DEPARTMENT AND PROGRAM POLICIES

A number of program policies and procedures which impact student programs are outlined below.

Change of Specialization

The area of specialization can be more easily changed prior to attaining candidacy than it can be after candidacy is attained.  Following candidacy, course work is much more specialized and transfer from one area of specialization to another can be more complicated.  Because course work may not always transfer from one curriculum to another, students may find that they will need additional course work to complete a new area of specialization.  Deeper into Phase II of studies, a change in area of specialization can require increasingly more credits.

The following process has been adopted to enable a change of specialization with as little risk as possible.

  • Notify your current advisor of an interest and intent to change specializations.
  • Contact the Team Coordinator of the area of intended specialization.  (The advisor or the Department secretary can provide direction to the appropriate person.)
  • Submit to the Team Coordinator written explanation of your rationale for change of specialization.
  • Students are required to write a letter to the Team Coordinator of the area of intended specialization with an explanation of why they wish to change specialization
  • Talk to both the current advisor and the Team Coordinator of the area desired in order to assess and evaluate the curricular impact.
  • Develop a mutually agreeable Plan of Work with the Team Leader.  This Plan of Work should reflect the minimum course work required for completion of that area of specialization.
  • Submit the Change of Specialization Form (as shown in Appendix B) to the Department Secretary.  Notification of the decision will be mailed to the student by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Students submitting a Change of Specialization Form after candidacy is attained must follow the same procedure with the additional requirement that the request is taken to the next Departmental meeting for approval by all Faculty.
Thesis Option

Students desiring to do experimental, historical or heuristic research may consider taking CNS 612 and CNS 613, Master’s Thesis as six (6) elective hours.  Application for thesis approval may be obtained from the School of Graduate Research and Studies, Old Main 113.  It is required that the student seek consultation of his/her advisor, and, if appropriate, the staff member the student wishes to serve as Committee Chairperson prior to completing the application.

Transfer of Credit

The Department of Counseling will follow the Graduate School policy on transfer of credit from other colleges and universities.  This policy states that “a maximum of nine semester hour credits of graduate work earned at another institution will be accepted provided the courses are appropriate for the program at Shippensburg University, and that the credits are received on an official transcript with grades of “B” (3.0) or higher.”  In addition it states, “Credit earned more than five (5) years prior to the date you begin your graduate program at Shippensburg University does not qualify for transfer credit.” The grades will not be used to determine the Quality Point Average at Shippensburg.

Under no circumstances will credit for Pre-Practicum, Practicum, Clinical Field Experience I or II, or any experiential group work course be considered for transfer.

An official copy of the graduate transcript should be sent to the Registrar’s Office of Shippensburg University for any courses students want considered for transfer credit.

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete this process.

Students who subsequently enroll in course work at another institution must have prior written approval in order to obtain transfer credit.

Policy Concerning Waiver of Required Courses 

Students in any curriculum in the Department of Counseling may request waiver of required courses listed below.  Waiver of the course should not be confused with receiving credit; it means simply that the course will not be required and the student can then consult with the advisor to determine the most logical substitute elective.  A maximum of six (6) graduate hours of credit may be waived.  The basis for such a waiver may be 1) prior course work completed at the graduate level; or, in exceptional cases, 2) professional work experiences.  In either case, the preponderance of evidence must indicate that the competencies of courses considered for waiver are clearly demonstrated as having been attained by prior experience.  THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEEKING COURSE WAIVER RESTS SOLELY WITH THE STUDENT.

