Student Personnel Services

The Student Personnel Services (SPS) program at Northwestern State University (NSU) offers two separate concentration areas: (1) The Student Affairs Administration concentration prepares candidates for entry level administrative positions in technical, community college, and college or university settings, and (2) The College Counseling concentration prepares candidates for careers in college counseling centers. The SPS program at NSU leads to a Master of Arts degree program, which is approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

SPS, Student Affairs Administration degree program

The SPS-Student Affairs Administration degree program is 48 semester hours and typically requires a minimum of four semesters and one summer of enrollment.

  • Student Personnel Services (SPS) 5500, 5550, 5570 (6 credits), 5580, 5920, 5930, 5960, 5970
  • Counseling (COUN) 5000, 5510, 5530, 5610
  • Educational Psychology (EPSY) 5460, 5520
  • Education ( EDUC ) 5010

Candidates should note that some courses have prerequisites which must be taken in the correct order. See the course descriptions in the current NSU catalog or the program website for prerequisite information.

SPS, College Counseling degree program

The SPS-College Counseling degree program is 48 semester hours and typically requires a minimum of four semesters and one summer of enrollment.

  • Student Personnel Services (SPS) 5500, 5570 (6 credits), 5580, 5920, 5930, 5960
  • Counseling (COUN) 5000, 5510, 5530, 5550, 5610, 6530
  • Educational Psychology (EPSY) 5460, 5520
  • Education ( EDUC ) 5010

The College Counseling concentration prepares graduates to seek the National Certified Counselor ( NCC ) credential. Candidates interested in licensure in Louisiana are encouraged to take additional course work including Counseling 6520 (necessary), Student Personnel Services 5800 (recommended), and Counseling 5650 (recommended).

Candidates should note that some courses have prerequisites which must be taken in the correct order. See the course descriptions in the current NSU catalog or the program website for prerequisite information.

Admission to NSU's Graduate School and the SPS Program

To be admitted to the SPS program, applicants must first meet all requirements of NSU's Graduate School ( www.nsula.edu/graduateschool ). To be admitted to the SPS program, applicants must submit an autobiographical career statement and be interviewed by program faculty. It should be noted that admission to NSU's Graduate School does not guarantee admission into the SPS program. In addition, all candidates are required to pass a comprehensive examination near the end of their program and complete either a thesis, paper-in-lieu of thesis or project-in-lieu of thesis. Additional details on these requirements can be found in the SPS Student Handbook ( www.nsula.edu/sps / ).

Students will be assigned a temporary advisor upon applying for admission. The temporary advisor will become the student's major professor after admission to the program unless the student requests otherwise. All courses are not offered every semester and students should pay attention to both prerequisites and time offered in planning their matriculation. Students are strongly urged to consult with their advisor before registering for classes.