School Counseling Programs for Career Changers
Yes. Twenty-one CACREP-accredited school counseling programs we have confirmed admit career changers without requiring a teaching license or classroom experience. This list covers admission only. Whether your state later asks for teaching experience when it issues the credential is a separate question, so check with your state’s credentialing authority before you enroll.
Daniel spent ten years in marketing before he admitted what he actually looked forward to each week: the Thursday he mentored the interns. He wants to work in a school. Then he opens the first program page and reads that it’s “ideal for teachers moving into counseling.” He isn’t a teacher. Does that rule him out?
Not at the programs below. A teaching license isn’t a condition of admission at any of them, though a few ask non-teachers for extra coursework. Still sorting out what the job looks like day to day? Start there, then come back to compare programs.
Admission Without a Teaching License vs. the Credential
This list makes one claim: the program says a teaching license or teaching experience is not a condition of admission, or it offers a route into the program that doesn’t depend on one. That’s all.
It doesn’t tell you whether your state will issue a school counselor credential without classroom time. Your state’s credentialing authority decides that, not the program. Northwest Nazarene, for example, says Idaho school counselors don’t need to be certified teachers. That’s Idaho’s rule, and it doesn’t travel. Our pages on your state’s school counselor credential requirements cover what each state asks for.
How This List Was Built
How this list was built. Every program here is accredited by CACREP as a School Counseling program, verified against the CACREP register on September 30, 2026. Any program whose CACREP status shows a teach-out, closure, show-cause or withdrawal is excluded, because a reader cannot reliably enroll in it. Programs are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
For each program, we recorded the sentence on its own website or CACREP program listing that speaks to admission, the page it came from, and the date we checked it, October 5, 2026. This list covers the programs we have confirmed, not every program that may qualify. A program that admits career changers but wasn’t checked won’t appear here. CACREP accreditation is not the same as state approval, so check the requirements of your state’s credentialing authority before you enroll.
CACREP-Accredited Programs That Admit Career Changers
| Program | State | Degree | What the program says about admission | CACREP status (accredited through) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | OH | M.A. | Lists an application supplement, three recommendation letters, a BCI clearance and an interview. A teaching license isn’t on the list. | Accredited (Progress Report Required), March 31, 2033 |
| Canisius University | NY | M.S. | Applicants must meet the general requirements for admission to graduate work in counseling. No teaching license is listed. | Accredited, October 31, 2033 |
| The Citadel | SC | M.Ed. | Prior teacher certification or school experience is not required for admission. | Accredited, March 31, 2031 |
| Columbus State University | GA | M.Ed. | Neither teaching experience nor teacher certification is required for admission. | Accredited, April 30, 2034 |
| Eastern Michigan University | MI | M.A. | A 60 semester-hour minimum program for teacher-certified individuals and those without a Michigan teaching certificate. | Accredited, October 31, 2030 |
| Emporia State University | KS | M.S. | No teaching license required. Designed for candidates with and without one. | Accredited, October 31, 2030 |
| Indiana University, Indianapolis | IN | M.S. | You don’t need an education or teaching degree. | Accredited, March 31, 2030 |
| Loyola University Maryland | MD | M.A./M.Ed. | Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university by entry. No teaching license is listed. | Accredited (Progress Report Required), March 31, 2029 |
| Monmouth University | NJ | M.S.Ed. | Requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. A 3.0 GPA is preferred but not required. No teaching license is listed. | Accredited, October 31, 2033 |
| Nicholls State University | LA | M.Ed. | Applicants may qualify with a teacher’s certificate or approved undergraduate coursework in education, psychology or another field. | Accredited, October 31, 2031 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | NC | M.A. | Teaching experience is not required for admittance. | Accredited, October 31, 2034 |
| University of Northern Iowa | IA | M.A. | Education degrees, certificates and teaching experience aren’t required. Non-teaching majors take two additional hours of coursework to meet state requirements. | Accredited, March 31, 2031 |
| Northwest Nazarene University | ID | M.S. | Idaho school counselors don’t need to be certified teachers, and students apply from many different undergraduate majors. | Accredited (Progress Report Required), October 31, 2033 |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana | LA | M.A. | Enrollment requires a bachelor’s degree and admission to the university’s Graduate School. No teaching license is listed. | Accredited, October 31, 2031 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | MO | M.A. | Applicants hold a teaching certification or complete two education courses in areas Missouri requires. | Accredited, October 31, 2030 |
