About The Program
The NSU counseling program leads to a master’s of science in education degree, preparing you for K-12 school or clinical mental health counseling certification/licensure. Our Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
As an NSU counseling student, you can choose your career path:
Clinical Mental Health
Prepare to work in an agency or private practice setting and become certified to work with children, adults, families and groups. (Earn a degree in clinical mental health counseling – 60 credits)
School counseling
Prepare to counsel K-12 children in private, public, or parochial schools. Your degree prepares you for a career in school guidance. (Earn a degree in school counseling – 60 credits)
Forensic Counseling (specialization)
Prepare to work in the criminal justice system and become certified to work with victims, first responders, and perpetrators. (Earn a degree in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in forensic counseling – 72 credits)
Admission to the counseling program requirements include the following:
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.75
- Completed graduate application
- Two letters of recommendation
- A statement of career goals
- An official transcript
- $35 application fee
CACREP ACCREDITATION
Both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master of Education degree and School Counseling Master of Education degree are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and have been since July 2017.
NSU Counseling Programs Receive CACREP Accreditation
ANNUAL REPORTS
2020-2021 Vital Statistics Report
2020-2021 Annual Program Report
SUPERVISION TRAINING INFORMATION
Orientation to Clinical Supervision and Professional Development (OCSPD)
Students selecting school counseling will be prepared to counsel K-12 children in private, public or parochial schools.
Students selecting clinical mental health counseling will be prepared to enter into an agency setting working with children, adults, families and groups. They also may work in a career guidance or employment setting.
Students will be prepared to take a state licensure or national certification exam in their preparation area.
Students must complete a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship in either a clinical mental health setting or a school setting, depending on their specialization.
Students in this program will have the opportunity for a variety of graduate assistantships. Students will also have opportunities to work with people in their chosen field in practicum and internship.
The annual Janice Jirouch Counselor Education Scholarship and Clara Leap Graham Memorial Scholarship are available for students in this program. Each of these need-based scholarships is awarded around April 1 to current or incoming students. Applications are distributed during the interview process in January or March.
Our Faculty
Dr. Erin Kaszynski, LPC, received a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas A&M University-Commerce with an emphasis on multicultural counseling (2021); a Masters of Education in Counseling with a focus on Community Counseling from the University of North Texas (2014); and a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Austin College in Sherman, Texas (2002). She is a licensed professional counselor in Texas.
She has experience in community agencies as a clinician, clinical supervisor, and administrator. She has also worked as a counselor and clinical helper in residential inpatient and outpatient, field-based, higher education, private practice, and middle/high school settings. She has served as a mental health educator and trainer across the North Texas region to increase mental health awareness and strengthen intervention skills of clinical and non-clinical individuals. She also has engaged in advocacy for marginalized populations.
Research…
Ph.D. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
M.Phil. Martin Luther Christian University
M.S. Mahatma Gandhi University
B.S. Mahatma Gandhi University
Dr. Shalini Mathew is an assistant professor, field coordinator and Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) liaison for the master’s in counseling program. She is a National Board of Certified Counselors nationally certified counselor. She is serving as a site visit team member on the CACREP team of site visitors.
Dr. Mathew earned a doctor of philosophy degree in rehabilitation counseling and counselor education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (2019), a master of philosophy degree in school…
