Counseling

Website: www.iup.edu/counseling
Kimberly Desmond, Chair
Brittany L. Pollard-Kosidowski, Assistant Chair

This graduate department offers two master’s degree programs, as well as separate tracks for licensure-only and certification-only applicants. The 60-credit MA degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to prepare students to work in a variety of settings, including mental health centers, drug and alcohol treatment programs, specialized community agencies, vocational education or rehabilitation programs, correctional institutions, private practice, health care settings, social services, and business and industry. Students complete a number of skills-based courses, as well as two clinical practicum courses and a six-credit field experience under the supervision of approved clinical supervisors.

The MEd program in School Counseling is designed to prepare students to qualify for combined PreK-12 institutional and commonwealth certification. This 60-credit competency-based program includes a series of counseling skills courses for both individual and group counseling, as well as practicum and field experiences completed under the supervision of certified school counselors.

All programs within the Department of Counseling are offered in full at both IUP main campus and at IUP’s Pittsburgh East location. Those students already possessing a master’s degree in counseling or a closely-related field may consider applying for “certification only” or “licensure only” status. Eligibility for these non-degree tracks is determined through a transcript audit facilitated by the Graduate Coordinator. Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for further details.