Detailed Information
Program of Study
In the Graduate Program in Counseling and Human Relations (CHR) a student can choose one of the following three course concentrations: elementary or secondary school counseling or community counseling. The elementary and secondary school counseling concentrations lead to approval for certification by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the community counseling concentration can lead to licensure as a professional counselor with the Bureau of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors. All students take the core program, including electives relating to the area of concentration, and the comprehensive examination, an integral part of the program. They must also demonstrate proficiency in counseling skills during a two-semester internship. A total of 48 credits are required for the degree.
Students have up to six years to complete the program, which begins when they take their first course–transfer or otherwise. Students must take CHR 8605 Laboratory in Counseling Skills and CHR 8655 Laboratory in Group Dynamics within the first 12 hours of graduate work. A thesis is not required but may be done in lieu of 6 credits of elective study.
Research Facilities
The Falvey Memorial Library at Villanova University houses about 600,000 volumes and 3,000 periodicals. An interlibrary loan system operates with the efficiency of e-mail. The library is located in the middle of the campus and includes numerous public-use computer stations that are equipped with sophisticated search engines and data retrieval mechanisms.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available, for those who qualify, through a variety of methods. A limited number of full-time graduate assistantships and part-time lab technician positions are available through the department. These positions include tuition remission of either 12 or 6 credits, in addition to a stipend for the full-time positions. Through a local bank, Villanova University has negotiated a student-loan package for which all students may apply. Several scholarships based on academic merit and other factors are available for students. Some provide full tuition. To help with the cost of tuition, Villanova may suggest a number of payment options, including credit card, deferred payment option, and employer tuition reimbursement (if available). Students should contact the Financial Assistance Office at 610-519-6456 for more information.
Students become eligible for financial assistance when they are enrolled for 9 or more credit hours per semester.
Cost of Study
Fees and expenses for graduate students in 2009–10 are $50 for the application fee, $630 per credit for tuition, and $60 per semester for general University fees. Additional tuition and fee information is available by calling the Bursar’s Office at 610-519-4258.
Living and Housing Costs
A variety of affordable housing possibilities are available near the Villanova University campus. Housing costs vary in accordance with the option chosen. Room and board for a single graduate student may average about $8000 for a twelve-month period. Villanova University does not provide on-campus housing for graduate students.
Student Group
Students in the graduate CHR program combine a variety of academic backgrounds, professional interests, and personal aims. There are usually about 160 students matriculated in the program, with about one third full-time. The qualities most often mentioned and appreciated among the students are a collegial atmosphere, a high level of intellectual intensity, and practical experience.
Student Outcomes
The Graduate Program in Counseling and Human Relations prepares students to be counselors in school and community mental health agency settings. The school counseling track leads to certification as a school counselor through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, while the community counseling track leads to a license in professional counseling through the Bureau of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors. The counseling program is widely recognized both locally and nationally for preparing counselors who know not only what it means to be a counselor but also how to be a professional counselor. Graduates of the program have been readily accepted into many other graduate programs nationwide (e.g., at the Universities of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Michigan, and Delaware) and have gone on to distinguish themselves in many counseling programs.
Location
Villanova University is situated on the historic Main Line, in a safe, western suburb of Philadelphia. Villanova is located on Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), 2 minutes from the Blue Route (Route 476) and 5 minutes from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the Schuylkill Expressway, and Route 202. With ample parking and mass transit stops right on campus grounds, students can travel easily to and from the campus by car, bus, or train.
The University
Villanova University is an institution that is rich in history and Catholic tradition. From its modest beginnings on the country estate of a Revolutionary War officer, the University has seen significant growth in its student population as well as in its position as a leading coeducational institution of higher learning.
Applying
All students interested in graduate studies in counseling and human relations that lead to certification as a school counselor or licensure as a professional counselor must choose the appropriate track prior to admission. Applications for admission are required to include two complete undergraduate transcripts; three letters of recommendation from people who know the candidate personally, professionally, and/or academically; a completed departmental Work Experience and Goals worksheet; and test scores from either the Graduate Record Examinations or the Miller Analogies Test.
Applicants should send the three letters of recommendation, work experience and goals form, and a current resume to Marion Angelini, Department of Education and Human Services, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699; they should send the application for admission, the nonrefundable application fee, all official postsecondary transcripts, and the GRE or MAT scores to Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699. Application forms are available online or from the Office of Graduate Studies. The deadline for receipt of applications for the fall semester is May 1; for the spring semester, November 15. Applications for financial aid are due by April 1.
The Faculty
- Kenneth M. Davis, Associate Professor; Ed.D., Northern Illinois, 1972.
- Beverly B. Kahn, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Temple, 1986.
- Krista Malott, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Northern Colorado, 2005.
- Rayna D. Markin, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Maryland, College Park, 2007.
- Michael Mason, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Oregon State, 1992.
- Joan Q. Monnig, Assistant Professor; Ed.D., Massachusetts, 1973.
- Robert J. Murray, O.S.A., Assistant Professor and Program Director; Ph.D., Temple, 1995.
- Christopher D. Schmidt, Assistant Professor; William and Mary, Ph.D., 2007.
Correspondence and Information
Villanova University
Department of Education and Human Services
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085
Telephone:
610-519-4620
Fax:
610-519-4623
Email:
eduhs@villanova.edu
