The School of Education offers five different master's degree programs: Master of Science in Education; Master of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling; Master of Science in Teaching English as a Second Language; Master of Education, College Student Personnel Services; and Master of Science, Education (Counseling Psychology).

The program for the Master of Science in Education (M.S.) is designed to develop qualities and techniques requisite to leadership in professional service. The fundamental objectives of the program are to develop an awareness of the major fields and their relationships within professional education, to develop an understanding and an appreciation of the purposes and procedures of educational research and to develop a particular proficiency in one or more of the special fields within the education profession. Specializations in curriculum and teaching, early childhood education, communication handicapped and science education are offered by the Division of Curriculum and Teaching. The Division of Counseling Psychology offers a specialization in counseling psychology; the Division of Educational Psychology offers specializations in educational psychology and instructional technology; the Division of Educational Administration and Policy offers specializations in administration, higher education and in international and intercultural education.

The program for the Master of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling is offered for those students seeking to prepare themselves for the practice of marriage, family and child counseling. The curriculum of the master's program is grounded in the applications of the discipline of counseling psychology to clinical work with couples, families and children in the family context. Students who complete this specialized professional degree program and who fulfill the additional state-mandated requirements are eligible for the State of California's Marriage, Family and Child Counseling license. The degree program is offered through the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology.

The Master of Science in Teaching English as a Second Language (M.S.) is offered as a specialized, interdisciplinary degree. The M.S. program is designed to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to teach English as a second language and provide leadership in such teaching programs. This degree program is an appropriate master's level option for qualified elementary and secondary teachers who have earned or are pursuing certification as Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) teachers or Bilingual CLAD and for other educators already in the field who wish to update their knowledge and skills. The degree program is under the auspices of the Division of Curriculum and Teaching.

The program for the Master of Education, College Student Personnel Services is designed to prepare students for career opportunities in higher education with particular emphasis on the provision of services to students, co-curricular based approaches to promoting student development and the administration of student services programs. Graduates assume positions at both four-year and community colleges, in areas such as residence halls and greek affairs, admissions and school relations, student activities and programming, academic advising and student support services. The degree program is jointly offered by the Divisions of Counseling Psychology and Educational Administration and Policy.

The program for the Master of Science, Education (Counseling Psychology) is designed to develop a broad knowledge of the theoretical, philosophical and scientific foundations of the field of counseling psychology as well as practical skills in the application of counseling techniques. This program is limited to students who entered the Ph.D. program in counseling psychology directly from the baccalaureate. The program is offered through the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology.

Faculty Advisor

Upon notification of admission to graduate study, students must arrange to talk with their assigned faculty advisor.

Program of Studies

A program of studies form for the appropriate master's degree is obtained from the Office of Student Services, Waite Phillips Hall 803. Together, the advisor and student plan a course of studies leading toward completion of degree requirements which is recorded on this form. Any changes in the program must be approved in advance in writing by the faculty advisor. Final approval of the program is based on a determination that all USC regulations and program requirements have been met. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Services for advisement regarding university regulations and must submit the completed program form to that office during the first semester of enrollment.

Transfer of Course Work

The Degree Progress Department determines whether course work taken elsewhere is available for transfer credit. The available work is recorded on the Graduate Credit Statement prepared by that office.

The maximum number of transfer credits which may be applied toward a master's degree requiring 28-32 units is four; eight units in programs requiring 33-40 units; 12 units in programs requiring 41 or more units. (Additional university regulations apply to students seeking a second master's degree.)

Final transfer of graduate credit to be applied toward a degree is dependent upon approval of the student's faculty advisor. The criteria used in approving available transfer credit are relevance to the program, recency, quality and grades earned.

Master's Thesis and Seminar

An integral part of the requirements for the master's degree is the completion of either a thesis (594ab) or the master's seminar (593ab). Each division within the School of Education offers both, providing the student with the option of choosing either one. Registration in the a semester is prerequisite to the b semester. Concurrent registration in a and b is not permitted except by petition. Credit for 594ab is conditional upon satisfactory completion of the thesis.

Program Requirements for the Master of Science in Education

A minimum of 28 units of acceptable graduate work in courses numbered 400 or higher is required. At least two-thirds of the units taken must be at the 500 or 600 level, not including 593 or 594, irrespective of the total number of units required.

The units are selected with school consent to develop some degree of proficiency in an educational specialty: administration, curriculum and teaching, communication handicapped, instructional technology, medical education, science education, or international and intercultural education. The school approves and monitors the course selection via a program of study which must be completed during the first semester of enrollment. Forms are obtained from and submitted to the Office of Student Services, WPH 803.

Program Requirements for the Master of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling

The minimum requirement is 50 units of approved graduate courses numbered 400 or higher. A minimum of four semesters is required for completion of the degree program. Students must demonstrate an acceptable level of counseling proficiency (a grade of B (3.0) or better) in EDCO 560, Practicum in Counseling, before being permitted to complete the master's degree. (Students with little or no prior counseling experience are advised to audit the practicum course the first time it is taken. Two registrations for credit and one audit are permitted in EDCO 560.) Of the 50 units, the last 14 units must be completed at USC.

