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Prescott College Library

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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE

Prescott College began in the 1950s when leaders of a small town in the stunningly beautiful pine and chaparral countryof central Arizona were searching for a new cultural identity. Drawing on the Congregationalist tradition of foundingover 50 leading colleges and universities in America, beginning with Harvard in 1636, and including other leading col-leges and universities such as Middlebury, Dartmouth, Amherst, Smith, Yale, Oberlin, Grinnell, Whitman, Colorado,Pomona, and Scripps, Dr. Charles Franklin Parker, minister of Prescott’s First Congregational Church, and PrescottCollege founder, announced an ambitious project of creating the Harvard of the West, Prescott College. Many of thephilosophical and educational principles that form the foundation of Prescott College – designed to produce the leadersneeded to solve the world’s growing environmental and social problems – emerged in 1963 in a significant conference ofstate and nationally-known leaders from higher education funded by the Ford Foundation’s Fund for Post SecondaryEducation, Business, and Industry.

In a Changing World . . .Dr. Parker’s vision “for a pioneering, even radical experiment in higher education” and“to graduate society’s leaders for the 21st Century who would be needed to solve theworld’s growing environmental and social problems” seems especially prescient today.Human society is coming to terms with the fight against global warming and its potentialfor large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. Society is alsolooking to new models of education to better prepare students of all ages for their role asglobal citizens.

About Prescott College

Making a differencein the World.

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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE

Education UnpluggedThe College’s academic programs are “unplugged” from such conventional practices as the departmentalization of

knowledge; confining learning to the classroom and textbooks rather than real experience; and thinking of college as prepa-ration for life, rather than life itself. Prescott students learn critical thinking and research and how to apply them to real-lifeproblems and their own passions by living them, testing them out in real time.

An Emphasis on the StudentStudents are empowered at Prescott College because the faculty views students as co-creators of their educational expe-

rience rather than as consumers. Like professors at other distinguished colleges and universities, Prescott College facultyauthor books, publish in prestigious journals, speak at international conferences, and receive competitive grants to supporttheir research and creative work. What distinguishes Prescott College faculty is a commitment to put their students first.

While faculty are supported and encouraged to make strides in their fields, they are first and foremost passionate edu-cators, emphasizing teaching over research and other scholarly activities.

Hybrid Low-Residence/Online Instruction ModelPrescott College’s low-residency programs are unlike any other educational experience, combining self-directed, indi-

vidually mentored and online distance education with a limited-residency requirement. This approach offers the opportu-nity to complete a meaningful program which is carried out with the support of faculty and Graduate Advisors who workwith students in their chosen field of study.

The time students must actually be at Prescott College’s campus, is minimal. Master’s and Certificate students attendtwo, three-day colloquia per term, four per academic year. Colloquia provide interactive peer learning and dialogue. Collo-quia begin on Friday morning and end on Sunday afternoon.

Education Where You Live and Work

Prescott College students complete their coursework wherever they are – in rural communities, small towns and large metropolitan areas – without interrupting jobs, family life, or connections to their own communities. Students live in Arizona, California,Colorado, New Mexico, and throughout the West, Pacific Northwest and New England.

“The colloquia gave me a chance to experience the culture and beauty of the Southwest while conveningface-to-face with peers and mentors. Being able to put “faces with names” and form friendships kept mefeeling connected to Prescott College and student life even while I was many miles away. Colloquia of-fered me the opportunity to both deepen into areas within my field of study and to broaden my educa-tional experiences by attending sessions not related to my field of study. I really miss my trips to PrescottCollege that I came to joyfully anticipate during my tenure as a student!”

Mili Ballard ’09

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ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Degree-Seeking StudentsThe Prescott College Master of Arts Degree and Post-

Master’s School Guidance Counseling Certification Pro-gram emphasizes:

• Knowledge through practical experience and direct su-pervision of the professional activities, duties, tasks,ethical responsibilities, and standards of practice forthe professional school counselor;

• Proficiency of integrating interviews for the purpose ofassessing, diagnosing, and planning appropriate schoolcounseling related interventions; and

• The ability to effectively counsel and educate studentsand consult with teachers, administrators, mental healthprofessionals, and parents as a school guidance counselor.

In order to qualify for a Prescott College InstitutionalRecommendation (IR) leading to Arizona ProvisionalSchool Guidance Counseling Certification, master’s degree-seeking students must have earned a bachelor’s degreefrom a regionally-accredited post-secondary institution andmust complete at least 48 semester credits in School Guid-ance Counseling Certification Program and College-desig-nated coursework. Please note that the School GuidanceCounseling certification coursework equals 33 semestercredits. The 48 semester credits include this Program-des-ignated coursework, and:

• successful completion of an initial cohort orientationcourse

• a supervised capstone practicum• a College-required three semester credit research

methods course• a twelve-semester-credit Thesis.

