Mission Statement
and Program Outcomes

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Counselor Education is to develop counselors who have professional identities as reflective and ethical practitioners. This mission will be achieved through attainment of the following goals. The Department of Counselor Education is committed to:

1. Providing students with highly effective pedagogical strategies in their development as competent and skilled practitioners.
2. Guiding students in the development of awareness: of self, of others, and of the systems in which they exist.
3. Providing students with educational opportunities to develop diversity competence, including the skills, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and cultural sensitivity necessary to do so.
4. Developing practitioners who view clients holistically, incorporate a wellness perspective, and empower clients to become change agents for themselves and others.
5. Preparing and empowering students to advocate for themselves, for their clients, and for the counseling profession.

Outcomes

Program Outcomes

The Department of Counselor Education train candidates to meet the unit outcomes and standards of the following accrediting boards, state, and national bodies:

• WCU's Conceptual Framework to meet the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) is the nation's premiere professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education
  • Academic Foundations, Performance, and Professionalism standards for Secondary School Counseling.
  • Academic Foundations, Performance, and Professionalism standards for Elementary School Counseling.
• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is an independent agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit master's degree programs in school counseling and higher education counseling/student affairs.

Student Learning Outcomes for the Program

Learning outcomes for our program are grounded in CACREP accreditation standards in which students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding in eight core areas and skill in applying the knowledge and understanding in school/university based service delivery. The eight core areas are:

1. Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice
   Studies that provide an understanding of all of the following aspects of professional functioning
2. Social and Cultural Diversity
   Studies that provide an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society related to such factors as culture, ethnicity, race, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family values, religious, and spiritual values, socioeconomic status and unique characteristics of individuals, couples, families, ethnic groups, and communities
3. Human Growth and Development
   Studies that provide an understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels
4. Career Development
   Studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors
5. Helping Relationships
   Studies that provide an understanding of the counseling process in various contexts and with different populations
6. Group Work
   Studies that provide both theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods and skills, and other group approaches
7. Assessment
   Studies that provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation
8. Research and Program Evaluation
   Studies that provide an understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation

Recent Program Statistics

West Chester University offers CACREP accredited programs in both School Counseling and Higher Education Counseling/Student Affairs. Last year, there were 54 graduates of West Chester University’s School Counseling program. Our graduates consistently achieve high pass rates on the Praxis II examination required for school counseling certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The pass rate for graduates taking the Praxis II examination last year was 97%. Of the admitted students, 87% graduate from the program in the expected time period and 46% of those program graduates responding to surveys who are actively seeking jobs are employed six months after graduation.

In the same period, there were 34 graduates of West Chester University’s Higher Education Counseling/Student Affairs program. While there is no specific required examination to practice in higher education counseling/student affairs, the pass rate on the National Counselor Examination (NCE), which is required to obtain licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was 83%. Of the admitted students, 82% graduate from the program in the expected time period and 65% of those program graduates responding to surveys who are actively seeking jobs are employed six months after graduation.