Dean's Welcome

You have found us because you are interested in making a difference in the world: You want to have a positive impact on children, families, individuals, and your community. You are called to education or counseling in some way, and we believe that our programs are the ideal place for you to explore these interests, deepen your skills, understanding and knowledge, and embark on a new career.

We invite you to explore our MA programs in Counseling Psychology, Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, and Interdisciplinary Education, as well as the opportunities available through the Center for Professional Development and Jerry Smith’s Coaching for Life Academy. In many areas of education, we have programs specially tailored to Catholic educators as well as those for public, charter and independent school students.

At Santa Clara University, we are mission and values driven. In our work, we are inspired by the Jesuit traditions of:

Educating men and women for others Our purpose is not just to provide you with an education, but also to inspire you to use that education in the service of others.

Cultivating leadership with a purpose We will help you develop your capacity for leadership in whichever field you pursue, but Jesuit leadership is centered on making the world a better place.

Intellectual depth and challenge We will challenge you intellectually to explore new ideas and points of view, and to learn new ways of looking at the world around you.

“Cura Personalis” or “Educating the whole person” While challenging you intellectually, we also focus on educating the whole person, with individualized attention to the needs of students and an appreciation of what each of us brings to our work.

We are dedicated to serving the racially and ethnically diverse Bay Area in ways that are meaningful and effective. Our Latino Counseling program is unique and allows Counseling Psychology students to gain specialized knowledge to better serve diverse communities. Similarly, our partnership with the Foundation for Hispanic Education and the availability of education courses on our East San Jose campus enable students the chance to learn about teaching in the context of several highly effective charter schools targeted to the needs of a community not always well served in education.

I am excited by the work our faculty and students do here at the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. You are joining a community of scholars, teachers, and counselors whose commitment to social justice and having a positive impact can be seen in all their work. At Santa Clara University, we offer you the opportunity to explore how counseling psychology and education can be a vehicle to improving lives, organizations, and communities in a wide range of contexts.

Many of our programs offer scholarships, but I would particularly like to draw your attention to two that offer students an opportunity to earn a Master’s degree with substantial or even total scholarship support: SEMILLA Teacher Fellowships offer a 50% scholarship for students who are interested in teaching in underserved communities. Our ExCEL Program partners with the Diocese of San Jose to enable students the opportunity to teach in a Catholic school while earning their MA in Teaching and fulfilling the requirements for a California teaching credential with substantial financial support. Explore our website to learn more.

I invite you to explore our degree programs and the opportunities available to you here at SCU. Dig around on the website; call and ask questions; come to an information session, or visit a class in session. Come join us!

Sabrina Zirkel, Ph.D.
Dean