West Virginia Links
How to Become a West Virginia School Counselor
Where are you on your quest to become a West Virginia School Counselor?
Explore the information below and learn how you can become a school counselor in West Virginia. Some of the information below may be subject to change. In order to make sure you have the most current information, contact your school counseling education program advisor or the West Virginia Department of Education Office of Certification at (304) 558-7010.
- 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.
I’m a High School Graduate…
Whether you are from Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling or anywhere else across the state of West Virginia, you are going to find many opportunities to learn more about the West Virginia school counselor career. As a high school graduate researching the school counseling career, you are showing maturity and motivation that will help you long into the future.
Below are recommended steps to help you learn how to begin advancing you current level of education as well as learn whether the West Virginia school counselor career is right for you.
Step One:
Gather information from schools offering associate degree programs or bachelor degree programs in psychology, counseling or any type of program you are currently interested in. It’s not necessary to earn a school counseling degree yet; just focus on earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Step Two:
Volunteering is a great way to learn more about a career in the social services and working with children and young adults. The following are links to organizations who can place you in volunteering positions across the state of West Virginia:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State, WV
- West Virginia Department of Education
- Locate and contact schools to learn about volunteering opportunities near you.
Finally, don’t be afraid to use the information above to find volunteering opportunities or jobs in public schools. You will find making career decisions is much easier when you have solid research behind your choices. So, get out there and learn whether a career as a West Virginia school counselor is right for you.
I have already earned a college degree…
The following are the steps you’ll need to take to earn school counseling certification in West Virginia:
Step One:
Fulfill educational requirements through one of the following avenues:
- Earn a Master’s degree in School Counseling
- Or find more school counseling programs in West Virginia here.
You can also earn a master’s degree in counseling or a related field and then complete a school counseling program. You can find campus-based preparatory programs on the following WVDE webpage.
Step Two:
You must successfully complete the Praxis School Counselor (5422) examination. You can find information about testing locations, dates, and registration on the ETS website.
Step Three:
In order to be considered for West Virginia school counselor certification, you must request fingerprint cards for a criminal history background check.
Step Four:
You must apply using Form 20-S (Initial Student Support Certificate). You will apply online through the West Virginia Department of Education Certification Portal.
I’m a certified counselor from another state…
West Virginia offers certification through reciprocity agreements. However, you will still need to apply for certification, have your credentials evaluated, complete a criminal history background check, and have a character recommendation form completed from a previous out-of-state superintendent.
Learn more about certification through reciprocity here.