UNT Home | Graduate Studies | College of Education | Counseling - Master's Degree Program
Graduate faculty and areas of research
Sue Bratton, Professor; Ph.D., University of North Texas. Play therapy; filial therapy; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children; supervised practice involving families in children's counseling.
Cynthia Chandler, Professor; Ed.D., Texas Tech University. Animal-assisted therapy; biofeedback therapy; women's emotional health; counseling supervision.
Delini Fernando, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of New Orleans. Group work; counselor supervision; multicultural counseling; disaster counseling; clinical application of existential theory.
Martin Gieda, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University. Supervised practice; agency counseling.
Amanda Giordano, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Substance abuse counseling; counseling supervision; spirituality issues in counseling; Adlerian social interest.
Janice Holden, Professor and Department Chair; Ed.D., Northern Illinois University. Transpersonal/spiritual issues in counseling; couple counseling; sexuality and sexual dysfunction therapy; cognitive therapy; screening counseling program applicants.
Leslie Jones, Clinical Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of North Texas. Play therapy; expressive arts; supervised practice.
Carolyn Kern, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Oklahoma State University. Supervision; college students; adolescents; suicide intervention and prevention; cognitive complexity.
Natalya Lindo, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Georgia State University. Career development and life planning; counselor supervision; filial therapy; play therapy; teacher-child relationship building.
Casey Barrio Minton, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Campus suicide prevention programming; crisis intervention preparation in CACREP-accredited counseling programs; best practices in counselor education and supervision.
Jonathan Ohrt, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of Central Florida. Secondary school counseling; group counseling; academic and career counseling needs of at-risk groups; counselor development and education; wellness.
Elizabeth Prosek, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Old Dominion University. Clinical mental health counseling; counselor education and supervision; diagnosis and assessment; underserved populations.
Dee Ray, Professor; Ph.D., University of North Texas. School counseling; play therapy; counselor supervision.
Lisa Schulz, Clinical Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Oregon State University. Developmental processes in counseling; dual identity development of adolescents; counselor education and supervision.
For More Information
University of North Texas
Department of Counseling and Higher Education
Phone: 940-565-2910
Stovall Hall, Room 155
Email: SAO@coe.unt.edu
www.unt.edu
www.coe.unt.edu/che
Toulouse Graduate Schools
940-565-2383
Counseling
Master's Degree Program
Graduate opportunities
The graduate Counseling program at the University of North Texas has frequently been ranked among the top counselor preparation programs in the nation and the best in Texas. Our Master of Science and Master of Education degree programs prepare you to work in a variety of counseling settings such as:
- Business or industry
- Community agency
- Church
- Private practice
- School or university
You can pursue program tracks in elementary school counseling, secondary school counseling, college and university counseling, and clinical mental health counseling. Each program meets academic specifications for state certification as a school counselor or licensure as a professional counselor.
Our programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (1001 North Fairfax St., Suite 510; Alexandria, Va. 22314; telephone 703-535-5990, www.cacrep.org). This accreditation means our programs meet or exceed strict academic standards for excellence in education.
Many of our faculty members are renowned experts in the field. They have earned recognitions from the American Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Texas Counseling Association, and Chi Sigma Iota international honor society. Their research interests include:
- Counseling methods and techniques
- Current issues within the discipline
- Measurement and evaluation
- Theoretical perspectives
More targeted research has been conducted on suicide prevention, mental health services for lowincome clients, counseling and play therapy in schools, near-death experiences, and spiritual transformation. We’ve also received the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision’s Outstanding Program Award and its Publication in Counselor Education and Supervision Award multiple times.
More targeted research has been conducted on suicide prevention, mental health services for lowincome clients, counseling and play therapy in schools, near-death experiences, and spiritual transformation. We’ve also received the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision’s Outstanding Program Award and its Publication in Counselor Education and Supervision Award multiple times.
Program tracks
Elementary school counseling and secondary school counseling
These tracks prepare you to become a school counselor for children in preschool through 12th grade. You will become familiar with school counseling and guidance services, develop better self-understanding, and develop the competencies of professional school counselors.
College and university counseling
This track provides experiences in all areas of student life for counseling in community colleges and seniorlevel colleges and universities.
Clinical mental health counseling
This track prepares you for counseling positions in mental health centers, private counseling agencies, drug abuse centers, centers for counseling the elderly, child protective services, child counseling clinics, family counseling centers, pastoral counseling settings, and business and industry. This track gives you the opportunity to counsel a broad range of clients.
Admission requirements
This track prepares you for counseling positions in mental health centers, private counseling agencies, drug abuse centers, centers for counseling the elderly, child protective services, child counseling clinics, family counseling centers, pastoral counseling settings, and business and industry. This track gives you the opportunity to counsel a broad range of clients.
Program admission is competitive. Provisional admission requirements are:
- Completed program admission application
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8 overall or 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of course work
- Submitted GRE scores with no minimum required score (for holistic review and scholarship competition)
- Three reference evaluation forms provided by the program
- One-page, typed writing sample
After attending the orientation meeting and completing a group interview, the Master’s Admissions Committee conducts a holistic review of all applicants. You will receive a letter regarding admission within one month of the orientation and interview. If you are granted provisional admission, you should contact the counseling program for academic advising before registration.
Degree requirements
M.Ed. degree
- 33 semester hours of required counseling course work
- 15 semester hours of course work in the program track
- 100-hour practicum (completed with a B or higher)
- 600-hour internship (completed with a B or higher)
M.S. degree
- 33 semester hours of required counseling course work
- 27 semester hours of course work in the program track
- 100-hour practicum (completed with a B or higher)
- 600-hour internship (completed with a B or higher)
- Pass a comprehensive exam (written, oral or both)
Financial assistance
Our department funds several scholarships to help you pursue a graduate degree. For more information on scholarships, visit www.coe.unt.edu/che. Information about other financial assistance programs is available at gradschool.unt.edu or financialaid.unt.edu.
Counseling program services
Counseling and Human Development Center
The center offers individual counseling as well as couple, family and group counseling. Low-cost counseling services are provided by counselors-intraining under the supervision of faculty members using the latest in audiovisual technology.
Child and Family Resource Clinic
The center offers individual counseling as well as couple, family and group counseling. Low-cost counseling services are provided by counselors-intraining under the supervision of faculty members using the latest in audiovisual technology.
Center for Play Therapy
The center encourages the development and emotional growth of children through the process of play therapy, a dynamic interpersonal relationship between a child and a trained therapist. The center provides training, research, publications, counseling services and scholarships, and it acts as a clearinghouse for literature in the field.
Center for Animal-Assisted Therapy
The center trains professionals and volunteers to work with their pets to facilitate the mental health, well-being and development of adults, adolescents and children through positive human-animal interactions. Workshops and courses are offered throughout the year.
Continuing education opportunities
Each year, our program offers conferences where nationally known speakers present current perspectives on counseling issues. Licensed professional counselors, nationally certified counselors and licensed chemical dependency counselors may earn continuing education credit by attending these conferences:
- Animal-assisted therapy training workshops (September and April)
- Play Therapy Conference (October)
- Summer Play Therapy Institute (July)
- Institute in Counselor Supervision (January or February)