Navigating Your Path: Understanding the UCF Counselor Education Program Requirements

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers a comprehensive Counselor Education program designed to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to excel in various counseling roles. This article provides an overview of the program's requirements, tracks, and opportunities available at UCF.

Doctoral Program: PhD in Education, Counselor Education Track

The Counselor Education track within the Education PhD program is tailored for individuals aspiring to become counselor educators at the university level or supervisors in schools and agencies. This program emphasizes competence in teaching adult learners, counseling practice, clinical supervision, research/scholarship, and leadership/advocacy.

Program Objectives

The primary goal of the Counselor Education PhD program is to educate outstanding counselor educators who are prepared to assume leadership roles in diverse settings.

Experiential Learning

A key component of the program is its pragmatic approach to preparing counselor educators. Doctoral students gain practical experience through clinical and supervisory work at the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center (CCRC).

Counseling Services: Students provide individual, couples, and family therapy to children, adolescents, and adults.
Supervisory Services: Students supervise master’s students during their practicum experiences.

The CCRC serves over 1400 individuals, couples, and families in the central Florida community, offering doctoral students a rich and diverse training environment.

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Curriculum

The Counselor Education track in the Education PhD program requires a minimum of 69 credit hours beyond the master's degree, broken down as follows:

Core Courses: 24 credit hours
Specialization Courses: 21 credit hours
Dissertation: 15 credit hours
Internship: 9 credit hours

Master's Programs in Counselor Education

UCF offers Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Education (MEd) degrees in Counselor Education, with specialized tracks to suit different career goals. All master's programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The MA in Counselor Education program at UCF prepares you to practice as a licensed and/or credentialed professional counselor to work with clients of all ages and backgrounds. The Counselor Education program emphasizes a wellness, multicultural and humanistic approach to the application of evidence-based brief therapies and prevention measures. Nationally recognized faculty with real world experience provide students with the knowledge and self-awareness necessary to excel in this industry.

Common Features

CACREP Accreditation: All tracks are accredited by CACREP, ensuring high standards of quality and preparation.
Experiential Learning: Students gain practical experience through clinical experiences in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and field-based experiences in clinical settings throughout the community.
Focus on Key Skills: The programs build skills in active listening, clinical assessment, ethical decision-making, and interpersonal communication, while deepening self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and cultural competence.

Master of Arts (MA) Tracks

The Master’s of Arts in Counselor Education program offers two tracks: Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. As such, students must be formally admitted to the program to take any program area courses.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track

The CACREP Accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts program is designed for the student planning to seek licensure in Mental Health Counseling and to work in agencies, private practices, and other settings. This track prepares you to practice in agencies, private practice and other settings with clients presenting with the full range of mental health and behavioral health concerns.

Curriculum: The program requires a minimum of 63 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 39 credit hours of specialization, 9 credit hours of professional clinical experiences, and 9 credit hours of additional electives.
Experiential Learning: Clinical Mental Health Counseling students complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center. Following the practicum, students complete their internship/clinical experiences in a program-approved clinical setting in Central Florida, earning 600 total hours, 240 of which must be direct service hours.

School Counseling Track (MA)

The CACREP Accredited School Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts program is designed for the student planning to seek certification as a professional school counselor in pre-K through postsecondary school settings. This track (as opposed to the Counselor Education Master’s of Education School Counseling track) is designed for students who have a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than education. This track prepares you to work in pre-K through postsecondary school settings with students on academic achievement, personal and social development, and career and college planning.

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Curriculum Considerations: The Master’s of Arts in Counselor Education-School Counseling track is a state-approved initial teacher/educator preparation program that is subject to any change in the Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in the Counselor Education-School Counseling track should remain in close contact with their assigned faculty advisor to keep informed of any programmatic changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.
Experiential Learning: Students in the School Counseling MA track complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in either a public school or in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center. School Counseling track students then complete their internship/clinical experiences in a K-12 school setting, earning 600 total hours, 240 of which must be direct service hours.

Master of Education (MEd) Tracks

The Master of Education (MEd) degree in Counselor Education focuses specifically on School Counseling.

School Counseling Track (MEd)

The CACREP Accredited School Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Education program is designed for the student planning to seek certification as a professional school counselor in pre-K through postsecondary school settings. This track (as opposed to the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts School Counseling track) is for students who have a bachelor's degree in education and have completed course work for teaching certification, have a Florida Teaching Certificate, and plan to seek additional certification in school counseling.

Experiential Learning: Students in the School Counseling MEd track complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in either a public school or in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center. School Counseling track students then complete their internship/clinical experiences in a K-12 school setting, earning 600 total hours, 240 of which must be direct service hours.

The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center (CCRC)

The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center serves as a hub for training and research in the Counselor Education program. Graduate students provide counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults through individual, couples, and family therapy.

Faculty and Expertise

The UCF Counselor Education program boasts nationally recognized faculty with real-world experience. They actively shape the profession through research and service in areas such as trauma and loss, military counseling, counselor assessment and supervision, addiction, and school counseling.

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