The 2020 Guide to Online Masters in School Counseling Programs

School counselors have the unique opportunity to help students in all areas of their growth and development. Guiding students through personal, social, emotional and even future career development, school counselors are essential members of the education team. They work to ensure that each student fulfills his or her potential. To accomplish all of this, school counselors must possess a variety of skills, including patience, understanding of gender and cultural differences, ethical decision making skills, leadership skills and social justice.

Earning a masters in school counseling online can help you to develop these skills so that you can handle a diverse range of situations and provide the guidance students need. The best part is, you'll be gaining your degree without sacrificing the time and income neccesary to enroll in a traditional program. A successful school counselor works with the other members of a school system to improve the quality of education as a whole for all students.

Online masters in school counseling programs should be properly accredited, ensuring that coursework requirements are being met by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. This, along with state school counseling certification or licensure, will allow you to become a school counselor at any grade level.

Online Master's in School Counseling Curriculum

The curriculum and number of credits required to complete an master’s in school counseling online program vary widely depending on your school and specialization. CACREP, The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs outlines key standards that counseling programs must adhere to in order to maintain their reputation and CACREP accredited status. These standards are based on the inclusion of foundations, contextual dimensions, and practices each being present in a programs curriculum. These are the guidelines for creating a comprehensive school counseling curriculum, one that features a variety of coursework and subject areas. A typical online master in school counseling degree includes courses in:

• An introduction to school counseling and ethics
• Student affairs
• Research methods and data analysis
• Field experience
• Seminar/thesis

Bilingual School Counselor Online Programs

Some schools with masters in school counseling programs have begun to offer concentrations in bilingual counseling to help overcome language barriers in schools that might prevent students from getting the help they need. Curriculum typically focuses on how to aid bilingual student populations from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Top Online School Counseling Programs Admissions Requirements

Each online master's in school counseling program has its own set of prerequisites, so you should contact your accredited institution for detailed information regarding its policies. Depending on your school, you may be required to submit some or all of the following:

1. Application: Fill out an initial application, which you can find on the website of the accredited institution of your choice. Paper and online forms are both generally accepted.
2. Bachelor’s degree: You should have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution prior to applying to a master's in school counseling program.
3. Transcripts: Request transcripts in advance of the application deadline, and upload one official copy of each transcript from any postsecondary schools you have attended.
4. Personal statement: Write a personal statement, which is typically in the form of an essay. You may be required to submit multiple essays to fully express the intent and purpose of your application. Below are some common topics that should be mentioned in a statement.
• Your main academic and personal interests
• Experiences in school or work that have helped to prepare you for this course of study
• Why you wish to study for the degree you’ve chosen
• Why you wish to study at the university
• Your plans for the future after you earn your degree
5. Resume/CV: Upload a copy of your most recent resume or curriculum vitae as part of your application.
6. Letters of recommendation: Submit your letters of recommendation. The number of letters required varies with each school. Be sure to request them well in advance of the deadline.
7. Test Scores: Mail in copies of your test scores. Many schools require GRE General Test scores or TOEFL/IELTS scores for international students; however, some programs do not require test scores at all.

It is also worth noting that some schools with masters in counseling programs have prerequisite requirements from applicants. This may include prerequisite coursework, such as classes in psychology, biology, and statistics.

Do you Need a Masters to be a School Counselor

In most cases, you are required to hold a masters degree to be a practicing school counselor. The BLS reports that not only are the majority of school counselors required to hold masters degrees, but an additional step is commonly required - the obtaining of state licensure in the field of counseling.

Do You Need a Master’s to Transition from Teacher to School Counselor?

In the same way that masters in counseling are typically required for aspiring school counselors, they are also usually required for those switching careers from teaching to school counseling. This could be helpful because it will help teachers transitioning to counselors grasp new concepts and learn a new skill set before diving into a new role.

Why Become a School Counselor Online?

There are a wide range of benefits associated with obtaining a graduate degree in school counseling online. One of the main reasons to gain your masters online is the flexibility it allows for in taking coursework. The online classroom allows professionals to gain a masters degree while maintaining a full or part-time job - a factor that is incredibly valuable in affording higher education.

Online School Counseling Program Accreditation

In searching through the many online school counseling programs, one of the most important factors to narrow your search should be program accreditation. The accrediting body, The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has rigorous standards that programs must uphold to maintain accreditation. CACREP ensures that school counseling programs have up-to-date coursework and are properly setting up aspiring counselors for their careers in the field.

Why attend an accredited online school counseling program?

There are many reasons one should consider an accredited school counseling program over programs that have not yet obtained accreditation. A few of the benefits of CACREP accredited programs are listed below:

• It is the most surefire way to know that the program you are attending has been carefully reviewed for competency and accuracy in coursework.
• It makes the licensure application process more efficient when it comes time to apply.
• CACREP works to develop standards that are professionally approved

School Counselor Jobs for Master’s in Counseling Graduates

After earning your online master's in school counseling degree, the next step is to get licensed. This certification will enable you to officially work in the field of your choice. Every state has its own licensure requirements to become a school counselor.

Once you are properly certified and educated, school counselors can begin practicing in a variety of educational settings, working with a wide range of age groups and populations.

Interested in hearing about school counseling directly from the source? Check out our 8 question interviews with inspirational school counselors:

• Andrea Burston, From Teacher to School Counselor
• Barbara Gruener, Outside the Classroom with a School Counselor

If you are interested in working in a school setting, but you are not sure whether school counseling is right for you, learn more about the difference between school counselors and school psychologists.

How Much Does a School Counselor Make?

The median pay for school and career counselors in 2018, according to the BLS was $56,310. Many different factors can influence the salary potential for school counselors, including the location in which they are working, their years of experience, and the type of school that they serve.

Finding the Best Online Master's in School Counseling For You

In searching for the best online master's in school counseling program for you, it’s important to take into account the instruction method, the program length, and the credit requirements necessary to complete the program.

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All Online Master's in School Counseling Programs

We’ve compiled a list of all the masters in school counseling online programs in the United States along with instructional and curriculum information. The difference between asynchronous and synchronous is that synchronous coursework takes place in a live classroom as opposed to a video lecture recording