Counseling and Psychological Services

Michael LeBlanc, Chair
321 Mahar Hall
315-312-4051
www.oswego.edu/cps

James McDougal, School Psychology Program Coordinator
207 Mahar Hall
315-312-3275

Sean Finnerty, Counseling Services Program Coordinator
321 Mahar Hall
315-312-4051

Jodi Mullen, Mental Health Counseling Program Coordinator
410 Mahar Hall
315-312-3496

Counseling and Psychological Services Professors

General Information

The Counseling and Psychological Services Department offers degree programs in three areas—Mental Health Counseling, Counseling Services, and School Psychology.

The Mental Health Counseling program is a sixty-hour program designed to prepare human service providers to deal with problems and general concerns of human service agency clients and employees. The Mental Health Counseling program has the approval of the New York State Education Department as licensure qualifying and is currently designed for part or full-time study. Some courses for the Mental Health Counseling program may be offered in Watertown, NY.

The Counseling Services program offers four possible options for completing a degree within the program. A Master of Science degree in Counseling Services may be awarded upon the student’s completion of forty-eight graduate credit hours, an internship, a comprehensive exam, and, optionally, an approved thesis project. There are two possible tracks from which a student may select to complete the 48-hour Master of Science degree. One track trains students to work within primary and secondary school settings. The second track, Student Affairs Practice, trains individuals in higher educational settings. Students may also elect to simultaneously complete a Master of Science degree in Counseling Services and a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) by completing sixty graduate credit hours, an internship, a comprehensive exam, and an approved thesis project, a sequence of two approved courses, or a presentation at state or national levels. Students who have already earned a Master’s Degree in a related field may apply to the program leading to a Certificate of Advanced Study in Counseling Services. Their programs are individually planned and require that at least 30 credit hours of graduate course work, an internship, a comprehensive examination, and an approved thesis project, a sequence of two approved courses, or a presentation at state or national levels, be completed in the Counseling and Psychological Services Department. Upon completion of either of the Master of Science degree options or, where appropriate, the CAS option, the student becomes eligible for provisional certification as a School Counselor in New York State. Permanent certification as a school counselor may be awarded by the New York State Education Department upon the successful completion of a Master of Science degree in Counseling Services, sixty graduate credit hours, and two years of successful experience. Students in the Counseling Services program may enroll on either a part-time or full-time basis. The Counseling Services program is approved by the Bureau of Teacher Certification of the New York State Education Department and is housed within an NCATE approved School of Education.

The CPS Department also offers a non-degree certificate program in Play Therapy. The graduate certificate program provides students with an opportunity to obtain a comprehensive authentic learning experience in play therapy. This program offers a broad sequence of courses in play therapy throughout the year. Students who complete the certificate program qualify for training to become Credentialed Play Therapists.

The School Psychology program offers three possible options for completing a degree within the program. A Master of Science degree in School Psychology may be awarded upon the student’s completion of sixty graduate credit hours, a full time-full year internship, and a comprehensive examination. Students may also elect to simultaneously complete a Master of Science degree in School Psychology and a Certificate of Advanced Study by completing sixty graduate credit hours, a full time-full year internship, a comprehensive exam, and an approved thesis project, a sequence of two approved courses, or a presentation at state or national levels. Students who have already earned a Master’s Degree in a related field may apply to the program leading to a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology. Their programs are individually planned and require that at least 30 credit hours of graduate coursework, an internship, a comprehensive examination, and an approved thesis project, a sequence of two approved courses, or a presentation at state or national levels, be completed in the Counseling and Psychological Services Department. Upon completion of either of the Master of Science degree options or, where appropriate, the CAS option, the student becomes eligible for provisional certification as a School Psychologist in New York State. Permanent certification may be awarded by the New York State Education Department upon the successful completion of two years of successful experience. The School Psychology program is a full-time, three-year training experience and is approved by the Bureau of Teacher Certification of the New York State Education Department, accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and is housed within an NCATE accredited School of Education.

All programs require, as part of the admissions application process, the submission of GRE Aptitude scores.

The department requires a minimum grade of B (3.0) in the following courses: CPS 510, 511, 512/513, 541, 587, 588, 589, 612, 613, 642, 688, and 689.

All students entering internships must have achieved candidacy status, have a grade point average of 3.0 or better, and have accumulated a minimum of 30 credit hours in their program of study.

Programs

Master of Science

Non-degree Graduate Certificate