Dr. Amy T. Banner, Director
570-941-4129
bannera2@scranton.edu
Community counselors work with individuals of all ages, cultures, and capabilities with the goal of helping them achieve their full potential. The Community Counseling program prepares professional counselors for direct entry into or advancement in counseling positions in a variety of public and private settings. The program prepares students for this work by providing a learning environment in which they acquire the academic competencies of the profession, refine these competencies through application, and experience personal and professional development.
The program is designed to: 1. Enhance knowledge of counseling concepts and practices; 2. Provide individuals with the counseling skills necessary to function in agency settings; 3. Prepare individuals for certification and licensure in counseling; and 4. Enhance individuals’ employability in entry-level or advanced positions in the counseling profession.
Further, graduates of the Community Counseling program meet the educational requirements for licensure as Professional Counselors in the state of Pennsylvania under Pennsylvania Act 136 of 1998 - The Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act. According to the provisions of Act 136, the applicant must have successfully completed a planned program of 60-semester hours of graduate course work in counseling or in a field determined by the board of regulation to be closely related to the practice of professional counseling, including a 48-semester hour master’s degree in counseling or in a related field.
The Community Counseling Profession
According to the American Counseling Association, counselors are skilled professionals who are trained to help others gain perspective on their lives, explore options, make decisions, resolve problems, and take action. Counselors work with individuals, couples, families, and groups of persons who experience academic, behavioral, career, emotional, interpersonal, and social problems. By establishing an effective and trusting helping relationship, a counselor assesses a client’s strengths and resources, and helps the client increase life-management skills so that mutually agreed upon goals may be achieved. Community counselors provide counseling to individuals of all ages, cultures, and capabilities. When necessary, they are able to diagnose and treat emotional disorders in conjunction with other mental health professionals. In addition, the community counselor designs prevention and clinical intervention programs for communities of varying sizes.
The counseling profession is growing rapidly. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2011 – 2012 (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos067.htm#outlook), employment opportunities for counselors are projected to grow “faster than the average for all occupations” through the year 2018. Specialties within Community Counseling, such as substance abuse counseling, counseling for emotional and behavioral disorders, and marriage and family counseling, are projected to grow at rates either “faster than the average” or “much faster than the average,” as well.
Curriculum
The Community Counseling Program is a 60-credit curriculum that leads to the Master of Science degree and fulfills all the educational requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. The curriculum is divided into three categories; Foundations of Professional Counseling, Community Counseling Core, and Clinical Practice. Required credits include course work in the principles and practice of counseling, three credits of practicum (100 hours of supervised counseling experience), three credits of internship (600 hours of supervised counseling experience), and three credits of advanced internship (300 hours of supervised counseling experience). Six credits of electives are offered to provide students with opportunities for additional study in individual areas of interest and for development of skills in dealing with specific client populations.
Accreditation and Certification
The Community Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Hence, graduates meet all educational requirements for certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Graduates may apply to the National Board of Certified Counselors to take the National Counselor Examination prior to graduation from the program. Every student who passes the certification examination will be granted recognition as an NCC. All inquiries regarding certification as an NCC and application for same should be directed to:
National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc.
3-D Terrace Way
Greensboro, NC 27403
(336) 547-0607
www.nbcc.org
Refer to General Information under the Department of Counseling and Human Services for policies and procedures applicable to all Departmental programs.
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