| Trinity Washington University | DC | M.A. | Describes the program as designed for career changers. | Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), March 31, 2027 |
| Wayne State College | NE | M.S.E. | A student without a teaching certificate may complete a school counseling program and earn the degree. | Accredited, March 31, 2033 |
| Western Washington University | WA | M.Ed. | A teaching certificate is not necessary to be considered for admission. | Accredited, October 31, 2031 |
| William Paterson University | NJ | M.Ed. | Requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and official transcripts. No teaching license is listed. | Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), March 31, 2027 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | WI | M.S. | Students who aren’t current teachers are invited to consider the emphasis. Two added courses supply the knowledge base for licensure. | Accredited, March 31, 2032 |
| Xavier University | OH | M.A. | Applicants are invited from any bachelor’s degree subject area. | Accredited, March 31, 2031 |
Programs are alphabetized by institution name, ignoring “The” and “University of.” Trinity Washington and William Paterson are in CACREP’s reaffirmation process, with their current cycles ending March 31, 2027. Both are accredited today, but check the register before you apply. Status labels appear exactly as CACREP writes them.
Program Profiles for Career Changers
Each profile gives you the program’s location, size and accreditation dates, then what its own pages say about admission for people who haven’t taught. Graduate counts are master’s completions the university reported to the federal IPEDS survey for 2023 under CIP code 13.1101. They cover the whole university and measure size, not quality, and a low count can mean some graduates are reported under a different code.
Schedule, combined-track and GRE details come from the same kind of recorded sentence as the admission statements, taken from each program’s own pages. Evening classes tell you when courses meet. The supervised internship, typically 600 hours, usually has to be completed during the school day, so ask each program how its students manage it alongside work.
University of Akron
Best for: Ohio career changers who want the admission steps spelled out before they apply
Location: Akron, OH | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 11
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2033 (Progress Report Required)
The University of Akron’s M.A. in school counseling has held CACREP accreditation since 1992, one of the longer records on this list. It’s a public program in northeast Ohio, and the university reports 11 master’s graduates for 2023.
The program page lays out an application path instead of a list of prerequisites: a school counseling application supplement, three letters of recommendation on the department’s reference form, a BCI background clearance and an interview for applicants who meet the admission criteria. A teaching license isn’t among the items we recorded, so the checklist is a useful first read if you’re coming from another field.
Ask how the BCI clearance fits into your timeline, since it’s one more document to line up before you start.
Good to know: The page we recorded is an application checklist and doesn’t state a teaching-license position directly, so ask admissions to confirm it.
Canisius University
Best for: Career changers in the Buffalo area who want a private, CACREP-accredited program
Location: Buffalo, NY | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 6
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033
Canisius University’s M.S. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2007. It runs at a private nonprofit university in Buffalo, New York, and the university reports 6 master’s graduates for 2023, which suggests a small program.
The catalog says student candidates must meet the general requirements for admission to graduate work in counseling. It doesn’t list a teaching license or classroom experience among them, which suggests career changers face the same entry bar as any other counseling applicant.
Because that sentence is general, ask admissions what the application actually requires, such as prior coursework, test scores and an interview, before you build a timeline around Canisius.
The Citadel
Best for: Career changers who want a campus-based program in Charleston and a plain statement that no experience is required
Location: Charleston, SC | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 22
Format: Campus-based
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2031
The Citadel’s M.Ed. in school counseling is a campus-based program in Charleston, South Carolina, and has held CACREP accreditation since 2004. The Citadel is a public institution, and it reports 22 master’s graduates for 2023.
The admission statement is about as direct as they come: prior teacher certification or school experience isn’t required for admission to the programs. For a career changer, that covers both the credential and the classroom time, which are the two questions that stop most people from applying.
