Become a School Counselor or Guidance Counselor
By becoming a school or guidance counselor, you are opening up doors to varying opportunities and great rewards.
School counselors across the country are enjoying the perks associated with being an integral part of our education’s future. As pressure to meet assessment standards rise, school counselors will play a more pivotal role in the creation of curriculum, the design of educational programs and the continuing education of teachers and other professional staff.
However, it is no walk in the park to earn your school counseling certification. Most states require you to earn an advanced degree in school counseling or a related field before you are eligible to apply for certification.
In addition, if you have not completed your undergraduate degree, you will want to first earn your bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling or a related field. Below, are a few schools offering Associate and Bachelor level degree programs in Human Services, Psychology and Education fields.
If you have already completed your undergraduate education, you will need to earn your Master’s degree in school counseling (or in some states, you can simply have a Master’s degree in a related field).
- Top Picks
Featured Universities with School Counseling Programs
#1
Capella University
MS in School Counseling, PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Click here to contact Capella University and request information about their programs.
#2
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.
#3
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.
#4
USC - Rossier School of Education
Become a professional school counselor in K-12 settings with an online Master of Education (ME) in School Counseling from top-ranked USC Rossier School of Education. Complete in as few as 20 months. Click here to contact USC Rossier School of Education and request information about their programs.
#5
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.
Becoming a school counselor is a process every individual can benefit from regardless of profession. The skills acquired as an individual becomes trained in the school or guidance counseling profession are a mental tool shed of powerful, motivating concepts.
From human growth and development theories to implementation and analysis of theories in the development of curriculum, school counselors can immerse themselves in student psychology and witness the effectiveness of new learning solutions in action.
Learn more about the process of becoming a school counselor or guidance counselor in your state.
Or learn more about School Counseling salary benefits.
You’ve taken the first step toward becoming a school counselor, so don’t stop now! Contact schools with school counseling programs and speak with representatives who can give you more information. It is also encouraged to speak with school counselors in your area by contacting local school districts.