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Any
exceptions to our policies must
be put in writing and submitted
to the Program Coordinator who
will forward requests to a
committee of faculty for review,
however, most exceptions are
denied.
About Admission
Admission to the program does
not automatically guarantee
completion of the degree
program, fieldwork, or a
credential, if there are any
interpersonal, intrapersonal, or
psychological disorders that
might inhibit the effectiveness
of the Candidate’s role as a
School Counselor or a School
Psychologist.
Q. What are the requirements
for admission to the PPS
Program(s)?
A. Please go back to the file on
Degrees & Credentials.
Q. If I get a letter from the
Admissions Office of CSUDH does
that mean I’ve been admitted to
the Pupil Personnel Program?
A. Before an applicant can be
admitted to the Pupil Personnel
Program he or she must first be
admitted to the University.
Being admitted to the University
does not automatically mean you
have been admitted to the
Program. You have not been
admitted to the PPS Program
until you receive a notification
from the Program Coordinator
telling you that you have been
admitted and to which program(s)
you have been admitted.
Q. If I have applied to the
Master’s Program does that mean
I am also in the Credential
Program?
A. No, Applicants must apply for
both the Master’s degree and/or
either of the Credentials
(unless they already hold a
Master’s degree). Candidates
will be subject to any changes
in the CCTC Standards and the
Program requirements established
to meet those Standards.
Q. Can I apply for just a
credential program with a
Bachelor’s degree?
A. No. If you already have
earned a Master’s degree you may
apply for the credential
programs only. To earn a
credential in either School
Counseling or School Psychology
at CSUDH, you must also attain a
Master’s degree. You can work
toward a Master’s degree without
working toward a credential but
not vice versa.
Q. I started working on a
Master’s degree at another
institution. Can I transfer all
of my coursework into this
program?
A. Several restrictions apply to
transfer credit. (1). The
coursework must be from an
accredited college or
university; (2) the maximum
number of units which may
transferred, for either a degree
or credential, from another
accredited institution, is nine
(9); (3) the coursework can be
no older than seven (7) years
from the expected date of
completion; and (4) credit is
never given for PPS 525, 530,
540, 545, 550, 556, 562, 564,
571, 572, 575, or 585. These are
the clinical skills and
fieldwork courses. It is
necessary for the CSUDH faculty
to have observed your skills
before recommending you for
fieldwork in the schools.
Q. I have a Master’s Degree
in Educational Administration
(Special Education,
Multicultural Education,
Educational Technology, etc.)
and I’m almost finished with
that credential work. I’d like
to get a PPS credential while
I’m still at it. Can I just do a
change of objective and be
certain I’ll get into the PPS
Program? Or, can I just start
taking the classes in the PPS
Program.
A. The answer to your two
questions is No and No. The
Change of Objective (or, Change
of Status) is no longer
automatic. It is used and
reviewed just the same as a new
application. The different
programs within the College of
Education have different
admission requirements,
different program requirements,
and different exit requirements.
Students in the College of
Education have different codes,
which are applied to them once
they’ve been accepted into a
program. So, if you do not have
a coding in Counseling, you will
not be permitted to take the
coursework in the PPS Program.
Q. I have a Master’s degree
from an accredited university
and I have a license as a
Marriage & Family Therapist. Can
I use all of my courses toward a
credential?
A. We value the students in our
program who entered with a
Master’s degree and license from
an accredited MFT program, as
they add more dimension to our
classes and have important
knowledge and skills to share
with their peers in training.
However, we are responsible for
those we recommend to the public
school systems and need to be
confident in each fieldwork
student’s skills.
There are courses specific to
counseling and assessing youth
in the school environment and
those will be required in all
cases. It is important that you
meet with an advisor to work out
your academic plan.
Q. I have a Master’s degree
in English (History, Journalism,
Business, Nursing, etc.) but I
would like to get a Master’s
degree in Counseling. Can I
transfer 9 units/hours from my
Master’s degree toward another
Master’s degree?
A. Coursework used to obtain a
degree cannot be used toward
another degree.