Post-Master’s School Guidance Counseling Certification

Students who have already earned a master’s degreefrom a regionally-accredited post-secondary institution andwho are seeking Arizona School Guidance Counseling Cer-tification may become eligible for a Prescott College Insti-

tutional Recommendation (IR) leading to Arizona SchoolGuidance Counseling Certification. Requirements include:

• successful completion of at least the 33 Program-desig-nated certification semester credits in School GuidanceCounseling coursework, and practicum;

• participation in orientation and attendance at graduatecolloquia scheduled during the students’ enrollment; and,

• completion of all other program or College require-ments for the post-degree level of study.

Institutional RecommendationUpon successful completion of their program of study,

students must apply to the College for an Institutional Rec-ommendation for Arizona School Guidance CounselingCertification, which facilitates their receipt of Arizona Pro-visional School Guidance Counseling Certification.

School Guidance Counseling

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School Guidance Counseling Program Curriculum 48 total semester credits

Foundation and Theory CoursesCounseling TheorySocial and Ecological Perspectives Human Growth and DevelopmentGroup Dynamics Processing and CounselingFoundations of School CounselingVocational Counseling and Career DevelopmentSchool Guidance Counseling: Program Development,

Implementation, and Evaluation

MethodsResearch Methodologies

Practicum Supervised School Guidance Counseling Practicum

Thesis Development/Thesis

Core Foundations Course

Transfer CreditsPrescott College accepts up to 15 graduate semester credits in transfer course-

work from other regionally-accredited post-secondary institutions as long as Collegefaculty members confirm that the courses and credits to be transferred meet College-established curricular standards and expectations.

Out-of-State CertificationIf a student is planning to obtain certification in a state other than Arizona, the stu-

dent is required to research that state’s certification requirements in order to ensurecompliance. Upon successful completion of the post-degree study requirements, eachstudent must apply to the College for an Institutional Recommendation for Arizona Pro-visional School Guidance Counseling Certification.

School Guidance Counseling Graduation Requirements• Completion of a 3 semester credit Core Foundations course• Completion of 33 semester credits of School Guidance Counseling certification

coursework and practicum• Completion of a minimum of 12 semester credits of Thesis Development/Thesis• Study Plans for each semester• Demonstration of social and ecological literacies• Approved Qualifying Paper• Qualifying Presentation• Approved Thesis Plan• Individual Thesis Presentation• All required residency attendance statements• Completed end-of-semester evaluations

Fingerprint Clearance Card

The Prescott CollegeSchool Guidance Counselingprogram requires a minimumof 10 observation hours inschool and classroom settingsfor each course taken. Most, ifnot all, schools and school dis-tricts require a fingerprintclearance card in order to visitthe school setting and com-plete these observation hours.It is critically important forstudents to make sure thatthey will be able to fulfill therequirements of obtaining afingerprint clearance card inorder to be able to completethe required observationhours. Visit the Arizona De-partment of Education web-site,http://www.ade.state.az.us/certification/ for more informa-tion on obtaining the finger-print clearance card.

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Mentor/InstructorStan MaliszewskiEducation and Counseling Physchology

Mentor and instructor Stan Maliszewski sees his role asinstructor to provide the core foundation and core conceptsfor students to build on. Prescott College students, he ob-serves, tend to be “successful at turning what is typicallymundane basic coursework into something that is trulyvaluable in their field.”

“At Prescott College, students direct their own pro-gram and learning process. They are given more academicfreedom to approach their coursework in a matter thatspeaks to them personally, which makes their educationmore personalized and unique,” he said.

While most of Stan’s education advisees seek positionsas K-12 school counselors, the majority of his CounselingPsychology students continue to work on completing super-vised hours for licensure as mental health therapists. Stu-dent’s broad interests “help him to keep abreast of what’snew in the field,” he said, noting that he values what helearns from their papers and research.

As a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), LicensedMental Health Practitioner (LMHP), and Certified Profes-sional Counselor (CPC), Stan brings not only a wealth ofknowledge and experience to his role as a mentor but socialand ecological perspectives aligned with the College’s mis-sion. He has worked in the fields of education and counsel-ing for over 40 years, as a Director of Counselors in Omaha,Neb., a private practice therapist, and associate professor atthe University of Arizona.