The following steps must be completed:

  • Obtain Course Waiver Request Form (see Appendix B) from the Department or use it from this manual.
  • With the application, provide documentation for the request.  (Course transcript, syllabus, catalog description, papers submitted for course credit, thesis, grade, description of professional experience, verification by supervisor(s) of specific duties/skills, or similar documentation.)
  • A Committee on Course Waiver consisting of the Department Chairperson, the student’s advisor (and when appropriate, the instructor of the course) will be established.  This committee will make one of three recommendations:
    • approval of the request
    • request an examination either written or oral, or both
    • deny the request
  • Applications must be received in the Department at least one month prior to the term in which the course is offered.
  • The deadline for applying for waiver of any course work will be one calendar year following the date of admission to the program or the completion of 18 semester hours credit, whichever comes first.
  • The following course may be considered for waiver:
    • Life Span Psychology
    • Intro. to Exceptionality
    • Career Development
    • Assessment Techniques in Counseling
    • Research and Statistics
    • Theories of Counseling
  • Please note that no experiential courses may be waived and that all waivers must be agreed to by the student’s advisor and approved by the Department Chair.

INFORMED CONSENT

Throughout the program students are required to meet with practice volunteers as part of the requirements for certain courses.  It is the departmental policy that an Informed Consent Form be signed by all individuals involved with this process.  One signed copy should be given to the volunteer and another signed copy should be retained by the student.  See Forms for a sample form.

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

At the beginning of each semester (spring and fall), an orientation session is held for new students.  Any student beginning classes (or who began classes during the summer semester for fall orientation) should attend this session.

This is an important meeting where student expectations will be discussed, including departmental policies and procedures.  Attendance is strongly encouraged as students will be responsible for the material shared.

WRITING WORKSHOP

Each semester the Department holds a writing workshop.  All new students are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop.  Every student in the department MUST learn to navigate scholarly writing and mastering APA style is the way to accomplish that.  A guide to writing in APA style (with examples from our department) will be provided.

STUDENTS RIGHTS

The Faculty of the Department of Counseling are strongly committed to the protection of student rights. The Faculty believe that students should at all times be treated with sensitivity, respect, dignity and in accordance with the highest ethical standards.  In order to safeguard the student from academic or personal exploitation or prejudice, the Department has established specific grievance procedures through which students may appeal.  Students wishing clarification of the process may contact any Faculty member in the Department of Counseling (See Appendix A - Student Rights Policy).

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

It is the policy of Shippensburg University to forbid academic dishonesty.  Students who commit breaches of academic dishonesty will be subject to the various sanctions outlined in the Graduate Catalog.  This policy applies to all students enrolled at Shippensburg University during and after their time of enrollment.  Additional information regarding policies and procedures can be obtained from the Graduate Catalog.

GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES

A summary of the general academic policies of importance to the entering student are described below.

  • Non-Degree students must have approval from the Chairperson of the Department prior to registering for any courses in the Department.  Admission to courses prior to admission to the program does not guarantee subsequent admission to the program and is on a space available basis.
  • The Counseling Department reserves the right to accept or reject courses taken by Non-Degree students who later gain admission to the program.  There is no implied guarantee that prior course work will be counted toward meeting the requirements of their program.
  • Students must receive a minimum of a “B” in CNS 578, Pre-Practicum in Counseling and CNS 585, Practicum in Counseling in order to continue their counseling studies.
  • Students interested in taking CNS 599, Independent Study, must present a statement of intent to their advisor.  This is in addition to the Request for Independent Study Form available through the Registrar’s Office.
  • Grades, including an incomplete, are given according to the guidelines established by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Dismissal for “C” and “F” grades will follow the guidelines established by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Students are expected, beginning the date of their admission to the program, to strictly adhere to The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  A copy of this brochure will be distributed to each student during the New Student Orientation meeting.
  • Students engaging in research involving human subjects must strictly adhere to the University’s policy and procedure regarding such research. 
    (See Appendix B.) 

STUDENT RETENTION PROCEDURES

The Faculty of the Department of Counseling willingly work with the student toward maintaining steady and uninterrupted progress in their program.  In a small number of cases, however, concerns arise regarding the suitability of a student for the counseling profession.  In those situations, the Shippensburg University Department of Counseling (in compliance with the ACA Code of Ethics) abide by the following retention plan for students in the Department.

