Counselor Education

309 Helble Hall
WSU Rochester, 400 S. Broadway, Suite 300
507.457.5335 or 800.242.8978 x 5335, Fax: 507.457.5882
Counselor Education website
Dawnette Cigrand, Chairperson

Faculty

Anquinetta Calhoun, Assistant Professor; BA, Spelman College; MEd, PhD, University of Florida-Gainesville; 2019 -
Dawnette Cigrand, Professor; BA, Cornell College; MA, PhD, University of Iowa; 2010 -
Mary Fawcett, Professor; BA, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; MA, Appalachian State University; PhD, University of South Carolina; 1999 -
Rieko Miyakuni, Assistant Professor; BA, MA, Marshall University; EdD, Governors State University; 2019 -
Mitch Moore, Assistant Professor; BA, MA, Winona State University; PhD, University of Minnesota; 2013 -

Degree Offered

Master of Science in Counselor Education

Majors

Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Human Services Professional
School Counseling

Certificate

Addiction Counseling

Counselor Education Department Mission

The mission of the Counselor Education Department (CED) is to prepare competent school and clinical mental health counselors capable of (a) building professional helping relationships that empower individuals, groups, and families to accomplish mental health, educational, wellness, and career goals, and (b) providing socially conscious competent prevention, remediation, and growth-enhancing interventions to individuals, groups, and families within a multicultural and pluralistic society.

Counselor Education Department Goals and Objectives

Department Goals and Objectives are included in the Counselor Education Department Program Handbook. CED Goals include:

Contribute to the continuation of CACREP accreditation across all counseling programs
Create and deliver curriculum that provides professional training for licensed counseling professionals
Contribute to faculty scholarship and/or creative achievement to better assist with student professional development
Support faculty professional development opportunities to better serve our counseling students
Contribute to recruitment, admissions, retention and graduation of our students

Licensure Endorsements

Minnesota - Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - Minnesota Board of Behavior Health and Therapy (BBHT)
Wisconsin - Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - Wisconsin Examining Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors (EBSWMFT&PC)
Minnesota - School Counselor Licensure - Minnesota Department of Education (DOE)
Wisconsin - School Counselor Licensure - Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
Minnesota - Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) - Board of Behavior Health and Therapy (BBHT)

Admission Requirements

The department’s admissions process is designed to ensure that the most uniquely qualified applicants are identified, admitted, and retained. All student applications for admission must follow this sequence:

Application and admission to Graduate Study at WSU. Application deadline for Graduate Study is November 15 for the Winter application process and March 1 for the Spring application process. An undergraduate GPA of 2.5 is the basic standard for admission to Graduate Study at WSU, as well as for CE applicants. Applicants with undergraduate GPAs lower than 2.5 are eligible only for Graduate Special Student admission status (see Graduate Special Students below).
Completion of CE Department online admission application. All persons admitted to Graduate Study and all Graduate Special students are eligible to apply for admission into the CE Department. Deadline for completed online application materials is December 1 and March 1 for the following Fall Semester. Note to Graduate Special students: successful completion of the CE admissions process only can result in your being provisionally admitted into the department because you are not yet eligible for admission to Graduate Study.
Notification to CE Department Administrative Assistant (507.457.5335) of intent to enroll in
CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling
for the next academic semester. After completing all online application materials, selected students will be invited to attend a group screening process on the second Friday of spring semester and the second Friday in April prior to the following fall semester in which they plan to take 601. All application materials and screening data will be assessed to select a cohort of no more than 45 persons (15 persons per 601 section) who will be admitted into the CE Department. Specific screening dates and all materials are available through the CE Department offices.
After admission to the CE Department, each student will be assigned an academic advisor.
All persons admitted to the CE Department will complete a Comprehensive Background Check (CBC) in order to assess the likelihood of securing licenses related to the following professions: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Addictions Counseling, and related potential professional license.
CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling
must be among the first 12 credits taken in a student’s CE Department program, and must be taken in the Fall semester following successful screening.

Note: Persons interested in applying to the Counselor Education Department may contact the CE Department Administrative Assistant in Winona at 507.457.5335 for the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of department faculty to assist students with the application and admission process.

Counselor Education Department Admission Screening Schedule

Screening for admission to the Counselor Education Department will be offered twice a year. Applicants will be selected to participate in screening day based on their application materials. Screening for admission will be held on the second Friday in spring semester and second Friday in April (for following Fall semester). Applicants will be notified by mail as to the time and location of the screening. Successful applicants will take CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling during the fall term.

Admission To Candidacy

Application for Candidacy may be completed only after a student has been admitted to the Counselor Education Department. The Application to Candidacy will be completed by the student and their advisor using an online Electronic Program Plan. The Electronic Program Plan defines the specific program requirements that a student must meet in order to complete their degree from the Counselor Education Department. The Electronic Program Plan may be completed only after the Office of Graduate Studies and the Counselor Education Department have admitted a student as a graduate regular student (graduate special students may not apply for candidacy). During CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling , the student must complete their Application for Admission to Candidacy via the Electronic Program Plan in consultation with their faculty advisor.

