Unique Features of the Program

The small professor-student ratio allows a great deal of individual attention to students, both during their on-campus coursework and also during their field experiences. All faculty are involved in mentoring and supporting the professional development of program students.

While approximately half of current students are Indiana residents, each student cohort is diverse. Their diversity contributes to intercultural dialogue, which is an important component in students' preparation as school counselors. To enhance students' multicultural competencies and to foster dialogue, the program also works collaboratively with local agencies, including the local Latino Coalition and Juvenile Alternatives, and area schools. Interdisciplinary collaboration with the Special Education and Gifted Education programs on campus also helps to prepare students for working with special populations. Similar collaboration with teacher preparation helps to inform counselors about teacher concerns and inform teachers about effective responses to student concerns. Two other significant collaborations are the gift-funded ON TRACK program for middle-school students at risk for poor outcomes and the grant-funded BRIDGE program, through which School Counseling students work with bereaved families. ON TRACK employs School Counseling students as small-group facilitators. These and other special opportunities help to prepare School Counseling students to enter the complex school culture competently and confidently, ready to work in partnership, according to the focus of the program: 

Approximately 90% of the students currently in the program have no teaching experience.  Most of these enter the program soon after completing their undergraduate education, with the others representing a wide age range and a variety of professional experiences.  Beyond a bachelor's degree, there are no prerequisites for the entry into the program.  The coordinator of the program, Dr. Jean Peterson, has a special interest in meeting the needs of students without teaching experience, especially in terms of building familiarity with the school culture.  She has conducted research in this area and includes her findings in her courses.