a bachelor’s degree from an institution approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Information and application packets are available in the Office of Admissions and Records, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas, 79832. You may call the office at (432) 837-8050, or toll-free from out of town at 1-888-722-7778. (Note: this toll-free number is for the Admissions office only; they cannot transfer calls to other departments at the University.)

CONTACT INFORMATION

We would be happy to discuss our program with you. Please contact the Department Secretary in the Department of Education Office, Morelock Academic Building, Room 305, or by phone at (432) 837-8170 or email at ekim@sulross.edu.