Degrees offered

The Department of Counseling offers an experiential focused curriculum leading to a Master of Arts degree in four counseling areas, the Education Specialist degree in Counseling, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision:

  • General Counseling (Does not meet Virginia requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor)
  • School Counseling
  • Student Affairs/College Student Development
  • Community Mental Health Counseling
  • Pastoral Counseling
  • Addiction Counseling
  • Educational Specialist
  • Doctor of Philosophy Counselor Education and Supervision

 


  • General Counseling (Does not meet Virginia requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor): The MA in Counseling, General Counseling concentration will provide an overview of the counseling profession. This program is offer on Main Campus and Online. The concentration will only provide courses that are a foundation but may be used for certification in Virginia as a Qualified Mental Health Provider. This concentration will provide interested students an introduction to the profession of counseling as an alternative to currently offered concentrations in Community Mental Health Counseling, Student Affairs/College Student Development Counseling, and School Counseling. The program consists of 30 semester hours with the requirement of a comprehensive examination. Admission requirements are the same for all programs. To maintain concentration integrity and provide students enrolled in the concentration in General Counseling an opportunity to seek license as a professional counselor, the following policy is established. Prior to graduation and only once, students enrolled in the MA in Main Campus Counseling program with a concentration in General Counseling may transfer all coursework completed into another concentration in the MA in Counseling program on Main Campus. Student currently enrolled or enrolled in the future in a concentration of the MA in Counseling program may transfer to the MA in Counseling with a concentration in General Counseling only once.
  • School Counseling: The Master’s Degree Program with a concentration in School Counseling will prepare dedicated and resourceful school counselors to respond to growing challenges faced by those working in elementary, middle and secondary school settings. A special focus is provided on how to improve academic achievement. Upon completion of the program requirements, the students are able to seek state certification in guidance counseling.
  • Student Affairs/College Student Development: The Master of Arts Degree Program in Counseling with a concentration in Student Affairs is designed to provide professional training for entry positions in the college student development field in university, college and two-year post-secondary settings in such specific areas of performance as residential life, management, admissions, financial aid, student activities, career development and other areas.
  • Community Mental Health Counseling: The Master of Arts Degree Program in Counseling with a concentration in Community Agency Counseling is primarily intended for persons who wish to engage in counseling in a non-school setting (e.g. youth service agencies, career training programs, correctional institutions, and community counseling settings). It provides the student with the understanding, training and experience necessary for entry and successful participation and development in the fields of agency work.
  • Community Mental Health Pastoral Counseling: The Master of Arts Degree Program in Counseling with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling is designed to provide professional counseling skills to spiritual leaders within the church and communities. This program has a non-denominational focus and provides intensive training in nurturing our neighborhoods and parishes.
  • Addiction Counseling: The Master of Arts Degree Program in Counseling with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling is designed to provide professional counseling skills to spiritual leaders within the church and communities. This program has a non-denominational focus and provides intensive training in nurturing our neighborhoods and parishes.
  • Education Specialist: This course of study is designed to further develop professional skills and broaden knowledge of counseling. The course of study is offered in two modes of delivery, traditional (face-to-face and online. Entry into the program will be limited to candidates who have successfully completed a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling. This program will consist of a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the Master of Arts program of graduate study, providing that prerequisites have been met. Some identified courses or similar courses may have been completed while pursuing the Masters of Arts Degree. If this situation exits, the advisor and the student will determine substitute courses to meet the 30 credit hour requirement. This degree is considered a terminal degree for the practitioner.
  • Doctor of Philosophy Counselor Education and Supervision: The program provides candidates with an opportunity to develop the critical leadership skills and knowledge that are required in today’s increasingly complex, diverse, and information-driven social and educational organizations. This program in Counselor Education and Supervision was developed to provide an attractive and viable alternative to “traditional” doctoral programs in counseling. This is a hybrid online doctoral program which includes a minimum of two campus residency seminars during matriculation. Completion of the program will result in the awarding of a Ph.D. degree requiring approximately 64 credits beyond the master’s, including a significant focus on research. Many courses are currently being taught within the Specialist in Education Counseling program. All research and statistics courses will be taught in conjunction with the School of Nursing PhD program. Most coursework is offered in thematic seminars in which emphasis is placed on identifying and developing solutions to real-life problems. See Hampton U Online for more information.