Is the master's in Leadership and School Counselling program for me?

Our M.Ed. in Leadership and School Counselling program will help you become a school counsellor or education leader in the British Columbia public or private school system. If you want to advance your education career in BC without giving up your day job, this program is perfect for you.

What will I learn in the master's in Leadership and School Counselling program?

The M.Ed. in Leadership and Counselling degree program prepares you to be an efficient classroom manager, team leader and/or school counsellor. Our program focuses on:

• Effective leadership
• Counselling children and adolescents
• Group counselling
• Multi-dimensional learning assessments
• Child development
• Conflict resolution
• Evaluating education programs

What can I do with my master's degree in Leadership and School Counselling?

With your M.Ed. degree in Leadership and School Counselling, you'll be ready to step into a school counsellor or other leadership position in public or private schools. And because our master's degree program meets local and regional requirements, you may be eligible for a pay increase (if you currently work in the public education system).

Why CityU?

• Because you want an education that's relevant to what's happening in the real world, right now.
• Our faculty teach what they do for a living, not just what's in the book. They're smart, successful people who can help you get there, too.
• You'll go through the program with the same group of students. We call it cohort learning. It's like a built-in support group.
• You can get an education without sacrificing your lifestyle.
• Over 500 educators choose CityU each year to start or advance their career in education.

How to get started:

Are you a Canadian educator with a bachelor's degree? If so, you're eligible to apply. Here's how:

• Contact a BC admissions advisor at 800.663.7466.
• Complete the M.Ed. Leadership and School Counselling
• Apply online
• Request transcripts from any other schools you attended
• Submit application with application fee
• Schedule an interview with the program director and portfolio review

Be sure to talk with an admissions advisor to see if there are other requirements for your program.

