Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The Master of Arts in Counseling program is designed to prepare students for positions as counselors in a variety of settings. The counselor education and supervision faculty believe that the work of the professional counselor is to promote the positive growth and development of the clients with whom the counselor interacts.
 
The counseling model for preparing counselors recognizes the profound interactive effect of people and human systems. We believe there is a need for social science translators—people who are in touch with the best in theory and research—who can translate this knowledge into effective programs and who can evaluate these programs. Because we believe that counselors should experience personal growth and development as persons and as professionals, all courses are designed to provide both cognitive and experiential learning.
 
The program utilizes a Screening Process and Retention Policy to assist in determining the suitability of an individual for a career in counseling as well as monitoring progress through the program. A detailed description of the Screening Process  and Retention Policy is available in the Counseling Handbook. Continuance in the program is reviewed when a student fails to demonstrate appropriate professional behaviors, or when other circumstances occur which would make a counseling degree candidate ineligible to be certified or licensed as a professional counselor.

Specialties should be consistent with and support activities in the student’s proposed internship placement. Other areas unique to a student’s interests may be designed in consultation with members of the department.
 
The program prepares the students for the exam for certification as a National Certified Counselor. It also prepares students who are Illinois residents for Illinois Professional Educator License as a Professional School Counselor. The counseling concentrations are CACREP accredited as Professional School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has authorized online delivery of these counseling concentrations' academic curricula. In addition, courses of continuing professional education are offered to practicing counselors who wish to increase competencies to meet emerging needs of the profession.

The Master of Arts in Counseling program with academic concentration in Professional School Counseling meets the requirements for the Illinois Professional Educator License as a School Counselor/Educator License. In response to school counseling certification rule changes (23 IL Admin Code § 25.225) approved by the Illinois State Board of Education on June 1, 2004, the Bradley University Professional School Counseling program in the Department Counseling has established the following courses of study for degree-seeking and post-master certification-only students in the Professional School Counseling concentration. (In all cases, submission of materials does not guarantee acceptance into any program offered by the Department of Counseling.) These courses meet the competency standards for this professional track as determined by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs since 1993. In 2015, the Higher Learning Commission authorized the online delivery of this accredited counseling curriculum.

Bradley University's Counseling program courses are offered via campus-based and online pedagogies. The online delivery offers the equivalent academic curriculum offered to campus-based students. Bradley University is a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.

Both campus-based and online students graduating from Bradley University's Master of Arts in Counseling program will receive the same academic degree and transcripts. Both campus-based and online students will be eligible to take the National Counselor Examination toward certification and licensure upon completion of their program of studies. This credential is transferable across the U.S. Online graduates must check the specific requirements for the practice of counseling in the state where they reside or where they intend to practice, as well as any applicable reciprocity rules.

Degree-Seeking Students Who Have Illinois Teacher Certification/License

Degree-seeking students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Counseling with concentration in Professional School Counseling, who hold or are qualified to hold a teacher certificate/license in Illinois, must meet the Department of Counseling master's degree requirements while completing 60 hours of graduate study as follows:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Graduate Core
COU 604	Research Methodology and Applications	3.0
Program Core
COU 540	Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan	3.0
COU 586	Counseling Diverse Populations	3.0
COU 620	Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice	3.0
COU 621	Career and Life Planning Across the Life Span	3.0
COU 551	Prevention and Treatment of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders	3.0
COU 623	Pre-Practicum in Counseling	3.0
COU 624	Theories and Techniques of Counseling	3.0
COU 625	Principles of Group Counseling	3.0
COU 630	Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders	3.0
COU 631	Trauma, Crisis and Grief Counseling	3.0
COU 640	Clinical Supervision	2.0
COU 641	Assessment in Counseling	3.0
COU 654	Consultation in the Helping Professions	1.0
COU 661	Intimate Partner Relationships and Family Counseling	3.0
COU 690	Practicum	3.0
COU 691	Internship I	1.0-3.0
COU 692	Internship II	1.0-6.0
Specialty Area Course Work 1
COU 653	Professional School Counseling K-8	2.0
COU 655	Professional School Counseling in Secondary Schools	3.0
Electives		3.0
Required Electives for Non-Teachers
COU 585	Understanding Schools: A Primer for Non-Teachers	1.0
COU 669	Education Law, Advocacy and Leadership	2.0
Total Hours		58-65

¹

9 hrs. teachers; 10 hrs. non-teachers.

Degree-Seeking Students Who Do Not Have Illinois Teacher Certification

Degree-seeking students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Counseling with a concentration in Professional School Counseling who are not certified teachers in Illinois also must meet the Department of Education's degree requirements while completing 61 hours of graduate study. The program of study is the same as listed for students holding certification/licensure, with the exception that, in lieu of electives, students must take or have taken course work addressing additional requirements by the Illinois Board of Education [ISBE, K-12] (IL. Amin. Code § 25.225.d.2.A.-D.). These four areas and the ENC courses addressing them are:

• the structure, organization and operation of the educational system with an emphasis on P-12 schools; COU 585 Understanding Schools: A Primer for Non-Teachers and COU 653 Professional School Counseling K-8/COU 655 Professional School Counseling in Secondary Schools.
• the growth and development of children and youth and their implications for counseling in schools; COU 540 Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan and COU 653 Professional School Counseling K-8/COU 655 Professional School Counseling in Secondary Schools.
• the diversity of Illinois students and the laws and programs that have been designed to meet their unique needs; COU 669 Education Law, Advocacy and Leadership 
• effective management of the classroom and the learning process;COU 585 Understanding Schools: A Primer for Non-Teachers, COU 653 Professional School Counseling K-8/COU 655 Professional School Counseling in Secondary Schools  and COU 690 Practicum, COU 691 Internship I, COU 692 Internship II.

In cases where the above four areas are addressed through graduate coursework taken elsewhere, the student may transfer up to six credit hours to meet ISBE requirements.