AlumnaMichelle Hoop ’09 Trusting the process

Within a month of earning certification in school guid-ance counseling from Prescott College, Michelle Hoop hadlanded a job in her field. Even so, Michelle believes herPrescott College education offers lifelong value above andbeyond career preparedness.

“Prescott College is a journey that continues past theclassroom and becomes as valuable as each student dares tomake it,” she said.

The mentorship program in particular, Michelle notes,is one of the College’s biggest strengths, a feature that “setsPrescott College apart from the traditional university pro-grams and raises the bar for counseling programs,” she said.“The experience, knowledge, and professionalism I receivedfrom my graduate advisor, Stan Maliszewski, has been in-valuable to me as I work day to day with students.”

When she was attending the College, Michelle said sheoften heard the refrain, “Trust the process.” That process,helped along by excellent mentors, a caring and nurturingstaff, and a deep learning experience, led Michelle to rec-ommend the program to two other students who have sinceenrolled in the school guidance counseling program.

“If a student is hoping to gain more knowledge thancan be garnered from a textbook and lectures … If the stu-dent is one who is highly self-motivated, willing to share ex-periences with other students and put trust in the processand their mentor, then I would highly recommend PrescottCollege,” she said.

“In my opinion, Prescott College has been as muchabout the process and the journey as it is about the finaldestination.”

“Prescott College is a journey that continues pastthe classroom and becomes as valuable as eachstudent dares to make it.”

Michelle Hoop

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

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Education Foundations Course/Master of Artsprogram Scholarship in Education

Scholarship in Education is designed to 1) create a schol-arly cohort for the Spring 2009 Education students; 2) providea forum for students to work together to become familiar withresearch methods and methodologies in Education andSchool Guidance Counseling; 3) provide an opportunity forstudents to consider effective research methodologies fortheir thesis work; and 4) provide information and a discussionforum to learn the processes of the Master of Arts program(MAP). Upon successful completion of this course, studentswill earn three course credits: 2 credits of Research Method-ologies and 1 credit of Theory.

Counseling TheoryThis graduate course builds upon the student’s under-

graduate studies and any prior field experience in workingwith P-12 students in paraprofessional school counselingcontexts. The expectation is that the student will not onlycover the course content and expectations for school guid-ance counseling certification, but that she/he also will be re-sponsible for demonstrating graduate level scholarship,research, comprehensive specificity in study, and incisive,intellectual investment in the completion of this course.This course introduces counseling theories for the field ofCounseling Psychology and School Guidance Counseling.The developmental needs of individuals at all levels will beexamined. It includes the study of major counseling theo-ries, principles, and their application. This shall include fiveof the following theories: Cognitive Behavioral, Person-Centered, Brief Solution Focused, Behaviorism, Psychoana-lytic, Neo-psychoanalytic, Gestalt, Rational-Emotive,Reality, Adlerian, and Jungian. In addition to the certifica-tion content of the course, the graduate student will submita 15 to 20 page scholarly research paper that that demon-strates graduate level synthesis, perspective, and foci.

Social and Ecological PerspectivesThis course provides a broad understanding of the so-

cial contexts of P-12 students. These social contexts may in-clude factors such as culture, ethnicity, nationality, age,gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteris-tics, education, family values, adoption, religious and spiri-

tual values, socioeconomic status, and unique characteris-tics of individuals. Graduate students may explore the im-plications for counseling of the major racial cultural groupsin the US – Hispanics, Asians, Afro-Americans, and NativeAmericans. Students will also relate the concepts of ecologi-cal health to the diverse human environment within aSchool Guidance Counseling Program.

Human Growth and DevelopmentThrough this course, the student will study individual,

family, and life-span developmental theories, which can in-clude the work of Howard Gardner, Lev Vygotsky, AlbertBandura, Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Carol Gilligan,Lawrence Kohlberg, and Mary Field Belenky. Develop-mental differences influenced by social forces, culturalbackground, socioeconomic status, gender, race, ability, sex-ual orientation, age, and environment will be examined.Both typical and atypical development will be studied, aswell as an overview of how the brain and emotions work.The neuropsychology of emotions also will be addressed. Inaddition, the student will demonstrate her/his understand-ing of the impact school, family, community, and peers haveon children, why social and emotional health is fundamentalto effective learning, and how these concepts relate toschool guidance counseling.

Group Dynamics, Processing, and CounselingThrough this course, the student will gain a theoretical

and experiential understanding of group development, dy-namics, group counseling theories, group leadership styles,and basic and advanced group counseling methods andskills. The student will explain and defend the process forplanning and organizing small groups in a school setting.This course will explore individual and small-group ap-praisal and advisement in addition to group process assess-ment. The student will also examine counseling andconsultation processes as well as the knowledge and skill re-quirements for school counselors. Course objectives arealigned with national standards proscribed by the Councilfor Accreditation of Counseling and Related EducationalPrograms (CACREP).