Campus-based means you’ll plan your commute and your work schedule around class meetings. Ask which days and times courses meet and when the 600-hour internship begins, so you can line up time off early.
Columbus State University
Best for: Career changers who want written confirmation that neither teaching experience nor teacher certification is required
Location: Columbus, GA | Credits: 61 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 18
Format: Online, as described by the university
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through April 30, 2034
Columbus State University’s M.Ed. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1996 and has one of the longer current accreditation cycles on this list, running to April 30, 2034. It’s a public program in Columbus, Georgia, with 61 credits, and the university reports 18 master’s graduates for 2023.
The program’s catalog states that neither teaching experience nor teacher certification is required for admission. It also says the degree prepares you to earn certification as a school counselor serving elementary, middle and high school students, so you can see the credential you’re working toward.
Ask how the live skills experiences that CACREP now requires are scheduled, and confirm the full credit count for your plan of study.
Good to know: Online delivery is as described by the university. CACREP’s record does not confirm the format.
Eastern Michigan University
Best for: Michigan career changers who want a program that serves teacher-certified and non-certified students alike
Location: Ypsilanti, MI | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 23
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2030
Eastern Michigan University’s M.A. in school counseling has held CACREP accreditation since 1996. The public program in Ypsilanti, Michigan, reports 23 master’s graduates for 2023.
The university describes the program as a 60 semester-hour minimum master’s degree for teacher-certified individuals and for people who don’t hold a valid Michigan teaching certificate. That puts career changers inside the intended audience instead of treating them as an exception.
Michigan’s own credential rules decide what you’ll need after graduation, so read the state’s educator certification requirements alongside the program page. If you plan to practice in another state, check that state’s rules before you enroll.
Emporia State University
Best for: Career changers who want evening live classes, no GRE and a degree that also covers counselor-license coursework
Location: Emporia, KS | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 26
Format: Online, as described by the university
Schedule: Synchronous classes in the early evenings
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2030
Emporia State University’s M.S. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1996. The public program in Emporia, Kansas, requires 60 credits and reports 26 master’s graduates for 2023.
Emporia’s page puts the career-changer message up front: no teaching license required, and the program is designed for candidates with and without one. Synchronous classes meet in the early evenings, and neither GRE nor MAT scores are required for admission, so there’s no entrance exam standing between you and an application.
The university also says the degree meets the educational requirements for professional counselor licensure in Kansas, and its Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2030. That’s a coursework statement, not a license. Licensing boards decide who is licensed, so confirm the requirements with the board before you count on it.
Good to know: Online delivery is as described by the university. CACREP’s record does not confirm the format.
Indiana University, Indianapolis
Best for: Career changers without an education degree who want CACREP-confirmed online delivery
Location: Indianapolis, IN | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 25
Format: Online, confirmed in CACREP’s record
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2030
Indiana University, Indianapolis offers its M.S. in school counseling as a 60-credit program, and CACREP’s own record confirms online delivery. The program has held CACREP accreditation since 2019, and the university reports 25 master’s graduates for 2023.
The program’s FAQ answers the career changer’s first question directly: you don’t need an education or teaching degree. That speaks to your undergraduate background. Ask admissions separately whether a teaching license or classroom experience figures into admission or into Indiana’s credential.
Online delivery matters under CACREP’s newer rule. Students entering on or after July 1, 2026 complete synchronous skills experiences, in person or digitally, so ask when yours would be scheduled.
Loyola University Maryland
Best for: Baltimore-area career changers who want evening classes
Location: Baltimore, MD | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 46
Schedule: Most classes in the evening, starting at 4:30 and 7:05 p.m., at the Timonium campus
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2029 (Progress Report Required)
Loyola University Maryland’s school counseling master’s, offered as an M.A. or M.Ed., has held CACREP accreditation since 1995. It’s a private nonprofit program, and the university reports 46 master’s graduates for 2023, one of the higher counts on this list.
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university by the date you enter. A teaching license isn’t listed among the requirements we recorded. Classes are held at Loyola’s Timonium campus, and most meet in the evening, which helps if you’re finishing a workday elsewhere.
