Jonathan R. Ricks, Ph.D., LCMHCS, NCC, RPT, LSC
Director of Professional School Counseling Program, and Associate Professor
Already have a master's in counseling? Add the school counseling license!
Candidates possessing a graduate degree in a counseling area (completion of a master’s degree in addiction; career; clinical mental health; clinical rehabilitation; college counseling and student affairs; marriage, couple, and family counseling; or rehabilitation) may apply for admission to the Post Master's Certificate for Licensure in Professional School Counseling.
Please note: This program meets NCDPI requirements for provisional licensure as set forth in Policy: LICN-001, 7-5-2018 (G.S. 115C-296).
The certificate program is not a completely online program. Some courses are hybrid and require on-campus attendance at our main campus in Pembroke and/or our satellite campus in Wilmington at least 8 times per semester.
Please note that students enrolled in the post-master's certificate may receive federal financial aid or may establish a monthly payment plan through Student Accounts if desired.
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Summary of the Post Master's Certificate for Licensure in Professional School Counseling Protocol and Policy
1. Only candidates with at least a 48-hour graduate degree** in a qualifying counseling speciality area (i.e., addiction; career; clinical mental health; clinical rehabilitation; college counseling and student affairs; marriage, couple, and family counseling; or rehabilitation counseling) from a regionally accredited program will be considered for the certificate program.
2. Students must complete the certificate program within 3 years.
3. Students must earn a “B” or better in all graded coursework applied toward satisfying certificate requirements.
4. No more than two specialty classes taken at UNCP within the past seven years may be applied to the certificate curriculum. Courses taken at other colleges/universities are not eligible to transfer credit to this program.
5. Students are obligated to adhere to all other policies established by the program, school, and university.
6. Students are responsible for purchasing all course materials including a lifetime subscription to the field placement software.
7. Students must take Praxis II Specialty Area Test in School Counseling at the conclusion of their Internship.
8. Students should be aware that UNCP makes recommendation for licensure only; licensure is granted by the NCDPI. Thus, there may be other requirements mandated by NCDPI before a license will be issued.
**Students who did not complete the standard counseling core as defined by CACREP will be required to complete any missing core courses in addition to the program of study for the certificate.
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Certificate for Licensure Plan of Study
I. School Counseling Specialty Courses (12 Semester Hours)
Required
CNS 5350 The Professional School Counselor
CNS 5550 Seminar in Professional School Counseling
Select 2 courses from
CNS 5060 Crisis Intervention
CNS 5250 Counseling Children and Adolescents
CNS 5310 Mental Health Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
CNS 5650 School Counselor as Leader, Advocate, and Consultant
CNS 5770 Evidence-Based School Counseling
CNS 5750 College and Career Readiness
CNS 5780 Addressing the Achievement Gap and Issues of Social Justice
II. Practicum and Internship Requirement (9 Semester Hours)
CNS 6100 Counseling Practicum
CNS 6130 School Counseling Internship (repeated once)