Professional School Counselors (PSC) provide individual, small-group, and classroom guidance to students at a number of educational levels including elementary, middle/junior high, high schools and post secondary schools.  Additionally, PSCs can hold supervisory positions in school districts. A minimum of a Master’s degree is required and a PSC must be licensed/certified in school counseling. Primary responsibilities include designing, implementing, evaluating, and enhancing a comprehensive school counseling program which helps all students maximize success by addressing their academic, personal/social and career development needs. Professional school counselors often act as advocates for students and regularly consult and collaborate with teachers, administrators, parents, school psychologists, and medical professionals to develop and implement strategies for student success. They help create and support a safe learning environment through leadership, advocacy, and collaboration.

Professional School Counselors are trained to assist students in a number of ways including:

• Providing academic and career goal setting support

• Exploring peer relationships and effective social skills

• Assisting students in understanding self and others

• Assisting students with communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution issues

• Providing alcohol and drug use and abuse education

• Proving the entire school culture with an awareness of diversity and multicultural issues

• Crisis management

• Trauma and grief

Professional School Counselors help students with a variety of issues including:

• depression

• test and academic anxiety

• peer and family relations

• grief

• parental divorce

• transition issues (school and family)

• self esteem and self confidence

• bullying

PSC are also trained to identify potential cases of abuse or neglect or any other issues that might impede the student’s learning or physical wellbeing as well as crisis prevention and intervention.

Students pursuing a school counselor certification will be required to complete 51 hours of general counseling course work culminating in three semesters of clinical training. In addition, students complete 9 hours of electives. Students must complete the the School Counseling course as one of their electives and have a choice between the following courses for their additional 6 hours of electives: Play Therapy, Child/Parent Relationship Therapy, and Activity Group Therapy.

School Counseling Curriculum

Students must complete 60 hours of course work and culminates in 740 clinical hours of experiences with clients, with a minimum of 280 hours working directly with clients. Students must intern in a school setting for at least one semester of their clinical training.