Evening classes tell you when courses meet, not how the 600-hour internship fits around a job. Ask Loyola how its students handle that stretch.
Monmouth University
Best for: New Jersey working professionals who want weekly evening sessions and coursework that also covers counselor licensure
Location: West Long Branch, NJ | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 21
Format: Hybrid, with weekly evening in-person sessions, per the university
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033
Monmouth University’s M.S.Ed. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2007 and runs at a private nonprofit university in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The university reports 21 master’s graduates for 2023.
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and an academic record that shows success. A 3.0 GPA is preferred but not required, and no teaching license is listed. Courses are hybrid, with students attending weekly evening in-person sessions.
Monmouth says completers are certified school counselors who also have the educational credit requirements to become licensed professional counselors. That’s a coursework statement, not a license. Its Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, listed under Professional Counseling, is CACREP-accredited through April 30, 2034, and your state decides licensure.
Nicholls State University
Best for: Louisiana applicants without a teaching certificate who have approved undergraduate coursework
Location: Thibodaux, LA | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 13
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2031
Nicholls State University’s M.Ed. in school counseling has held CACREP accreditation since 2013. The public program in Thibodaux, Louisiana, requires 60 credits and reports 13 master’s graduates for 2023.
Nicholls offers two doors in. Applicants may qualify with a valid teacher’s certificate or with approved undergraduate coursework in education, psychology or another field. If you’re a career changer, the second route is yours, so check your transcript against what the program accepts.
Ask the program how it evaluates your undergraduate coursework and whether you’d need to make up classes. That conversation is worth having before you apply, because it can change your timeline.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Best for: Charlotte-area career changers who want daytime or evening classes
Location: Charlotte, NC | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 69
Schedule: Daytime and evening classes
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2034
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s M.A. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1993, and its current cycle runs to October 31, 2034, the latest end date on this list. It’s a public program, and the university reports 69 master’s graduates for 2023, the highest count here. That measures size, not quality.
The program states that teaching experience isn’t required for admittance. Classes are offered during the day and in the evening, so you can look for a schedule that fits around your current job instead of rearranging your life around the program’s calendar.
Ask how internship placements are arranged for students who don’t already work in a school.
University of Northern Iowa
Best for: Career changers willing to add a little coursework to meet Iowa’s requirements
Location: Cedar Falls, IA | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 9
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2031
The University of Northern Iowa’s M.A. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1989, the longest record on this list. The public program in Cedar Falls, Iowa, requires 60 credits and reports 9 master’s graduates for 2023.
UNI says education degrees, certificates and teaching experience aren’t required for admission. Non-teaching majors take two additional hours of coursework to meet state requirements, which is the kind of specific detail a career changer can plan around.
Those added hours tie to Iowa’s rules, so ask how they fit into your sequence and what they add to your timeline and cost.
Northwest Nazarene University
Best for: Idaho career changers, since Idaho doesn’t require school counselors to be certified teachers
Location: Nampa, ID | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 6
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033 (Progress Report Required)
Northwest Nazarene University’s M.S. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2000. It’s a private nonprofit program in Nampa, Idaho, and the university reports 6 master’s graduates for 2023, which suggests a small program.
The program page says Idaho school counselors don’t need to be certified teachers, so students apply from many different undergraduate majors. That’s a statement about Idaho’s rules, and it won’t carry over to every state.
If you plan to practice outside Idaho, check that state’s credential requirements first. A program can welcome you at admission and your home state can still ask for something more.
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Best for: Louisiana career changers who want a combined school and clinical option and a once-a-week evening schedule
Location: Natchitoches, LA | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 15
Format: Online, as described by the university
Schedule: Full-time students can expect one evening a week on campus
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2031
Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s M.A. in counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2013. The public program in Natchitoches, Louisiana, requires 60 credits and reports 15 master’s graduates for 2023.
Enrollment requires a bachelor’s degree and admission to the NSU Graduate School, and no teaching license is listed. The university offers a combined or dual track, and its Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is also CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2031.
NSU says graduates of both concentrations meet the current academic requirements for Louisiana licensure as a licensed professional counselor. That’s a coursework statement, and the licensing board makes the call.
