The Master's Program in College Student Personnel is designed to assist students in gaining the practice, theoretical perspectives, and appropriate integration to be successful in working on college and university campuses in a variety of positions. The program was designed using CAS Standards with coursework emphasizing the development of the professional, working with individuals and groups of students, and designing campus environments. Students complete three internships at surrounding colleges and universities. Many of our students hold graduate assistantships in Student Development at the University of Dayton.

The Master's Program in Higher Education Administration is designed to prepare students for a variety of academic and non-academic administrative positions in the college and university environment. The curriculum includes coursework focusing on administration (including finance and legal issues) students (including student development and cultures), and assessment (including a culminating scholarly project and practicum). This program accommodates students holding full time jobs.

The Community Counseling Program prepares counselors to work outside of educational settings in a wide variety of settings. These counselors pursue a curriculum designed to lead them to licensure as a Professional Counselor and with the post-licensure experience to the status of Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Ohio.

While each program concentrates on a specific focus of professional service, common departmental themes are manifested in each of them.

Each is focused on providing the highest quality of education possible to its students. Each in its own way adheres to or excels the standards of its own professional organizations and learned societies.

The curriculum of each is informed by the disciplines of philosophy, science, and practice. A professional must be guided to serve others (practice) with state of the art research proven techniques and approaches (science) guided by principles shaped by theory, ethics and values honed by reflective focus (philosophy).

Throughout each program, the underlying theme of respect is paramount. The faculty and staff firmly believe that the best way for professionals to develop the habit and commitment of respect to their students and clients is to experience respect as they proceed through their formative curriculum. Respect means recognizing that while specific requirements and standards must be upheld in order to attain professional excellence, the student is respected as an individual who is encouraged to learn in a way that also fosters personal change and growth.

Each program attempts to foster the individual student’s development in the context of community. Emphasis is not on competition between faculty and student or students among themselves, but rather, on cooperation, collegiality, and the sense that all can best follow the University’s dictate to learn, lead, and serve by helping each other be the best we can become.

Each program recognizes that it is through action and practice where we best learn to serve and each therefore is centered on providing fulfilling internship experiences that are centered in partnering schools, agencies, universities and community settings.

Each program is characterized by a diverse population of students, each coming to the Department with valued life experience and accomplishments. Because all of our students are pursuing graduate degrees, all are adults with a wide range of life experiences. While some of our students may have just finished Baccalaureate degrees, others have had several years of work experience as teachers, counselors or have pursued other career tracks before returning to graduate school. This mix of backgrounds provides a truly rich group of adult learners who are respected by the faculty as co-teachers and co-learners, rather than “just students”.

Each program is represented by dedicated, enthusiastic, competent faculty who truly believe that they are privileged to serve through developing the professional character of others.

Faculty members have held and hold a variety of high offices in professional organizations and serve on a wide range of School of Education and Allied Professions, University, community, and professional committees, boards, and task forces. They continue to pursue their careers as “life long learners” by publishing in high quality refereed journals, making presentations at national, state, and regional conferences and providing continuing education outside the University settings to communities, agencies, and institutions and practicing their professions in the community. While the faculty continues to strive for its professional excellence, it also values that the Department has been described as “student friendly”. It is believed that this label reflects the respect and value each staff and faculty member of the Department has for its students.