The MS in School Counseling degree is designed to prepare students to serve as certified or licensed school counselors in pre-kindergarten through high school (PreK–12) school settings. The MS in School Counseling program will include curricular experiences, residency experiences, and fieldwork experiences all designed to best prepare students to serve as professional school counselors in the field. Walden graduates will be prepared to support PreK–12 students in diverse school settings to be emotionally, socially, and academically successful.
Walden University’s MS in School Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) as a mental health counseling program under the 2016 standards. CACREP is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and a requirement for licensure in many states.
The Walden University Master of Science (MS) in School Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to practice as a licensed school counselor in many states. However, the requirements for licensure as a school counselor vary greatly from state to state. Each state board that is responsible for regulating the practice of school counseling has its own academic requirements and issues its own license to practice as a school counselor in that state.
The Walden MS in School Counseling program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which may also be a requirement to become a licensed or certified school counselor in some states.
Walden MS in School Counseling graduates may apply for licensure as a school counselor in most states, as the MS in School Counseling program is approved in both Minnesota and Ohio. Graduates in some states will be eligible for licensure based on completion of a state-approved program, where they can apply directly to their state educator board (“direct apply”). Other states have a separate application and process for someone completing an out-of-state approved preparation program (“license-in-hand pathway”), where in order for a graduate to be eligible for licensure or certification, he or she must first obtain a license in an approved state (Minnesota or Ohio) prior to applying for licensure in his or her state of residence.
Prospective students must research their state licensure requirements to determine (1) if they are required to complete a state-approved licensure program to be eligible to apply directly to their state board, (2) if they need to obtain a license from the state where the program has been approved (Minnesota or Ohio) prior to applying in the state they reside, and (3) any additional requirements the student will need to complete prior to their state granting the license. Students residing in Minnesota and Ohio are eligible to apply directly to their state board, as Walden’s MS in School Counseling is approved by both state boards. Additionally, some states require school counselors to hold an existing teaching license or certificate, and/or obtain teaching experience, in order to be eligible for a school counseling certificate or license.
Each state issues its own credential for an individual to be permitted to practice as a licensed school counselor in that state. While Walden enrollment specialists can provide general information relating to the state-by-state educational requirements for school counseling licensure or certification, it remains the student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to field education experiences, licensing or certification, authorization, or endorsement for the state in which she or he resides. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure, certification, authorization, endorsement, or other state credential. Licensure eligibility determinations are ultimately determined by the appropriate state board that issues the credential to practice.
Prospective students enrolling in licensure-leading programs are advised that relocation to another state may impact the student’s ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification, or other credential in another state. Prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate.
The following Learning Outcomes are common to all MS in counseling programs. The competent and confident counseling profession will:
Choose one course from the following that is not part of your specialization requirements:
These courses are dependent upon the particular specialization. Please see the course list on each specialization page.
Each pre-practicum includes online course content integrated with a 4-day, face-to-face or virtual synchronous residential requirement.
Students undertake courses in the following sequence.
Quarter | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 |
COUN 6110 - Foundations of MS Counseling in Graduate Studies |
1 credits |
COUN 6111 - Introduction to School Counseling |
5 credits | |
Quarter 2 |
COUN 6301 - Theories of Counseling |
5 credits |
COUN 6302 - Techniques in Counseling |
5 credits | |
Eligible to take Pre-Practicum 1 - SPLB 671L (must be completed before COUN 6720) | ||
Quarter 3 |
COUN 6210 - Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling |
5 credits |
COUN 6312 – Multicultural Counseling |
5 credits | |
Quarter 4 |
COUN 6324 – Assessment in Counseling and Education |
5 credits |
COUN 6214 - Lifespan Development |
5 credits | |
Must take Pre-Practicum 1 before moving forward | ||
Quarter 5 |
COUN 6720 – Diagnosis and Assessment |
5 credits |
COUN 6320 - Group Counseling in the Schools |
5 credits | |
GRPL 6100 - Counseling Group Lab | 0 credits | |
Eligible to take Pre-Practicum 2 - SPLB 672L after GRPL 6100 (must be completed before choosing one of the following courses: COUN 6361, COUN 6810, COUN 6730, COUN 6743, or COUN 6402) | ||
Quarter 6 |
COUN 6317 Child and Adolescent Counseling |
5 credits |
COUN 6354 – Career Counseling |
5 credits | |
Quarter 7 |
COUN 6311 – Leadership, Advocacy, and Consultation in the Schools |
5 credits |
COUN 6322 – Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster |
5 credits | |
Must take Pre-Practicum 2 before moving forward | ||
Quarter 8 |
Choose one course from the following that is not part of your specialization requirements:
COUN 6361 Human Sexuality OR COUN 6810 Working with Exceptional Children OR COUN 6730 - Counseling Addictive Disorders OR COUN 6743 - Psychopharmacology OR COUN 6402 - Working with Military Spouses, Families, and Children |
5 credits |
COUN 6328 - Research Methodology and Program Evaluation | 5 credits | |
Quarter 9 | COUN 6785 - Social Change in Action: Prevention, Consultation, and Advocacy | 5 credits |
COUN 6401S - School Counseling Practicum | 5 credits | |
Quarter 10 | COUN 6500S - School Counseling Internship I | 3 credits |
Optional Specialization Course 1 | 5 credits | |
Quarter 11 | COUN 6501S - School Counseling Internship II | 3 credits |
Optional Specialization Course 2 | 5 credits |
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