Good to know: NSU describes the program as online and also says full-time students come to campus one evening a week. CACREP’s record does not confirm the online format, so ask which parts meet where.
Southeast Missouri State University
Best for: Missouri applicants without a teaching certificate who are willing to take two education courses
Location: Cape Girardeau, MO | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 15
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2030
Southeast Missouri State University’s M.A. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2004. The public program in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, requires 60 credits and reports 15 master’s graduates for 2023.
SEMO offers a defined route for non-teachers. Applicants either hold a valid professional teaching certification or show competency in the areas Missouri requires: teaching methods, teaching practices, classroom management and the psychology of the exceptional child. They do that by completing two specific education courses.
The requirement comes from Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, so it reflects Missouri’s rules, not a general rule for school counselors. Ask how and when you’d take the two courses and whether they add to your total credits.
Trinity Washington University
Best for: Washington, DC career changers who want mostly evening courses
Location: Washington, DC | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 22
Format: Online, as described by the university
Schedule: Most courses in the evening, some with a hybrid or online component
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2027 (Reaffirmation in Process)
Trinity Washington University’s M.A. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2017. The private nonprofit program in Washington, DC, requires 60 credits and reports 22 master’s graduates for 2023.
Trinity’s program page describes the program as designed for career changers. That describes the intended audience instead of stating an admission rule, so ask what the application requires. Most courses are offered in the evening, and some have a hybrid or online component.
Ask Trinity how the evening schedule carries into the internship, which usually runs during the school day.
Good to know: Trinity is Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), and the current cycle ends March 31, 2027. It’s accredited today, but check the CACREP register before you apply. Online delivery is as described by the university. CACREP’s record does not confirm the format.
Wayne State College
Best for: Nebraska career changers without a teaching certificate who can attend weekend residencies
Location: Wayne, NE | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 17
Format: Online, as described by the university
Schedule: Required residencies include Saturday and Sunday sessions
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2033
Wayne State College’s M.S.E. in school counseling earned CACREP accreditation in 2023, the most recent on this list. The public program in Wayne, Nebraska, requires 60 credits and reports 17 master’s graduates for 2023.
The college says a student without a teaching certificate may complete a school counseling program and earn the master’s degree in counseling. Required residencies include Saturday and Sunday sessions, so plan for weekend time as well as class time.
Ask how many residencies the program requires and where they meet, since travel adds to the real cost of the degree.
Good to know: Online delivery is as described by the college. CACREP’s record does not confirm the format.
Western Washington University
Best for: Washington State career changers who want explicit confirmation that a teaching certificate isn’t required
Location: Bellingham, WA | Credits: 90, in the program’s own credit unit | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 6
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2031
Western Washington University’s M.Ed. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1992. The public program in Bellingham, Washington, lists 90 credits in its own credit unit, which isn’t directly comparable with the 60-credit programs on this list. The university reports 6 master’s graduates for 2023, which suggests a small program.
WWU’s page says it isn’t necessary to hold a valid teaching certificate to be considered for admission or to be recommended for certification as a school counselor. That covers admission and the program’s recommendation, but your state’s agency issues the credential.
Because the credit total uses a different unit, ask WWU how that unit is counted and how long the program takes before you compare it with other programs.
William Paterson University
Best for: New Jersey career changers who want a public program with a simple bachelor’s-plus-transcripts admission requirement
Location: Wayne, NJ | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 21
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2027 (Reaffirmation in Process)
William Paterson University’s M.Ed. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2001. The public program in Wayne, New Jersey, requires 60 credits and reports 21 master’s graduates for 2023.
Admission asks for a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and official transcripts from every institution you’ve attended. No teaching license is listed. If you’ve studied at several schools, gather those transcripts early.
Ask William Paterson how it reviews applicants whose degrees are far from education, and whether any prerequisite coursework applies.
