Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling

The Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling strives to provide quality programs with personal attention. Our full-time faculty, all of whom have doctoral degrees, teach the majority of our courses. The College of Education and Human Services is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and our Master’s degrees in Counseling Services and Clinical Mental Health Counseling are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Other programs that have received national accreditation include School Psychology and Educational Leadership.

Classes are scheduled to enable those who work full-time to complete their programs. Class sizes are moderate to small, and many degree programs have internships.

The department offers educational specialist degrees, master’s degrees, a doctoral degree, and certifications and endorsements in a variety of areas. These degree programs of study, their descriptions, and the certifications associated with them appear under programs and certificates. Course descriptions for each program can be found in this catalog and on the Registrar’s Office website. All programs require an application available from the Office of Graduate Admission.

You may also apply as a special student in some programs. Students enrolled in graduate programs elsewhere or students seeking course work for professional development not leading to a degree, certification or endorsement from Rider University may take courses as a special student. Apply to the Office of Graduate Admission.

Mission Statement

The College of Education of Education and Human Services develops committed, reflective practitioners who create an environment where knowledge and diversity are valued. We foster the growth of actively engaged students who take responsibility for learning the foundations of their future practice. We perceive 21^st century challenges – Globalization, Technology, Diversity, Environmental Awareness, Exponential Knowledge Growth, and prepare students who are aware of social and individual complexity and are able to thrive in an evolving, shifting and interactive society.

College of Education and Human Services Conceptual Framework

Commitment

Commitment is a value highly prized by the College of Education and Human Services, serving as an essential cornerstone for teaching and learning. Commitment is a set of connected attitudes, values, and beliefs that result in professional behaviors expected of dedicated educators.

Expanding Knowledge

In the College of Education and Human Services, we emphasize both content and pedagogical knowledge as we prepare our students. We design classroom and field experiences to help students learn this knowledge and apply it in practice. Students are expected to use their technological expertise as a tool in learning and to reference relevant standards when either planning for or reflecting on their own classroom work, as well as that with their own students or clients.

Reflection

The College of Education and Human Services defines reflection as the process of thinking clearly and deliberately to promote understanding and to actively foster the exercise of in depth thinking about professional practice. We believe that reflection, grounded in active experience, has value for developing educators, when practiced consistently and systematically through such activities as classroom observation, continuous self-assessment, and journal writing.

Professionalism

Novice and experienced educators enrolled in the College of Education and Human Services are on a career-long path toward professionalism and are not viewed as totally developed and experienced professionals upon graduation. Our goal is to encourage students to become thoughtful, creative problem-solvers as they begin and refine the acquisition of craft and knowledge in their ongoing journey toward higher levels of professional success.

Admission Status

Upon completion of the steps in the application procedures described below, the applicant will be assigned to one of the following classifications once admitted:

Graduate Standing

The student is qualified to undertake graduate study and is recognized as a degree or certification candidate upon admission;

Conditional Standing

Students who do not satisfy all of the admission requirements or have not completed all of the undergraduate preparatory requirements or both may be permitted to enroll in studies during a probationary period not exceeding twelve (12) graduate credits with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students who fail to attain a 3.0 grade point average upon completion of up to twelve (12) credits will be subject to dismissal.

Special Standing

This category of admissions applies to those students who may need only several courses, often for the purpose of obtaining certification. If special standing students apply for admission to a master's, educational specialist, or doctoral degree program and are accepted, they may apply for transfer of course credits toward that program according to policy guidelines of the Department.

Transfer of Credit

Upon application to and before admission to any graduate degree program in education, leadership, and counseling, students may request transfer of up to 12 semester hours of graduate credits completed at an accredited institution, or up to 30 graduate credits for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. These credits must have been earned within six years of the date of credit transfer approval. All transfer credits must be approved by the program director and the department chair. Courses accepted for transfer must be similar to required or elective courses that are approved for the respective programs, and a grade of at least “B” must have been earned in each of these courses.

Students who are eligible to transfer graduate credits from other institutions must submit official transcripts of these credits. The Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling will consider specific written requests for appropriate transfer credits. Official transcripts covering courses submitted for transfer must accompany the written request for such transfer if the transcripts have not already been filed.

Transfer of Credit for Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Students

The Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling recognizes that students enrolled in an educational specialist program may enter after completing an appropriate master’s program. Consideration is typically given to their prior graduate training and its application to the current degree. The program director/designee and the department chairperson will determine the number of credits to be transferred given the following guidelines.