Course Descriptions

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

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Foundations of School Guidance CounselingThis course introduces the roles and responsibilities of

a school counselor. The course provides an overview of thefunctions and skills critical to delivering a comprehensivecompetency-based guidance program (ASCA Model) forALL students in grades pre-k-12. The course will providean introduction to school counseling knowledge and skillcompetencies, including historical perspectives, profes-sional identity of the school counselor, knowledge of schoolsetting, current policies and legislation relevant to schoolcounseling, the role of technology in school counseling, andethical and legal considerations in school counseling as en-dorsed by CACREP and ASCA.

Vocational Counseling and Career DevelopmentThis course examines career and vocational develop-

ment theories; occupational and advanced education plan-ning information sources and systems; career and leisurecounseling, guidance, and education; decision making andvocational and career development program planning andplacement; and evaluation.

School Guidance Counseling: Program Development,Implementation, and Evaluation

This course is based on the study of design, implemen-tation, monitoring, and evaluation of comprehensive com-petency-based developmental school counseling programs,including an awareness of various systems that affect all P-12 students, school, and home. This course will explore themeans to work collaboratively in a competency-based pro-gram with students, teachers, administrators, school supportpersonnel, business partners, and community leaders.

Research MethodologiesThis course will provide students with fundamental

knowledge about the area of research method and design inthe field of school guidance counseling. After demonstrat-ing competency in research methodologies students shouldbe well-versed enough in research methods to 1) read andcritically review current research in the field of school guid-ance counseling; and 2) design, implement, and confidentlyarticulate the underlying theoretical principles used in therequired scholarly research project. This course will requirea demonstrated understanding of the following: individualand group approaches to assessment and evaluation; appro-priate research methods within the field; statistical analysis;needs assessment; and program evaluation.

Supervised School Guidance Counseling PracticumThe school guidance counseling practicum is designed

to provide the opportunity for graduate students to partici-pate in all forms of counseling services in the school settingunder the supervision of a certified school guidance coun-selor and Prescott College core faculty. The 600 supervisedclock hours (with a minimum of 240 direct-service clockhours) of graduate practicum builds upon the student’sgraduate and undergraduate studies in counseling as well asany prior field experience in working with P-12 students inparaprofessional school counseling contexts. The expecta-tion is that the student will not only professionally addressthe daily practicum requirements and expectations forschool guidance counseling certification, but that she/healso will be responsible for demonstrating graduate levelscholarship and application of research in the completion ofthis course. In addition to the practicum content and log,the graduate student will submit at least two 15 to 20 pagescholarly papers that discuss the student’s practical experi-ence with school guidance counseling in relation to counsel-ing theories previously studied. These scholarly papersevidence graduate-level synthesis, perspective, and foci inthe context of the capstone experience.

Students will work in a school setting under the super-vision of an experienced school counselor. Throughout theschool guidance counseling assignment the student is ex-pected to respond to critical feedback and participate inevery facet of school guidance counseling. This will includedaily direct and indirect interaction with students and staff;involvement with parents, administrators, and other com-munity members; and any other additional responsibilitiestypically conducted by the supervising certified school guid-ance counseling practicum supervisor within the school en-vironment. This final preparation will serve to prepare thepracticum student for obtaining a position as a school guid-ance counselor in a P-12 setting.

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Application Due DatesFall Term Spring Term

Priority* Due Date April 15 September 15Final Application Due Date May 15 October 15

*Degree-seeking applicants who submit their completed applicationby the Priority Due Date will be considered for Graduate Fellow-ships.

Application Requirements: School Guidance Counseling

The application process will be considered completewhen the applicant has submitted all the required items.

Required Application Items• Application Form• Two Letters of Recommendation• Personal Statement• Academic Focus Essay• Official Transcripts• Current Résumé• $40 Non-refundable Application Fee

Application InstructionsLetters of Recommendation

Submit two letters from academic or professionalsources addressing your capability to complete graduatelevel work through a self-directed Master of Arts program.Letters must contain the writer’s contact information andmust explain the relationship to you. Letters may beemailed to admissions@prescott.edu directly by the recom-mender and from the recommender’s email address.

Personal StatementIn three to five pages, integrate your thoughts around

these two major themes into a comprehensive personalstatement. Address each of the specific parts identifiedwithin each theme.