If, in the professional judgment of a Department Faculty member, a student’s behavior is deemed inappropriate and professionally unbecoming, the following steps are taken to assure that student the right due process:

  • The Faculty member who has become aware of a problem meets with the student and offers suggestions for possible changes in the student’s behavior. 
  • When further action is appropriate, the Faculty member may also write a memo or submit a Student Contact Form (see Appendix B) to the Department Chairperson concerning the meeting with the student.  The Faculty member concurrently informs the student, in writing, that the report has been sent to the Department Chairperson.
  • If the Department Chairperson deems the student’s behavior serious enough in nature, the Department Chairperson subsequently appoints a committee composed of three (3) current, regular Department Faculty to investigate all aspects of the situation and to make recommendations to the entire Department faculty, regarding the student’s continuation in the Department.  The student will be informed, in writing, of these proceedings and will be interviewed by the retention committee as one aspect of the investigation.
  • The Retention Committee’s report, including recommendations and/or requirements is presented to the Department Faculty in a closed meeting (i.e. a meeting of Department Faculty members only; students are not permitted at this meeting).When the Department Faculty have acted on the recommendations of the retention committee, the Department Chairperson and the student’s advisor will meet with the student to convey the Department’s decisions.  The Department Chairperson and the student’s Faculty advisor subsequently monitor the student’s progress in carrying out the Department’s recommendations for the student.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Department, he/she may subsequently follow the appeals procedures established by the Graduate School.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available during the regular academic year and summer sessions.  Assistantships are available through the Counseling Department, the Counseling Center, and in numerous offices, departments, centers or campus sponsored activities.  Financial Aid applicants can often be aided in their search by the University Director for Financial Assistance.  Briefly, financial support for students is available from a variety of sources:

  • Graduate assistantships carry stipends, paid for hourly service and remission of tuition.
  • Residence Directors at Shippensburg University are each responsible for the overall supervision of one residence hall.  Their role is to create a community environment that assists students in meeting their social, academic, cultural, and personal goals.

Residence Directors (RDs) are part of the Dean of Students Office and are supervised by an Associate Dean.  RDs are dually appointed as 12-month temporary staff members and as graduate assistants at the University.  RDs must be enrolled in a graduate program at Shippensburg University and are limited to six (6) credit hours per semester and three (3) per summer, thus effectively making a three-year commitment.

RDs receive a furnished campus apartment, a full meal plan, cable TV, and telephone voice mail service.  In addition to a waiver of graduate school tuition, RDs receive an excellent salary.

Most often, applications to graduate studies and RD positions are made concurrently.  Therefore, an attempt is made to coordinate the Department’s interview and selection process with the Dean of Students Office.  Candidates for these positions should FIRST gain admission to graduate study and the Department of their chosen field of study, as this simplifies the employment process as a Residence Director.

  • Students demonstrating financial need and not otherwise employed in a Graduate Assistantship or Graduate Counselorship are eligible for student employment by the University.  Strict adherence to relevant state and federal guidelines are observed.
  • Students are also entitled to apply for Guaranteed Student Loan Funds.

COUNSELING CENTER SERVICES 

A comprehensive program of counseling services is available at no charge to all students in attendance at the University.  Counseling is intended not only to provide help to students with clearly identified problems, but also to facilitiate individual growth and development in a manner that will supplement the ongoing process of education.  This could be on an individual basis or through small groups and is considered to be a very positive aspect of the individual’s education.

It is particularly recommended that aspiring counselors take advantage of these services to enhance their personal growth and development .  This is an opportunity to be “in the other chair” as the counselee, and to gain a first hand awareness of what clients experience in the counseling setting.  Information revealed in counseling sessions is treated as confidential and services can be provided to students of the Department’s programs by counselors who ARE NOT involved in any decision-making regarding student’s program and career.