School Counseling Graduate Programs

A master’s degree in school counseling prepares students to provide psychological support service at elementary and secondary schools with school officials, students and parents. Graduate school counseling programs teach students how to advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal and social development of children and youth. School counselors help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents and personalities to develop realistic academic and career goals.

Search our directory of campus school counseling graduate degree programs.

Search our directory of online school counseling graduate degree programs.

School Counseling Graduate Programs and Curriculum

Many school counseling graduate students have the following traits:

Genuine interest in helping other people, especially children
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Superior communication skills
Driven to succeed
Resourceful and imaginative with “outside the box” thinking

A comprehensive graduate degree program for a master’s degree in school counseling will typically include the following types of courses:

Group counseling
Special issues in school counseling
Ethics
Career counseling
Psychopathology & psychopharmacology
Child and adolescent counseling
Human growth & development

Students in a school counseling master’s program may also be required to complete an internship, externship or practicum in a supervised setting. Additionally, school counselors may need to be licensed in order to work. Licensure requirements differ greatly by state, occupational specialty and work setting. Some states require school counselors to hold a state school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate coursework; most require the completion of a master's degree. Some States require school counselors to be licensed, which generally entails completing continuing education credits. Some states require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience.

School Counselor Career Paths

Most students with a master’s degree in school counseling will work in an educational environment such as elementary post-secondary schools.

School-counseling-industries-of-employment

Data according to

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Ed.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual wages of educational, vocational and school counselors in May 2008 was $51,050

School-counseling-average-annual-salary

Data according to

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Ed.

School Counselor Future Job Outlook

The BLS predicts by 2018 the employment for educational, vocational and school counselors is expected to grow by 14 percent. All states require elementary schools to employ counselors, and additional responsibilities of school counselors are likely to lead to increases in their employment. For example, counselors are becoming more involved in crisis and preventive counseling, helping students deal with issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to death and suicide. The BLS reports that although schools and governments realize the value of counselors in helping their students to achieve academic success, budget constraints at every school level will dampen the job growth of school counselors. Federal grants and subsidies may help to offset tight budgets and allow the reduction in student-to-counselor ratios to continue.

Type: Campus
Level: Masters
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Chatsworth,CA
Phillips Graduate Institute
Marriage & Family Therapy/Art Therapy
Our Marriage and Family Therapy/Art Therapy program utilizes a systems approach and is accredited by WASC and approved by AAT...
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Type: Campus
Level: Masters
Grayslake,IL
Chicago School Of Professional Psychology, The
Ed.S. in School Psychology
School psychologists are experts in both psychology and education.
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Type: Campus
Level: Masters
Thousand Oaks,CA
California Lutheran University
Counseling and Guidance (Education)
These programs are designed to prepare individuals to perform counseling services in schools at all grade levels.
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Type: Campus
Level: Doctorate
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Atlanta,GA
Argosy University
Counselor Education & Supervision
For more than 30 years, Argosy University students have recognized the unique value of our practitioner-based programs in psy...
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Type: Online
Level: Masters
Liberty University
M.Ed. School Counseling
Earn a Master of Education with a specialization in School Counseling from Liberty University, and master counseling and
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Type: Campus
Level: Masters
Albany,NY
College Of Saint Rose
Counseling
Offers concentrations in school counseling, mental health: community counseling and mental health: college counseling.
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Type: Campus
Level: Masters
Worcester,MA
Assumption College
School Counseling
School Counseling in the 21st Century. Be a leader who helps students achieve, and meet the challenges of contemporary school...
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Type: Campus
Level: Doctorate
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Fort Lauderdale-Davie,FL
Nova Southeastern University
School Psychology, Psy.S.
School Psychology prepares students to work as professional practitioners to help children and youth succeed academically, so...
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Type: Campus
Level:
Certificate
Masters
Arlington,VA
Marymount University
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling will prepare you to function as an effective counselor in a wide variety of setti...
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Type: Campus

Level: Masters

Siloam Springs,AR

John Brown University

MS in School Counseling

JBU's MS in School Counseling prepares you for school counseling and guidance positions in elementary and secondary schools. ...

This program is offered at multiple campus locations.
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Type: Campus
Level:
Certificate
Masters
Brooklyn,NY
Brooklyn College Of The City University Of New York
School Counseling
The school counseling program prepares prospective school counselors to work with ethnically and racially diverse populations...
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Type: Campus
Level:
Certificate
Masters
Scranton,PA
Marywood University
Counselor Education, Elementary or Secondary
Provides the students with skills for developing competencies in counseling, educational planning & career development.
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Type: Campus
Level:
Certificate
Masters
Millersville,PA
Millersville University
School Counseling
The graduate programs in psychology and school counseling are designed primarily to train practicing psychologists and school...
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Type: Campus

Level: Masters

Baltimore,MD

Johns Hopkins University

School Counseling

Provides professional educators and noneducators with the opportunity to develop and/or broaden backgrounds in counseling.

This program is offered at multiple campus locations.
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Type: Campus
Level: Masters
Kutztown,PA
Kutztown University
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling
Our goal is to provide you with the curricular instruction and clinical experiences expected of counselors in the 21st centur...
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School Counseling Graduate Programs

Phillips Graduate Institute

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Chicago School Of Professional Psychology, The

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California Lutheran University

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Argosy University

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Liberty University

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College Of Saint Rose

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Assumption College

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Nova Southeastern University

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Marymount University

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John Brown University

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Brooklyn College Of The City University Of New York

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Marywood University

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Millersville University

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Johns Hopkins University

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Kutztown University

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