Counseling
Degree Programs
The Counseling Department at West Virginia University offers students a comprehensive program that prepares counseling practitioners in community counseling and school counseling. We emphasize in our classes listening and relationship skills, techniques, theories, and the art of helping. Courses are designed to train graduates to be counselors in agencies, schools, corrections, treatment centers, and private practice. We offer a wide variety of courses in order to prepare graduates for the range of clients that they may see when working as a counselor. We want students graduating from our program to feel proficient in both individual and group counseling.
We believe our program is one of the best in the country due to the quality of instruction, the course offerings, and the quality of students who come to study in our department. Students come from West Virginia, the surrounding states, and from all parts of the country. Faculty members have varied backgrounds and some have written texts that are used throughout the country. Each faculty member has his or her view of counseling so students are exposed to a wide variety of opinions and theories.
Our program is a 60-hour program, which includes a fifteen week, 40-hour per week internship in the last semester. The program is designed as a full-time program that can be completed in two years (fall, spring, summer, fall, spring). One very positive aspect of our program is that students tend to form close bonds since they are in many of the same classes and participate together in the student organizations that exist within the department. We accept approximately 25 students each fall out of the 60-70 who apply.
We do accept a few part-time students but these students have to have a work schedule that allows them to take classes during the day and also will allow them time off to complete the internship. If you are considering taking courses on a part-time basis, you will want to talk with the admissions to make sure you can complete your course work. We do not offer an online program. All classes have to be completed on campus unless special permission is given by the advisor and coordinator.
Graduates of our program work in schools, colleges, mental health agencies, drug and alcohol treatment centers, in-home counseling programs, correctional settings, and private practice. Some students go on for doctoral study in either our department or at other universities. Each year we accept into our doctoral program 1-3 of our recent graduates.
Listed below are the courses that students are required to take. Some students take electives in grief counseling, crisis counseling, and other areas of special interest to them.
- Theories and Techniques I
- Theories and Techniques II
- Cultural Issues
- Career Information and Counseling
- Understanding Research in Counseling
- Human Appraisal (testing)
- Counseling Children
- Counseling Adolescents and Adults
- Addictions Counseling
- Couples and Family Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Community Counseling or School Counseling
- Practicum (Field experience)
- Internship
- Ethical Issues in Counseling