Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE)

The mission of the Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education Department is to prepare scholars and practitioners to become leaders in administration, counseling, policy, psychological services, and special education. We promote excellence in education and human services across the spectrum of abilities and individuals differences, from birth to adulthood, in a wide range of settings.  Our mission is characterized by four overarching goals that guide the work of the Department’s faculty and specializations:

1. To produce nationally and internationally recognized research, scholarship, and policy guidance for all levels and aspects of education and applied human development;
2. To enhance educational organizations and individual development through application of our scholarship;
3. To promote equity, diversity, global perspectives, and social justice in education and human service contexts; and
4. To provide innovative and exemplary graduate and undergraduate education.

The Department fosters a collaborative community that incorporates theory, research, and practice, and engages students, educators, and professionals in the advancement of education and human development.

Commitment to Racial Justice and Equity

The Department is dedicated to creating and sustaining systemic equity for our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, staff, faculty, and community. We acknowledge that white supremacy is embedded throughout all parts of society, including our department, and that we conduct our antiracist work on land that was stolen from the Piscataway people. Therefore, members of our community dedicate themselves to the constant effort and vigilance required to achieve our goal of dismantling and abolishing white supremacy and all systems of oppression. We acknowledge our participation in past and current harms inflicted on BIPOC communities and other marginalized groups, including individuals within our own community. We are committed to repairing harm and dismantling oppression by taking accountability for our actions as well as by dedicating ourselves to transforming our behaviors and relationships to honor the humanity and liberation of all BIPOC peoples. To achieve racial justice and equity, our core mission is to identify, develop, implement, and sustain anti-racist and anti-oppressive policies and practices both inside and outside of our community.