General Information
Program Information
The OSU-Cascades Master of Science in Counseling program offers a part time option that spans three years as well as a full time option that can be completed in two years. Program begins June of each year. Students choosing the part time option take two classes per term, while students choosing the full time option average four classes per term. All classes are held in the evenings, starting at 4:00. Classes are Monday through Thursday with an occasional class being offered in a weekend format. In addition to coursework, students complete a 100 hour practicum and a 600 hour internship for school track or a 900 hour internship for Clinical Mental Health. While the part time option is designed to fit into the lives of working individuals, the master's level internship hours in the final year are intensive.
There are no prerequisite courses for the program. No specific undergraduate program is required and students enter with a wide range of undergraduate degrees and careers. All have a passion for working in helping professions.
The coursework for this program integrates academic knowledge and theory with counseling practice and internships. Completion of this degree meets academic eligibility requirements for School Counselor Licensure from TSPC and Licensed Professional Counselor from the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. The OSU-Cascades MS in Counseling program is accredited through CACREP (Council for Accrediting Counseling and Related Educational Programs).
Jim Mockaitis Community Counseling Student 2005 Cohort
For me, one of the unexpected gifts of my participation in this program was a continually evolving understanding and appreciation for all the life experience, which I could bring to my new profession and to the clients that I have and will continue to serve. Additionally, the program challenged my values, my thinking and kindled in me a wonderful stretch to wideness of life. The counseling program not only challenged me intellectually and professionally, but it assisted me in addressing many personal issues. In this sense, it was a healing and empowering experience, much due to the fact that it gave me a sense that my life to that point had all worked together to enrich, rather than splinter me. The warmth and support of my cohort, the talented and supportive instructors and the convenience of being able to participate in this program here in Bend, made for a winning combination and a very cherished adventure.
Julie Mann School Counseling Student 2004 Cohort
Picking a graduate school was very easy for me. I did not want to move or give up my job. Flexibility and personal contact were also priorities on my list. When researching colleges, I quickly realized that OSU-Cascades was the perfect option for me.
Over the last couple years, my professors and classmates have gotten to know me on a personal level. They know me well and have provided an environment where my academic, professional, and personal growth could be maximized. Although I hit many roadblocks along the way, they supported me through each one. I am not just leaving this program with a degree and the confidence to start a new career. I am leaving with personal connections that I expect to have for years to come.
- MS with a Major in Counseling Program Handbook This document is under revision Everything you need to know about our program
- MS with a Major in Counseling Objectives These objectives reflect the goals of the institution and the counseling profession for both Clinical Mental Health Counseling and school counseling
- MS in Counseling Curriculum (pdf document) Course schedule (generic)
If you desire more information about our program, we invite you to call or email Meredith Mason, 541-322-3127, or Donna Harris, 541-322-3173.
If you wish to join the mailing list of prospective students for the 2010 cohort, please call or email Donna Harris, 541-322-3173.
2009 Distinguished Community Counseling Student
Liesl Farnsworth (center)
Dr. Joyce Mphande-Finn (left), Instructor, Counseling Clinical Coordinator
Dr. Daniel Stroud (right), Instructor & Program Coordinator, Community Counselor Education
2009 Distinguished School Counseling Student
Jen Hume (right)
Dr. Kathy Biles (left) Instructor & Program Coordinator, School Counselor Edcuation
Licensing Opportunities
School Counselor Licenses
The school counseling program has Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) approval to offer both initial and continuing state licensure as a school counselor. Individual advisement by your major professor is necessary to evaluate readiness for licensure. (For further information on TSPC, go to www.tspc.state.or.us/)
Licensed Professional Counselor
All M.S. Graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) from the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (www.oblcpt.state.or.us). Graduate students in counseling are eligible to take the National Counselor Examination (www.nbcc.org) during the last quarter of their degree program. The results of this examination and other post-degree experiences required by OBLPCT are used to earn LPC status in Oregon.
