The School of Education has an impressive achievement to start off the spring 2017 semester with. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Science in Education ranked number eight against other leading universities in a nationwide study on study.com, a website students and professionals visit for information of their desired fields of study.

St. John’s made the list along with Boston College, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, George Washington University, Clemson University, Johns Hopkins University, Marquette University, Pennsylvania State University, SUNY Buffalo and Western Michigan University, cited by study.com and the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), the leading national organization for licensed clinical counselors.

According to a news release from the university, the Dean of the School of Education, Michael Sampson, Ph.D., said that they are very proud of the ranking and that “…it shows that students — and the institutions that employ our graduates — recognize the excellence of our faculty, our program, and the training they provide.”

The criteria used in creating the ranking included program structure and curriculum, types of clinical education and training opportunities, faculty composition and tenure, student demographics, size of the university, size of class and employment rates. St. John’s program was specifically recognized in its requirements for students to complete a minimum of one practicum and two internships in the field of mental health counseling.

“We are a top school for mental health counselors to be trained,” said Sampson, “not only because we are both state and nationally accredited, but because 100 percent of our graduates are hired upon graduation — with the majority of students receiving job offers before graduation.”

The 60-credit course of study aims to mold current and future mental health counselors into knowledgeable and confident professionals. They should learn to assume leadership roles, strengthen traits of caring and competency for clients of all ages and cultures and help better fellow colleagues.

“I’m so proud to be part of a school with such a great program and look forward to seeing all the other great achievements the School of Education will accomplish in the years to come,” said Tara Buttermark, a junior and elementary education major.