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Alabama School Counselor
Alabama is a beautiful place to live, a place full of vibrant life and good people. Find out how to become an Alabama School Counselor and begin your career in this southern state.
Like most states across the country, Alabama is in need of talented and highly motivated school counselors. These professionals are adaptable and observant, always ready to provide students with the most current information and advice regarding the state of the postsecondary system and the labor force. Their knowledge of academics and different career fields help students make the transition from K-12 student to college student or working adult.
- Top Picks
Featured Universities with School Counseling Programs
#1
Walden University
MS in School Counseling - General Program. Click here to contact Walden University and request information about their programs.
#2
Grand Canyon University
M. Ed in School Counseling (leads to initial Licensure) Click here to contact Grand Canyon University and request information about their programs.
#3
New York University (NYU)
NYU Steinhardt's accredited master of arts program in Counseling and Guidance: School and Bilingual School Counseling. Through this online program, you will gain the skills you need to become a professional Pre-K-12 school counselor, working with children and families in your community to foster academic achievement and success. Click here to contact New York University and request information about their programs.
#4
University of Denver
Earn a Master's degree in School Counseling online from the University of Denver. Learn from doctoral-level faculty in live classes and gain experience through mock counseling and in-field training. No GRE required. Click here to contact University of Denver and request information about their programs.
#5
Campbellsville University
Online Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling Click here to contact Campbellsville University and request information about their programs.
From Birmingham to Mobile to Huntsville and beyond, school counselors are forward thinking professionals who base their counseling practices on sound counseling fundamentals. As experts of contemporary psychology issues, school counselors are well-equipped to navigate a constantly evolving field. School counseling is an exciting profession for those interested in a social service occupation aimed at children and young adults.
How One Alabama School District Is Using Federal Dollars to Address Student Mental Health
Albertville City Schools is focused on investing in the mental health of its children.
Thanks to a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s School Based Mental Health Services program, this Alabama school district will be able to hire more mental health providers and implement a number of programs aimed directly at the mental health and well-being of its student population. Through this investment, the district hopes to provide students with more comprehensive counseling services and supports.
According to Superintendent Bart Reeves, who refers to the investment as a “pivotal moment for Albertville City Schools,” the funding will ensure that students will have the support needed to address their emotional well-being and accomplish more academically.
The grant money will likely be used to provide each school of the six schools in the district with at least one mental health counselor, although the district is still studying where help is needed most. They’ll also use the funding to offer scholarships for staff members who want to pursue credentialing in mental health counseling and to provide staff and counselors with stipends that they can use for mental health training.
Another portion of the federal grant will be used to hire an employee who will study the causes of chronic truancy throughout the school district and identify some of the root causes at play. In the 2023-24 school year, about 16 percent of all students missed more than 18 days of school.
The funding is part of a $70 million federal initiative that’s designed to increase the number of school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals. In 2024, Birmingham City Schools received a $3.1 million grant through this program that allowed them to hire 25 mental health counselors and invest in training and retention efforts.
Future Career Prospects
During this ten-year period leading up to 2032, Alabama is expected to see 430 annual job openings for school counselors.
Many school counselors eventually take on administrative roles due to their expertise in student psychology and fundamental knowledge of a school’s mission in terms of goals for students and local communities.
School counselors also frequently advance their careers by becoming educational psychologists or college counselors after earning their Ph.Ds.