The Counseling and Guidance Program has as its primary purpose the preparation of professional counselors. The Master's degree is the first professional degree in counseling. Graduates holding this degree will gain the basic understandings and skills necessary for professional practice as a counselor. The program offers four emphasis areas leading to the M.A. degree: Elementary and Secondary School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Couples and Family Counseling, and Gerontological Counseling. Those electing the school counseling emphasis will, upon successful completion of the coursework and passing of the Praxis Exam for counseling, be eligible for school counselor certification in Missouri. The other counseling emphases are designed for students who wish to work in a variety of settings other than the public schools. Those earning degrees in counseling become employed in community colleges, four year colleges, specialized areas in large universities (e.g. career planning and placement), the court system, and community based mental health services. Many students go on for advanced degrees.