This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of emergency credentialed school counselors in training. We interviewed 10 school counselor trainees across the United States who worked as school counselors while simultaneously completing their graduate coursework. We sought insights about challenges faced and support received. Four…

The purpose of this research was to explore master-level counseling students' lived experiences when taking online counselor education courses within the past five years (i.e., 2017-2022). Traditionally, counselor education programs and classes are offered through in-person learning modalities. However, the increased movement and utilization of…

This dissertation explored the lived experiences of counseling graduate students living with a diagnosis of a chronic mental illness. Despite the prevalence of mental illness among graduate students, limited research has explored their unique experiences, particularly within counselor education. This study employed Interpretive Phenomenological…

Within this research study, a qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of Black master's students (n = 10) who engage in mentorship in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs. The participants in this study represent different ACES regions in the United States, including SACES, NARACES, and NCACES. Six…

Despite the significance of mentorship programs, there are few existing accounts of experiences regarding mentorship from counseling graduate students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, especially as it relates to access and personal and professional development. Such accounts are vital in understanding barriers that impede…

Two hundred and seventy-six master's level students currently enrolled in an internship course at a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs-accredited clinical mental health counseling program completed the researcher-developed survey, the Counselors in Training Perceptions of Family Systems Questionnaire…

Understanding the lived experience of Indigenous counselors-in-training provides insight into the barriers experienced in their graduate counseling programs. Hermeneutic phenomenology and Indigenous Research Methodology were used to explore the experience of five Indigenous counselors-in-training. The study involved two individual interviews and a…

Contract grading provides graduate-level students with greater control and autonomy within the learning process. The contract grading approach requires students to take greater responsibility for achieving course learning outcomes as well as allowing learners to adjust the style and focus of assignments to meet their own unique needs and desires.…

This study examined the experiences of three foreign-born women in navigating the complex academic structure of the counseling profession using collaborative autoethnography through a feminist lens. Analysis of journal narratives emerged with four major themes: (a) Layers of Systemic Barriers, Bias, and Injustice, (b) Internalized Oppression…

Unlike other disciplines, social work has made accreditation decisions about undergraduate and graduate programs independent of licensure examination pass rates of graduates. While education, regulation, and practice are heralded as the three pillars of social work, there have been few meaningful linkages between them. Despite recognition that…

Universities increasingly integrate online education into their pedagogical practices, utilizing digital tools like video conferencing and discussion boards to enhance learning and foster global collaboration. Research shows that technology influences social interactions and collaborative problem-solving, positively impacting student engagement,…

This qualitative case study explores the perceptions of school leadership that future school counselors have regarding leadership roles for women in rural Appalachia. Using a feminist-geographical lens, several cultural, economic, geographic, and identity-based themes were found. Participants' definitions of ideal school leadership included strong…

While there is an urgency to offer graduate students' inter-professional education (IPE) in child advocacy, there are no templates for educators to utilize. Participants (n=34), inclusive of students, community stakeholders, and faculty from a northeastern university, participated in focus groups to describe what IPE should entail. Grounded theory…

The existing research on students of color in counselor education focuses on the barriers they experience, providing a deficit perspective. Using grounded theory and a critical race theory framework, we studied the racialized experiences of 19 graduate students of color in counselor education. Grounded in participants' voices, we propose a…

The Policy Field Unit (PFU) is an independently designed practicum placement for School of Social Work (SSW) students at a large, urban Midwestern university. The placement provides students an opportunity to engage with the policy process as macro social work practitioners in a variety of settings. Increasing social work students' efficacy in…