Q. I have a Bachelor’s degree
in Psychology. Many of the
courses I took for that degree
sound just like some of the
courses required in your
program. Can I use those courses
toward my Master’s degree in
Counseling and/or toward a
credential?
A. Coursework done at the
undergraduate level cannot be
substituted for graduate level
coursework. All of the courses
in the PPS Program are graduate
level courses with the exception
of the prerequisite, SPE 460.
While some of your undergraduate
work may sound similar, studies
at the graduate level are
differently focused, more
intense, and more demanding.
Q. I have been working as a
Counselor in a drug
rehabilitation facility (social
worker, counselor’s aide, MFT
private practice, etc.). Can I
use my experience to substitute
for some of the courses in the
program?
A. We think experience is
extremely valuable and respect
what you have accomplished.
However, our programs are
governed by accrediting bodies
that have certain Standards that
all of our students have to meet
before they can be awarded a
graduate degree and/or a
credential. The only way we have
of being certain that our
students have met those
standards is through the work
they do in their classes with
us, in their field site
placements under the supervision
of a PPS credentialed
professional, and by their
performance on the final and
comprehensive examination(s).
Therefore, it is not possible to
substitute job experience for
coursework.
Q. Why are you so picky?
A. Our policies are consistent
with most graduate level
programs in California and
across the Nation.
Q. I have a degree in school
(counseling/psychology) from an
accredited institution in
another state but I do not have
a California Pupil Personnel
Services credential. Will you
review what I have done and
recommend me for a PPS
credential?
A. We do not have the resources
to do that. The California
Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (the official body
for the State that awards
credentials for school
counselors and school
psychologists) is prepared to do
that. They may be contacted at:
California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CCTC)
1900 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916/327-1461
Website: http://www.ctc.ca.gov
or e-mail: jdear@ctc.ca.gov
About the Comprehensive
Examination and the Thesis
Option
Q. When do I have to decide
whether I want to select the
examination or the thesis
option?
A. Upon completion of 21 units
you must complete the Program
Advisement form and at this time
make the choice between the
Comprehensive Examination and
the Thesis. This form is in the
Division of Graduate Education
Office (COE 1410).
Q. When can I take the
Comprehensive Examination?
A. When you are in your last
semester of coursework or have
completed all of the coursework
that is examined in the
Comprehensive. The comprehensive
exam is given 2 times a year:
fall and spring. Check for exact
dates. If the candidate is not
continuing with the coursework
for the credential in School
Counseling or School Psychology,
they must be enrolled in the
Continuous Education course GED
600 through Extended Education.
Q. If I have Fieldwork left
to do can I still take the
Comps?
A. Yes, you can take the
Comprehensive Exam.
Q. What is Continuous
Enrollment and what is GED 600?
A. GED 600 is for candidates who
completed all of their
coursework but have chosen to
wait until the following
semester to take the
Comprehensive Examination. The
University requires that a
student must be registered
(Continuous Enrollment) in order
to take the Comps. The way to
achieve this is by enrolling in
GED 600
Q. I have finished the
coursework for the Master’s
degree and I want to take the
Comps and do the coursework for
the School Psychology
credential. Do I have to enroll
for GED 600?
A. No, as long as you are
pursuing a credential you would
not.
Q. What is GED 600 anyway?
What do we study in that class?
A. It isn’t a class. It is just
a mechanism the University has
to allow a student to stay
enrolled while they finish the
requirements for the degree.
Q. If I don’t pass the
comprehensive exam, can I do a
thesis instead?
A. Thesis is not an option for
someone who selected the exam
option but was unable to pass.
Students who do not pass the
comprehensive exam may retake it
one time, provided the retake is
within the seven-year limit. A
candidate who does not pass the
retake of the comprehensive exam
has the option of remediation as
deemed appropriate by the PPS
Faculty Committee. Upon
completing the remediation plan,
the candidate may retake the
comprehensive examination if
that is the decision of the
Faculty Committee.
Q. It sounds like the
examination is hard. Is it
better to take the thesis
option?
