University of Central Florida  

The Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Education (M.Ed.) degrees in Counselor Education, School Counseling Track, are designed to educate and prepare individuals interested in working as professional school counselors at the elementary and secondary levels. The program and track make a conscious effort to prepare students to work with youth and parents/caregivers from the varied cultural backgrounds, economic levels, and value orientations found in contemporary Florida. Nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) and the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE), the program meets all requirements as outlined by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) for certification as a School Counselor. The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree is for students who have a baccalaureate degree, but are not certified educators (e.g., those who hold a Florida State Teaching Certification), whereas the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree is for students who have a baccalaureate degree in education and are certified educators. As part of the program’s pragmatic approach to preparing counselors, in addition to classroom studies, all students complete clinical experiences in the UCF Community Counseling Clinic and school-based experiences in the community. The UCF Community Counseling Clinic serves as a hub for training and research in the program, with graduate students providing services to over one thousand individuals a year through child, adult, couples and family counseling.