Write about your educational goals.• The events in your life that lead you to want to earn a

graduate degree in School Guidance Counseling.• The role this area of study now plays in your life and

what has been your experience, if any, in this discipline.• How you envision your life goals and professional aspira-

tions changing as a result of this educational experience.

Write about your readiness to thrive in a graduate pro-gram in which you would work independently andrequires high levels of self-direction and motivation.

• Your experiences completing independent projects.• Discuss how your existing support network will help

you handle the sense of isolation that can occur whencompleting projects independently.

• Write about how your strengths and weaknesses willplay a part as you begin this program.

• Describe what kind of help you will need to addressany weakness.

Academic Focus EssayApplicants are free to frame their response within the

context of a proposed thesis topic if they wish. In three tofive pages, address your vision for your studies in Educa-tion. Each area below must be covered in your essay. High-light each section with a heading title.

In thinking about the field of education as an element ofmodern society, identify and discuss five problem areas thatyou find interesting enough to explore further as a studentin the Master’s program. Discuss a minimum of seven re-sources (books and articles) you are familiar with or lookforward to using.

• Briefly describe your initial thoughts about a Practicumexperience (internship, teaching) you might completeas part of your program. The practicum will offer youthe opportunity to explore the theories and demon-strate your learning in your field of study in a practical,real-world context.

• Discuss your thoughts about a potential Thesis topicand how you might begin to cover it.

• Discuss how you will integrate issues of social and ecologi-cal awareness and justice into your studies and research.

Computer Literacy RequirementCandidates are expected to enter the College with a

level of technology competency sufficient to function effec-tively in the program. Proficiency is defined as a knowledgeof and proficiency using email, navigating the Internet, andbasic word processing skills. Students must be able to: usemessage boards and computer conferencing tools to com-municate with others; download and upload files; and attachfiles to email. Students are required to have full-time accessto a computer that has a reliable Internet connection.

Prescott CollegeAdmissions Office

220 Grove Avenue, Prescott, AZ(877) 350-2100 • (928) 350-2100

Fax (928) 776-5242admissions@prescott.edu

www.prescott.edu

Applying to Prescott College

This catalog was written by Kerstin Alicki, Danny Brown, Debbie Heiberger, Mary Lin, Ashley Mains, and Tim Robison; designed by Bridget Reynolds, andedited by Ted Bouras, Danny Brown, Mary Lin, Ashley Mains, Tim Robison, and Lloyd Sharp. It is with gratitude that we thank everyone involved with thiscatalog. Photographers, and photo contributors: Walt Anderson, Weddle Gilmore Architects, and Bigstock Photos.

The Prescott College logo and mark are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

How to get here

Prescott CollegePrescott, ArizonaThe main campus is a two-hourdrive from Phoenix. Take Inter-state 17 north to Highway 69,Cordes Junction exit. Follow High-way 69 into Prescott. Take GurleySt. to Grove Ave. (past the Court-house Square). Turn right onGrove Ave. and a left at the firststoplight (Sheldon St.). The Ad-missions Office is located near thecorner of Grove and Sheldon at306 Grove Ave.

Rental cars are available at SkyHarbor International Airport,Phoenix and other locations. U.S.Airlines (800-235-9292) providesflights from Sky Harbor Airport tothe Ernest A. Love Airport inPrescott. Ground transportationfrom Phoenix to Prescott is pro-vided by Prescott Shuttle (800-445-7978), andShuttle-U-Enterprises (800-304-6114). Make reservations at least24 hours in advance.

Prescott College Tucson CenterTucson, ArizonaThe Tucson Center is located at2233 E. Speedway Blvd. in Tuc-son, Ariz. From Interstate 10, takethe Speedway exit east. The officeis located on the north side of thestreet, on the corner of WilsonAve. and Speedway Blvd., betweenCampbell Ave. and Tucson Blvd.

Visit www.prescott.edu to learn more about the following degree programs:

On-Campus Bachelor of Arts

Low-Residency Bachelor of Arts and Post-Degree

Low-Residency Master of Arts

Low-Residency Teacher Preparation, Certification, and Endorsement Programs

Low-Residency Professional Licensure Programs in Counseling Psychology

Ph.D. in Sustainability Educaton

Admissions Office220 Grove Ave.

Prescott, AZ 86301

AccreditationPrescott College grants Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Ph.D. degrees and is accredited by The Higher LearningCommission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL60602. (800) 621-7440. The Teacher Education Program is approved by the Arizona State Directors of TeacherEducation and Certification. The College is accredited by the Association of Experiential Education. Prescott Collegeoperates all its academic field-based programs under permits issued by federal and state governments when required.