Office of the Dean
Dean: Eugene P. Sheehan, Ph.D.
Associate Dean: Jingzi (Ginny) Huang, Ph.D.
Location: McKee 125
Telephone: 970.351.2817
The mission of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences is to contribute to the betterment of society through research, professional service, and the preparation of individuals who are skilled lifelong learners capable of working effectively with diverse populations in an evolving global community.
The College offers programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Graduate programs in Psychological Sciences and Applied Statistics and Research Methods and Educational Technology prepare students for employment in a range of fields including education and the business and technology sectors. The undergraduate program in psychology provides students with a liberal arts degree and transferable skills in several areas including research design and analysis and the ability to understand human behavior.
Several programs in the College provide professional training by offering specialized undergraduate licensure and graduate degree programs in education and psychology. The undergraduate licensure programs (Teacher Education Endorsement: Professional Teacher Education Programs (PTEP) prepare elementary, middle, secondary, K-12, and special education teachers. The Center for Urban Education in Denver trains elementary teachers for work in urban schools. Elementary, middle, and secondary teacher candidates must major in a content degree program offered in one of the other colleges. The online Distance Opportunities Interpreter Training Center offers undergraduate programs in sign language interpretation.
Graduate programs are also offered to prepare school administrators, school psychologists, educational technology personnel, counselors and counseling psychologists for schools, mental health agencies and private practice. These programs also prepare college and university faculty and administrators.
The professional education faculty members of the College are committed to the serious study of education and the promotion of professional standards to ensure quality and foster innovation in professional preparation. The College Conceptual Framework holds the view that education is a transformational enterprise and that professional educators use evidence in decision making; respect diversity; collaborate with others; are standards and performance-based; and can use technology to improve teaching and learning.
Programs in the College are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. All educator preparation programs are approved for licensure by the Colorado State Board of Education and authorized by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The American Psychological Association and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs accredit programs in School Psychology and Counseling and Counselor Education.
Other major units in the College are the Tointon Institute for Educational Change, Bresnahan-Halstead Center on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and the Kephart Memorial Child Study Center. A common focus of these diverse units is to provide teachers and administrators with advanced professional development.
Professional Counseling
The Counseling faculty views potential candidates as unique, with strengths and assets to be identified, encouraged and developed during their graduate education. The knowledge and human relations skills necessary to help individuals recognize their own and other persons' unique promise and discover opportunities for its expression form the core of professional preparation for students in professional counseling. Such knowledge and skills are learned in part from research and study in the behavioral and social sciences, various skill development activities and supervised practica. Supervised training is provided through the Psychological Services Clinic to the University and the local community. Opportunities for a broad understanding of human behavior and human relationships are included in the education of the student in Counseling.
The Counseling faculty is committed to the development of broadly based competent professional counselors skilled in helping people with personal, interpersonal and career concerns in community agencies or in schools. The requirements of the program are conceptualized within the framework and standards set forth by accreditation standards, the counseling profession, Colorado state law, Graduate School and job requirements. The Professional Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Admission . The prospective student must apply for admission to and be accepted by the program area faculty. Admission to the program requires a GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 hours of course work. If the applicant's GPA is below 3.0, the Graduate Record Exam (General Test) score must be submitted. It is recommended that the applicant have a total score that meets or exceeds 1000 on the Verbal and Quantitative subtests, with no score below 400. The Analytical Writing subtest should have a minimum score of 3.5. Two years of post bachelor's degree work experience is recommended for applicants under 25 years of age. Attendance at a pre-admission workshop is required for this admission process to be completed. When attendance at the preadmission workshop is an extreme hardship for the applicant, special arrangements are made.
Acceptance is based on consideration of the following criteria:
- Clarity of career goals.
- Intellectual qualities.
- Professional judgment of appropriate personality characteristics as evidenced by a structured interview, interpersonal communication style and personal references.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at the master's level prepares professional counselors to work in various agency settings such as mental health centers, probation and parole departments, substance abuse centers and residential treatment centers.
For degree and program requirements, see:
Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A. — Clinical Counseling Emphasis
Couples and Family Therapy Emphasis
The requirements of the emphasis are directed toward the development of competent professionals in the practice of marital and family counseling. The emphasis area deals primarily with relationships, interpersonal interaction and systems theory.
For degree and program requirements, see:
Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A. — Couples and Family Therapy Emphasis
School Counseling M.A.
The School Counseling program is designed at the master's level to develop a professional who counsels with children and adults in elementary, middle and high schools.
For degree and program requirements, see:
School Counseling M.A.