A. The two options serve
different purposes. The thesis
option is not “easier” nor
“harder.” It is different. Both
options require a person to be
able to synthesize, organize and
communicate in writing. If
someone is unable to pass the
examination, he or she will most
likely be unable to complete a
thesis that will be approved.
Q. What is the Comprehensive
Examination like?
A. The examination covers the
content of all of the courses in
the master's program. The exam
will include essay and multiple
choice questions. There will be
some choice as to which
questions you want to address.
Q. Why would someone choose
to take the thesis option?
A. The thesis option is
recommended to those who are
contemplating pursuing doctoral
training after completion of
their Master’s degree.
Q. English is not my first or
my primary language but I do
want to get a Master’s degree
here and I might want to get a
doctoral degree. What should I
do?
A. All students in our programs
are required to have proficiency
in both written and spoken
English. Most of our graduates
will serve as professional
counselors and school
psychologists in the United
States and will be expected to
communicate in English, both
orally and in writing, while in
their work environment. If you
are uncertain about your English
language skills, the best thing
you can do for yourself is to
seek assistance (through
coursework or tutoring) in
developing those skills.
Q. What are the procedures I
have to follow to do the thesis
option?
A. First, is to select your
thesis Chairperson and your
committee. The thesis committee
must have at least 3 members,
two of which must be PPS
faculty. You will meet with your
thesis chair to “map” out the
plan for your work. There is a
handbook for thesis writing in
the Office of Graduate Studies
and there are people in that
office that can give you
technical advice on conducting
and writing a thesis.
About Program Logistics
Q. I work during the day. Are
there any evening classes?
A. All of our classes meet in
the evening starting at 4:00pm
to 6:45pm and 7:00pm to 9:45pm.
A few classes may be offered on
Saturdays.
Q. Do you have to have a
teaching credential and
experience to be admitted to the
program?
A. It is not a requirement for
admission to our programs.
However, when it comes to
hiring, generally, the public
schools look more favorably at
someone who has had experience
working with children in the
schools.
Q. Is there a specific
undergraduate major that is more
suitable or is required for a
graduate program in Counseling
or School Psychology?
A. The students in our programs
have majors in a wide variety of
subjects and most have teaching
credentials. A specific major is
not a requirement for admission;
however, there is an advantage
to have studied in a field that
emphasizes the emotional,
intellectual and physical
development of human beings.
Majors in Psychology, Sociology,
Child Development, and Social
Work provide a helpful
background for graduate studies
in Counseling and School
Psychology.
Q. How long will it take me
to complete each of the Programs
at CSUDH? I work full time and I
have a family.
A. The duration of your program
depends almost entirely on your
circumstances and the course
load you can handle each
semester. Most of our students
work full time and most have
families. If those are your
circumstances, this will be an
even more demanding and
challenging pursuit.
To complete the M.A. and PPS
Credential work in School
Counseling in 3 years, you would
have to take 9 units each
semester, excluding summer
sessions. In doing your
planning, do not count on
summers. Although there will
always be some things offered
then, it is not a consistent
schedule.
To add on the PPS Credential in
School Psychology will require
an additional 33 units of study.
At 9 units a semester that would
be a little less than an
additional 2 years.
To complete the requirements for
the M.A. and PPS Credential in
School Psychology but not the
credential in School Counseling,
you would have to take 9 units
each semester to finish in
approximately 4 years.
The unknown factor in all of
this is how long it takes the
student to finish their
fieldwork hours.
In all cases, you must finish
the work for the Master’s degree
and the credential(s) within 7
years.
Q. Why does this take so
long?
A. Because that’s how the
program is structured to meet
all of the Standards set by the
CCTC and NCATE. Some students
have completed their coursework
sooner but they took heavy
loads, generally were single
people, and were free to study
full time. This is a serious
program that will lead to a
highly specialized and
professional career. Our
programs are as demanding as
others in the CSU, although
there are some CSU’s that
require more units for the
degree and the credentials.
(Rev. 2/28/2006) |
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