Guidelines for Transfer of Credits for Ed.S. Students

All transfer credits must carry a letter grade of at least “B.”
Transfer credits must be taken within six years from the date of acceptance into the program. Exceptions may also be granted by the program director/designee for courses where content remains consistent over time and supports current program objectives.
For students in the School Psychology Program up to 36 credits may be transferred so long as course equivalency can be thoroughly documented. Students in the Counseling Services Program may transfer up to 48 credits from a CACREP approved program. Students admitted from a non-CACREP approved program may transfer up to 12 credits.
Official transcripts must accompany the request for transfer of credit. The program director/designee must approve the credits to be transferred upon admission.
Credits approved for transfer will be added to the student’s transcript at the time of admission to the program.
Course descriptions and/or syllabi of the courses being requested for transfer may be required.

Course Repeat Policy

Students may not repeat any graduate course for credit that they have already taken, except a course in which they have received a grade lower than “B” or one from which they withdrew. Any exceptions must be approved by the program director and department chair.

Comprehensive Examination

Students who are pursuing a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts in counseling services, clinical mental health counseling, or to an Educational Specialist degree in school psychology must successfully pass a comprehensive examination covering knowledge of a specialized field; major concepts, theories and ideas; techniques for applying to a problem area knowledge of the specialized field and/or the related areas of foundations and research; adequate communication of ideas in light of the question(s) posed.

The date, location, and time of the Comprehensive Examination is determined by the appropriate program director. Only those students who have achieved the following requirements for the Master's or EdS degree are eligible to sit for this exam:

A cumulative average of 3.0 or better by the time of application for the comprehensive exam.
In the last semester of the program; or, may take the examination in the spring if only one course remains and will be taken in the summer. Permission of program director/designee is required.

Application for Comprehensive Examination and Graduation

A student who plans to take the comprehensive examination and graduate must fill out and file an Application for Comprehensive Examination and Graduation form on or before their final semester. This form must be filed with the chair of the Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling.

Dismissal

Any one of the following situations will result in the automatic dismissal of a student working toward a graduate degree or certification program in the Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling:

Receiving two grades of “F” in graduate course work in either the same graduate course or in two different graduate courses;
Receiving any grade of C (C+, C, or C-) or lower in more than two graduate courses;
Not attaining a grade point average of 3.0 for the Master's degree and certificate programs or a grade point average of 3.3 for the Educational Specialist degree or the Ed.D. after taking twelve or more graduate credits at Rider University;
Failing the comprehensive examination for the second time (pertains only to students enrolled in degree programs that require the examination);
Failure to complete degree or certification requirements in six years (with the exception of the Master's in Counseling Services program, which is eight years from the date of acceptance into the program; the Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which is 10 years from the date of acceptance into the program; and the Ed.S. in School Psychology, which is 10 years from the date of acceptance into the program).

The Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling reserves the right to dismiss any student when, in the judgment of the faculty or the officers of Rider, such action seems advisable.

Honors Graduates

Students who graduate with an overall grade point average of 3.85 or better are designated as graduating with distinction. This term appears on the student’s official transcript, below the student’s name in the commencement program, and on the diploma.

Programs of Study

Degrees Offered

The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is offered in:

School Psychology

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree is offered in the following areas:

The Education Doctorate (Ed.D) is offered in the following area:

Educational Leadership

In addition, the department provides opportunities for study leading to teacher certification and other types of educational and human services certification.

Certificates Offered

The Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling provides an opportunity for study leading to teacher certification and other types of certification and credentialing in the following areas:

Endorsement to Existing Teaching Certificates

General Master’s Degree Application Requirements

All programs require an application available from the Office of Graduate Admission. A decision is made about an application for admission only when all required credentials have been submitted. Application deadlines and requirements are specified by graduate admissions for specific programs. Completed applications received after the official deadline may be given consideration pending program capacity.

The faculty encourages prospective students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to apply.

General Master’s Degree Requirements

To qualify for the Master's degree, the candidate must:

Comply with the general requirements concerning graduate study;
Enroll in graduate study at Rider for no fewer than two academic semesters or the equivalent thereof;
Complete the number of semester hours of graduate credit required by the degree or certification program;
Complete an internship/practicum as required by individual programs;
Successfully pass a written comprehensive examination or other approved exit requirement;
Attain and maintain an average grade of “B” (3.0) or better for work submitted for the Master’s degree, a certification program or a 3.3 grade-point average for the Educational Specialist degree and the Ed.D;
Complete the program within six years of the enrollment date of the first course (with the exception of the Master's in Counseling Services program, which is eight years from the date of acceptance into the program; the Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which is 10 years from the date of acceptance into the program; and the Ed.S. in School Psychology, which is 10 years from the date of acceptance into the program).

Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling