Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS):
School Counselor

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Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling

Department phone number: (607) 436-3554
Website: http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/ed/edpsych2

Faculty: Anuradhaa Shastri, Chair, Brian Beitzel, Joanne M. Curran, Nithya Iyer, Ronald LaFrance, Daqi Li, Joan Marshall, Emily Phillips, Richard Staley, Ying Tang, John Van Valkenburg

Program purposes and philosophy: The CAS provides post-Master’s study which, when combined with the College at Oneonta Master of Science in Education degree (School Counselor), satisfies the 60 s.h. academic requirement (Master’s degree + CAS or related course work) of New York State for Permanent Certification in School Counseling. Two full years of professional experience as a school counselor are also required for permanent certification by New York State.

This program can be completed through part-time study. The College allows a maximum of six calendar years to complete all requirements for the program. Since the NYS Provisional Certificate is valid for 5 years, students are encouraged to complete their CAS within this time period.

National Counselor’s Exam: Courses offered in the CAS program (school counselor) may be used to fulfill part of the eligibility requirements for the National Counselor’s Exam.

In general, any students who wish to transfer credit from another college following admission must have written prior approval from their faculty advisor. Courses must be relevant to the field of school counseling, must be from an accredited college, must appear on a college transcript as a “B” or better, must include a minimum of 37.5 face to face clock hours, or in the case of web based or on line courses, must include that all exams are taken in person, and must result in a grade of “B” or better. No more than 9 s.h. may be transferred into this program. Transfer credits must meet specific guidelines. Check with advisor or department chair.

At least half of the s.h. toward the CAS program must be taken following admission to the program. For this reason students are encouraged to apply to the program in a timely fashion.

Application materials (application form, transcripts, provisional certificate) for summer and fall admission must be filed with the Graduate Office by March 1st and by November 1st for the spring Semester.

Decisions on admission to the program are made based on all of the following information plus the admissions committee’s judgment about the applicant’s potential for success in the profession. Admission is competitive and meeting the minimum admission’s criteria does not guarantee acceptance.


Admission Requirements
All students applying for admission to this program are required to:

1. Submit a completed application and the non-refundable fee. 

2. Submit an official transcript of an earned Master’s degree from a regionally accredited college. 

3. Submit a copy of their NYS Provisional Certificate in School Counseling. 

4. At the Department’s discretion, have a personal interview with students who meet minimum requirements. 

5. Submit two professional letters of recommendation (not required for M.S. Ed. Oneonta graduates).