All candidates must complete the following required course sequence:		Units
EDCO 500	The Counseling Process	3
EDCO 503	Seminar: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling	2
EDCO 515	Theories of Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling	3
EDCO 516	Perspectives on Human Sexuality	3
EDCO 541	Theories in Counseling Psychology I	3
EDCO 542	Group Counseling: Theory and Process	3
EDCO 544	Measurement Procedures in the Helping Process	3
EDCO 546	Psychopathology for Counselors	3
EDCO 548	Career Development: Theory and Process	3
EDCO 551	Cross-Cultural Counseling: Research and Practicum	3
EDCO 557	Chemical Dependence and Substance Abuse	3
EDCO 560	Practicum in Counseling	3
EDCO 561	Field Work in Counseling	3
EDCO 593ab	Master's Seminar, or
EDCO 594ab	Master's Thesis	2-2
EDPT 520	Human Lifespan Development	3
EDPT 550	Statistical Inference	3

Program Requirements for the Master of Science in Teaching English as a Second Language

A minimum of 29 units of approved graduate-level course work is required. Of the 29, the last 14 units, and at least 25 units, must be completed at USC.

The following courses are required (23 units):		Units
CTSE 409	Foundations of Language Education	3
CTSE 537	Methods in Bilingual Education and in Teaching English as a Second Language	3
CTSE 586	Teaching Reading and Writing in a Second Language for the Literate Student	3
CTSE 588	Practicum in Second Language Teaching	3
CTSE 593ab	Master's Seminar, or
CTSE 594ab	Master's Thesis	2-2
EDHP 521	Course Design for Language Learning	3
LING 411	Linguistics and Education	4
One of the following courses must be taken (3 units):		Units
CTSE 538	Curricula and Cultural Pluralism	3
EDPA 622	The Role of Education in Cultural Transmission	3

An elective (3 units) approved by a faculty advisor is required.

Program Requirements for the Master of Education, College Student Personnel Services

The minimum requirement is 38 units of approved graduate-level course work. The last 14 units and at least 30 units of the 38-unit minimum must be completed at USC.

The following core sequence of courses is required (26 units):		Units
EDCO 563	Student Personnel Work in College	3
EDCO 564	Field Work in College Student Personnel Services	3
EDCO 565	Intervention Strategies in College Student Development	2
EDCO 664	Internship in College Student Personnel Services	2
EDHP 500	Foundations of Higher, Adult, and Professional Education	3
EDHP 502	Administration in Higher, Adult, and Professional Education	3
EDHP 687	Student Development in Higher Education	3
EDHP 550	Evaluation of Educational Research, or
EDPT 550	Statistical Inference	3
EDCO 593ab	Master's Seminar, or
EDHP 593ab	Master's Seminar, or
EDCO 594abz	Master's Thesis, or
EDHP 594abz	Master's Thesis	4
Three of the following courses must be taken (9 units):
EDCO 548	Career Development: Theory and Practice	3
EDCO 500	The Counseling Process	3
EDHP 657	Management of Student Services in Higher Education	3
EDHP 679	Legal Issues in the Administration of Higher Education	3
EDHP 689	Fiscal Support and Expenditure in Higher and Postsecondary Education	3
EDPA 518	Organizational Theory	3
EDPA 610	Management of Human Resources	3
EDPA 671	The Computer and Data Processing in Education	3
EDPT 520	Human Lifespan Development	3
EDPT 624	Adolescent Development	3
One additional course selected with the approval of student's advisor		3

Program Requirements for the Master of Science, Education (Counseling Psychology)

The minimum requirement is 40 semester units of acceptable graduate work in courses numbered 400 or higher. All work must have been completed during the five-year period immediately preceding the end of the semester during which all requirements are met. A minimum of four semesters is required for completion of the degree program. Students must demonstrate an acceptable level of counseling proficiency (a grade of B (3.0) or better) in EDCO 560 Practicum in Counseling before being permitted to complete the master's degree. Two registrations for credit and one audit are permitted in EDCO 560. Students with little or no prior counseling experience are advised to audit the practicum course the first time it is taken.

The last 14 units, and at least 32 units of the 40 unit minimum, must be completed at USC.

All candidates must complete the following required core sequence in counseling psychology.

Core sequence		Units
EDCO 500	The Counseling Process	3
EDCO 503	Seminar: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling	2
EDCO 541	Theories in Counseling Psychology I	3
EDCO 542	width="280"Group Counseling: Theory and Process	3
EDCO 544	Measurement Procedures in the Helping Process	3
EDCO 548	Career Development: Theory and Process	3
EDCO 560	Practicum in Counseling	3
EDCO 561	Field Work in Counseling	3
EDCO 593ab	Master's Seminar, or
EDCO 594ab	Master's Thesis	4
EDPT 550	Statistical Inference	3

EDCO 564 Field Work in College Student Personnel Services may be substituted for EDCO 561 Field Work in Counseling with permission of the student's faculty advisor.

All students are required to take courses appropriate to their specialty in addition to the core sequence in counseling. Two specializations are available for students in the Master of Science, Education (Counseling Psychology) program: college counseling and general specialization.

Application for the Degree

Application for the degree must be made during the semester preceding the one in which the student expects to receive the degree. The student must file diploma application cards with the Office of Student Services. The Degree Progress Department will prepare a Degree Requirement Summary reflecting any requirements remaining to be met. A copy is sent to the student and to the School of Education.

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