About

Mission & Values

Student Counselor works with a student on a coloring lesson

Mission Statement

The mission of the Master's Program in Counselor Education is to prepare interpersonally skilled and culturally competent professional counselors who facilitate the personal-social, academic, and career growth of those they serve as well as assist their student clientele address complex, interpersonal, vocational and emotional adjustment problems.

School Counseling Program Objectives

The USF Counselor Education program is not presently accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) but is currently in the process of seeking accreditation. 

The objectives of the School Counseling program at The University of South Florida are:

  • To prepare students with the knowledge and skills associated with the eight-core areas identified by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). These eight core areas are:
    1. Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
    2. Social and Cultural Diversity
    3. Human Growth and Development
    4. Career Development
    5. Counseling and Helping Relationships
    6. Group Counseling and Group Work
    7. Assessment
    8. Research and Program Evaluation

  • To prepare students with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement and develop comprehensive school counseling programs within k-12 schools, including direct and indirect services to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of students

  • To prepare students to identify and serve as professional school counselors, advocates, and leaders who display an appropriate level of self-awareness, sensitivity to others, and the ability to relate to and counsel a diverse group of students

Values of the Program

The values of the Counselor Education Program are consistent with the values promoted by the University of South Florida. These values are:

  • Excellence in teaching, research, service, and support activities.
  • Free exchange of ideas in the spirit of academic freedom and professional responsibility.
  • Contributions to the greater understanding and resolution of societal problems.
  • An open and trusting environment where individuals can expect ethical treatment and civility in all interactions.
  • Human diversity, pluralism, and community.
  • Shared governance, teamwork, and collaboration in decision-making.
  • Personal commitment and contribution to the university's greater good.
  • Individual growth and development.

The School Counseling program at The University of South Florida will evaluate program success in achieving its objectives by measuring the following key performance indicators:

Table 1: Program Objectives and Key Performance Indicators
Program Objectives Key Performance Indicators

1. Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the counselor’s various professional roles and functions in providing ethically sound counseling and advocacy.

2. Social and Cultural Diversity
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill of theories of multicultural counseling, cultural identity development
  • Students will demonstrate self-understanding of multicultural characteristics related to power and discrimination.
  • Students will demonstrate multicultural counseling competencies as counselors-in-training.
3. Human Growth and Development 
  • Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skill of culturally and developmentally relevant theories and strategies to promote optimal development and wellness for diverse individuals across the lifespan.
4. Career Development 
  • Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skill of career development theories, assessments, and information resources necessary to facilitate career development and to provide career counseling to clients across the lifespan.
5. Counseling and Helping Relationships
  • Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skill of the counseling relationship and processes
  • Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skill of counseling theories and models for case conceptualization, consultation, evidence-based practice, and assessment as well as the development of a personal model of counseling.
6. Group Counseling and Group Work
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill of the development, process, purpose, skills, and stages of group counseling, as well as the roles and responsibilities of group members and effective leaders.
7. Assessment and Testing
  • The students will demonstrate knowledge and skill of ethically and culturally competent assessment selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation skills related to academic/educational, career, personal, and social development, including risk assessment in a variety of settings.
8. Research and Program Evaluation
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill in research methods and program evaluation
9. Comprehensive School Counseling
  • Students demonstrate knowledge and skills to effectively implement and develop comprehensive school counseling program within k-12 schools, including direct and indirect services to promote the academic, career and personal/social development of students and integrate strategies to close the achievement gap among marginalized populations
  • Students demonstrate dispositions and skills to serve as advocates and school leaders, who demonstrate ability to navigate complex school culture, sensitivity towards all stake holders and perspectives while balancing the needs of a diverse student body.