Admission Requests By Persons Holding MA or MS Degrees From Other Universities

Persons holding a MA or MS degree in counseling or related profession from another accredited university may request admission to the Counselor Education Department. However, all course transfer and course waiver requirements outlined by the Winona State University Office of Graduate Studies and the Counselor Education Department will be strictly enforced.

Advising

Once an applicant has successfully completed screening and been admitted to the Counselor Education Department, they will be assigned a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor will serve throughout the student’s program of study unless the student requests a change of advisor in writing.

Requests for a change of faculty advisors must be submitted to:

Administrative Assistant/Office Manager, Counselor Education Department, 309 Helble Hall, (507.457.5335)
the currently assigned faculty advisor, and
the faculty person the student wishes to have assigned as their new advisor.

Newly admitted students (following successful completion of Counselor Education Department faculty screening) are to contact their advisor upon receipt of their letter of acceptance from the Counselor Education Department. The faculty advisor will work with the student to complete a program of study (Counselor Education (CE) ) during CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling. Decisions related to the student’s program of study, sequencing of courses, scheduling, practicum, internship, and other pertinent information related to the Counselor Education Department should be made in consultation with their faculty advisor throughout the student’s program of study.

Graduate Special Students

The WSU Graduate School will accept students as Graduate Special Students who are able to take courses in the Counselor Education Department before they apply, attend screening, and are accepted by the Counselor Education Department. A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university and who wishes to enroll in graduate courses, but does not intend to pursue a graduate degree at Winona State University, may register as a graduate special student. Prospective graduate special students must complete a Graduate Special Application Form to be admitted to the university.

Note: Admission as a graduate special student does not constitute admission to the Counselor Education Department.

Graduate Special courses include:

Students Completing Coursework Prior To Admission to the Counselor Education Department:

Students who complete coursework in the Counselor Education Department prior to screening and admission to the department are advised that the successful completion of coursework does not guarantee their admission to the department. Only those individuals who have been admitted to the Counselor Education Department and have an approved Application for Admission to Candidacy Form on file in the Office of Graduate Studies will be considered eligible to pursue a graduate degree from the Counselor Education Department.

Summary of Important Admissions/Screening Deadline Dates

Application for admission to Graduate Study deadline: November 15
Application materials deadline: December 1 and March 1
Required on-campus screening date (for those selected): Second Friday in Spring Semester and second Friday in April (for following Fall semester)

Permitted Courses for Application and Graduate Special Students

Students not yet admitted to the CE Department and all Graduate Special Students are permitted to enroll in only the following Counselor Education Department courses or other related graduate level coursework outside of the department: CE 534 - Multiculturalism and Diversity and CE 611 - Development over the Lifespan . Application for Admission to Candidacy Students complete the Candidacy Application form in consultation with their academic advisor after they have been admitted to the Counselor Education Department, and while taking CE 601 - Foundations of Counseling . The Application for Admission to Candidacy defines the specific program requirements that a student must meet to complete their degree from the Counselor Education Department.

Advising

After screening, all students are assigned an advisor from the Counselor Education Department faculty. The faculty advisor will work with the student throughout their program of study unless the student requests in writing a change of advisor.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance for graduate students enrolled in the Counselor Education Department is available through graduate assistantships, federal and state grants, scholarships, loans, and campus employment. Students may contact the Winona State University Financial Aid Office for financial assistance information or their faculty advisor for scholarships specifically earmarked for Counselor Education students.

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete all degree requirements for the major as stated on their Application for Admission to Candidacy.
Students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling must complete a one hundred fifty (150) clock hour practicum experience.
Students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling must complete a six hundred (600) clock hour internship experience.
Students must pass a final written comprehensive examination.
Students must complete a major capstone writing project in consultation with their advisor, to be presented as the major requirement for CE 695 - Capstone Project .
Students may elect to complete a master’s thesis, an extensive research project that must be approved by the candidate’s advisor and an oral examination committee.

Endorsement Statement

When considering students for practicum and/or internship, and program graduates for employment, licensure, and/or certification, the faculty of the Counselor Education Department will endorse candidates only for positions for which they qualify by education, training, and personal qualifications. Program and/or degree requirements as defined by the student’s Application for Admission to Candidacy will serve as a guide to faculty when recommending students and graduates for specific positions in either a clinical mental health counseling or school counseling setting. Both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling Programs offered by the Winona State University Counselor Education Department meet all curriculum and clinical instruction requirements as defined by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Programs

Graduate Certificate

Counselor Education - Addiction Counseling - Certificate

Master of Science (MS)