June 16 , 2008
New online master of science counseling program starts this fall
MARTIN – An online Master of Science in Education with a major in Counseling – School or Community – will be offered for the first time, beginning Aug. 25, by the University of Tennessee at Martin. It is available to individuals who have obtained a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
“We continue to provide accredited, instructional access to enable working professionals to expand their expertise and ultimately improve the level of services to citizens within the region,” said Dr. Tom Rakes, UT Martin chancellor. “This program is one more graduate-level program we are pleased to offer as part of our growing online program menu.”
Joining master of science in education degrees in administration and supervision, geoscience education and special education, all degree requirements for the new program may be completed online with the exception of a required four-day residency at the beginning of each semester. The residency for fall semester is Aug. 21-24; spring, Jan. 8-11; and summer, May 28-31. Candidates are admitted for each semester.
“We are very excited to be able to offer the master’s degree in community and school counseling online,” said Dr. Mary L. Hall, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences dean. “This is an opportunity for those who are working full-time jobs and involved in family life to pursue a dream and goal of a master’s degree in counseling without the travel involved.” She added, “The residency requirement will provide the face-to-face connection that is so critical for those interested in counseling for a career. Faculty members will also work closely with a supervising mentor counselor during the internship to assure a quality experience.”
The counseling program coursework and course materials are accessible online, 24/7, with discussion, email, chat, assignments, examinations and Web-conferencing capability. Students have access to free tech support through UT Martin’s Help Desk, 731-881-7900, each day until midnight CST.
The program includes a graduate core of six hours, counseling core of 36 hours and a culminating internship experience of six hours. Total minimum hours required is 48. A student is permitted to take nine hours of degree course work each semester. Typically, the online counseling program takes 24-30 months to complete.
Also required are a school internship (600 hours total) and/or a community/mental health internship (600 hours total) for completion of the program. The internship is the experiential component of the counseling program, and it may be completed at a site where the student works or resides.
UT Martin is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the education curriculum is approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
“This program has been under development for online delivery for two years,” added Dr. Tommy Cates, director of UT Online. “The faculty have done a masterful job of preparing the courses and materials for this venture.”
For more information about the online counseling program or other online programs offered by the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, call 731-881-7125. For information about additional UT Online programs – master in agriculture and natural resources systems management, master of sciences in engineering management, master of science in family and consumer sciences and master of business administration – call UT Online, toll-free, at 1-866-587-7589 or 1-731-881-7589 or visit http://utonline.tennessee.edu.
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