Total Required Credits:		52
M.Ed. Graduate Foundation Core:		8
ECC 509	Preparation for Professional Growth	3
This course builds on the self-assessment carried out at the beginning of the program. Students conduct a second self-assessment of their knowledge and skills during this mid-point in the program course to create a Professional Growth Plan that will act as a guide throughout the second year on the program. Tools for professional improvement are introduced, including the skills of conducting successful research and internship experiences, reflecting on one's professional practice, and using empirical, social, philosophical, and historical knowledge to inform daily praxis.
ECC 510	Technology Tools and Information Literacy	2
This course introduces information literacy and the processes basic to educational research. Students will utilize accesses to scholarly journals and research, develop a problem statement, critique journal articles, and prepare an annotated bibliography to explore best practices in professional practice.
ECC 511	Research Methods in Education	3
In this course candidates will study a variety of research methodologies including formal research, action research, data driven instruction, and assessment. All of these forms of research are tools of the reflective practitioner. Find, evaluate, and use relevant research materials to develop skills in critiquing published research and reviewing literature and methodologies to develop a research plan.
School Leadership and Counselling Core:		15
ECC 513	Leadership in Schools: Ethics, Accountability and Law	3
This course provides the knowledge and skills in Canadian law necessary for effective leadership in the role of school principal and school counsellor. Students develop the knowledge and tools required to make good judgments on legal matters within the school setting. A theory paper and action plan is developed for their area of emphasis in their program of study.
ECC 514	Introduction to School-based Counselling	3
This course gives the future school counsellor and educational leader an overview of how a well-organized counselling program contributes to children's growth and a positive school climate. It provides a foundational view of the roles and responsibilities of a school counsellor in a multicultural context.
ECC 515	Leadership and Counselling Diverse Cultures in Education	3
The course will consider examples which increase the student's understanding of the implications of cultural and diversity issues in the school environment. Candidates will learn to understand new cultures as they are encountered. Candidates will also develop strategies that can be used in the school to promote the emotional and physical well-being of all students and the climate of the school as a place for learning.
ECC 516	Family Systems and Conflict Management	3
Candidates examine how the school leader and school counsellor contribute to establishing and maintaining a positive school climate. Topics include the roles played by members in hierarchical systems (family and organizations); and methods for the analyzing and resolving conflicts amongst key stakeholders both in home and work settings. At completion of this course candidates are able to use genograms for assessment and treatment in family systems as well as tools for analyzing and planning for conflict resolution.
ECC 601	Counselling Field Experience	1
The field experience is a mentored, integrated, sequential experience planned by the student, the university field supervisor, and a mentoring school counsellor with training in observation and counselling skills. Candidates observe on-site counsellors at elementary and secondary levels to become familiar with the counsellor role and the emphases at different levels. As part of their observation work, candidates will conduct a case study on an individual child or adolescent within a school setting. Typical experiences with staff, students, and others will be observed and assessed. Audio or videotaping of laboratory practice is required.
ECC 602	Counselling Practicum	2
This is the second of two field experience courses prior to the internship. Candidates are supervised by their school-based mentor and university faculty in this pre-internship clinical experience. The focus is on the development of basic individual, age appropriate counselling skills and integration of professional knowledge. Candidates observe, gain understanding for, and practice listening skills, interviewing, conflict resolution, and de-escalation techniques in preparation for leadership and counselling roles and their internships. Audio or videotaping of laboratory practice is required.
School Counselling Emphasis:		18
EGC 530	Individual Counselling Theory and Practice	3
Students will explore the major theories of individual counselling, their characteristics and application. They develop a standard approach to analyze established theories in light of the needs of a diverse K-12 student population and examine which aspects serve children best in the school setting. Ethical approaches are discussed and investigated.
EGC 533	Child-Adolescent Growth and Development	3
This course is designed for students in school counselling as an in-depth exploration of individual differences in normal child growth and development. How children learn differently and the characteristics of exceptional children will be explored through research readings, self-reflection and discussions. The theory covered on this course provides a platform for observation and case study work carried out in the ECC 602 Counselling Practicum course that occurs in tandem with this course in the program schedule. The course identifies and compares the major theories of child and adolescent growth and development and aids the students in understanding how to apply them to the classroom. Effects of various ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural and age considerations on development will be integrated into this course.
EGC 536	Group Counselling and Management	3
Students gain an overview of group counselling theories, stages of group development, and the management of group processes. Research skills are developed in the identification and evaluation of group counselling needs within the school. Students study and write plans for small group counselling sessions related to specific identified need areas that are developmentally and culturally appropriate for participants. Ethical approaches are discussed and investigated.
EGC 539	Mental Health Issues in Schools	3
Students gain an understanding of the developmental and ecological context of individual challenges as contrasted with models of normal development. Students study the mental health issues in schools for children and adolescents, mental health, crisis issues and social deviancy. Diagnostic classification systems are introduced (e.g. the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition) with the view of student's becoming familiar with its application. Students will explore their personal perspectives that influence practical approaches when working with students, parents, and colleagues and consider the applicability of diagnostic tools for diverse populations.
EGC 542	Assessment and Evaluation in Counselling	3
Students explore appraisal techniques and materials, knowledge of achievement, aptitude, interest, attitude, and career and vocational testing. The interpretation of tests and their limitations as well as behavioral observations and case studies will be covered in this course. Ethical considerations will be explored.
EGC 545	Career Counselling and Information Services	3
Students identify how knowledge of the world of work, career opportunities, and information services is relevant to academic and social counselling in the public schools. Students study educational and career decision-making, values, and information services as applied equitably to diverse groups.
Internship Courses:		8
EGC 605	School Counselling Internship I	2
The school counselling internship is a mentored, integrated, sequential field experience planned by the student, the university field supervisor, and district mentor. The internship involves applying theory to the real life of the school while learning the school counsellor's roles and responsibilities. Each internship is mentored by skilled professionals and practitioners in the field. The internship requires a log of the candidate's experiences with reflections and a professional portfolio of the candidate's experience. The minimum number of hours of internship practice over the courses is 420 which include the pre-requisite observation courses. During the course of the total internships, the candidate conducts a research project. Each internship is accompanied by a one-day seminar, which is a guided reflection on the candidate's learning. In the final seminar, the candidate presents the research projects for peer and faculty review and feedback.
EGC 607	School Counselling Internship II	3
The school counselling internship is a mentored, integrated, sequential field experience planned by the student, the university field supervisor, and district mentor. The internship involves applying theory to the real life of the school while learning the school counsellor's roles and responsibilities. Each internship is mentored by skilled professionals and practitioners in the field. The internship requires a log of the candidate's experiences with reflections and a professional portfolio of the candidate's experience. The minimum number of hours of internship practice over the courses is 420 which include the pre-requisite observation courses. During the course of the total internships, the candidate conducts a research project. Each internship is accompanied by a one-day seminar, which is a guided reflection on the candidate's learning. In the final seminar, the candidate presents the research projects for peer and faculty review and feedback.
EGC 609	School Counselling Internship III	3
The school counselling internship is a mentored, integrated, sequential field experience planned by the student, the university field supervisor, and district mentor. The internship involves applying theory to the real life of the school while learning the school counsellor's roles and responsibilities. Each internship is mentored by skilled professionals and practitioners in the field. The internship requires a log of the candidate's experiences with reflections and a professional portfolio of the candidate's experience. The minimum number of hours of internship practice over the courses is 420 which include the pre-requisite observation courses. During the course of the total internships, the candidate conducts a research project. Each internship is accompanied by a one-day seminar, which is a guided reflection on the candidate's learning. In the final seminar, the candidate presents the research projects for peer and faculty review and feedback.
M.Ed. Project or Thesis (choose one):		3
EGC 640	Project and Presentation	3
In this course candidates research a problem related to school counselling. Topics include all aspects of the design, execution and analysis of a research project using accepted methodology. Candidates present their project to a panel of university faculty. Prerequisites: ECC511 Research methods in education.
EGC 641	Thesis and Presentation	3
This option is available for graduate candidates who wish to pursue an original research methodology. It is an individual, scholarly investigation of a research topic that defines a question to be answered or a hypothesis to be tested. It utilizes a student-selected and academically accepted methodology. Candidates are expected to give a thesis defense during a presentation to a panel appointed by the university.
Exit Requirements:		0
EGC 650	Comprehensive Examination	0
A requirement for program completion, the 2.5-3 hour long comprehensive examination broadly covers the program outcomes for the whole program requiring students to integrate their knowledge and synthesize that in pragmatic ways.