Good to know: William Paterson is Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), and the current cycle ends March 31, 2027. It’s accredited today, but check the CACREP register before you apply.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Best for: Wisconsin career changers who want afternoon and evening classes and a defined path for non-teachers
Location: Whitewater, WI | Credits: 60 | Type: Public | Master’s Graduates (2023): 46
Schedule: Generally afternoons and evenings
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2032
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s M.S. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 1999. The public program in Whitewater, Wisconsin, requires 60 credits and reports 46 master’s graduates for 2023.
UW-Whitewater invites students who aren’t current teachers, or who lack two years of teaching experience, to consider its school counseling emphasis. It says two additional courses provide the knowledge base for licensure. Coursework is generally in the afternoons and evenings.
Ask for the full credit count with those two courses included and where they fall in the sequence.
Xavier University
Best for: Cincinnati-area career changers from any undergraduate major who want weekly evening or weekend classes
Location: Cincinnati, OH | Credits: 60 | Type: Private | Master’s Graduates (2023): 7
Schedule: Weekly classroom courses with flexible weekend and evening schedules
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2031
Xavier University’s M.A. in school counseling has been CACREP-accredited since 2004. It’s a private nonprofit program in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the university reports 7 master’s graduates for 2023, which suggests a small program.
Xavier invites applications no matter the subject area of your bachelor’s degree. Students attend traditional classroom courses once a week, with flexible weekend and evening schedules. The university also offers a combined school counseling and clinical track, and its Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2031.
The sentence we recorded speaks to your degree area, not a teaching license, so ask admissions about both. Licensure is set by your state’s agencies, not the program, so confirm the requirements before you count on the combined track.
What to Ask Before You Apply
Extra coursework for non-teachers
Some programs add classes for applicants who haven’t taught. Northern Iowa asks non-teaching majors to take two additional hours of coursework. Wisconsin-Whitewater adds two courses. Southeast Missouri State offers two education courses as the alternative to a teaching certification. That means more time and more tuition, so ask for the full credit count before you compare programs.
When the internship happens
Coursework scheduling is only part of the picture. The supervised internship, typically 600 hours, usually has to be completed during the school day. If you plan to keep your current job, ask each program how its students manage that alongside work.
Check your state before you enroll
Daniel’s program might not ask for classroom experience at admission. His state might ask for it when it issues the credential. Look up your state’s school counselor credential requirements first, then pick a program. An out-of-state program may qualify you, but confirm that it meets your state’s education, field-experience, examination and other credentialing requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a teaching license to get into a school counseling program?
Not at the 21 programs on this list. Each one says teaching experience or certification isn’t required for admission, or offers a route that doesn’t depend on it. A few, like Nicholls and Southeast Missouri State, accept either a teaching credential or specific coursework, so read the admission page for your program.
What bachelor’s degree do I need if I’m changing careers?
Most listed programs ask for a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and several say the major doesn’t matter. Xavier invites applicants from any subject area. Nicholls looks for approved undergraduate coursework in education, psychology or another field. Monmouth prefers a 3.0 GPA but doesn’t require it. If a test score is your worry, see our list of school counseling programs that don’t require the GRE.
How long does a school counseling master’s take if I have no education background?
Completion time varies by program and enrollment status. Programs that add courses for non-teachers may run longer. Eastern Michigan’s is a 60 semester-hour minimum degree, for example. Ask each program for its full credit count and its typical completion time for students with your background.
Does CACREP accreditation mean my state will issue me a credential?
No. CACREP accredits the academic program, but each state or jurisdiction sets its own requirements for a school counselor credential. A CACREP-accredited degree does not by itself guarantee eligibility in every state. Before you enroll, check with your state’s credentialing authority and ask the program how many of its graduates hold the credential in your state.
- Admission is not the credential: These programs say a teaching license isn’t required to get in. Your state decides what it needs to issue the credential.
- Twenty-one programs we have confirmed: The list covers programs that already carry a recorded, dated source, so it’s incomplete by design.
- Extra coursework is common: Northern Iowa, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Southeast Missouri State add courses for applicants without a teaching background.
- Plan for the internship: The 600-hour placement usually happens during the school day, so ask each program how working students handle it.
If you’re comparing master’s programs, start with the state where you plan to practice. Licensing requirements vary, and your program should be aligned with your state’s credentialing process before you enroll.
