School Counseling (MA)

Program Description

The online Master of Arts program in School Counseling prepares graduates to work as school counselors in grades K–12.

Graduates are eligible for New York State certification as school counselors and additionally eligible to take the National Certified School Counselor Exam to become national certified school counselors. The curriculum prepares graduates to form helping relationships with K–12 children and youth, teachers, and parents, adapting to their students’ growth and development; assess students in socio-historical contexts with attention to issues of power and privilege – including gender, race and ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation; and create and deliver a data-driven school counseling program that supports every student’s academic, career, and personal and social development.

In addition to their coursework, students must fulfill practicum and internship requirements at a counseling setting approved by the department, ensuring supervision by a certified school counselor in order to meet New York State regulations. The practicum entails a 100-hour field experience within an accredited K-12 school. During the internship, students complete a total of 600 hours, with 300 hours dedicated to grades K–8 and another 300 hours to grades 9–12. Schools are selected by the student in consultation with the director of internships.

The Practicum and Internship experiences will provide students with essential skills to foster the flourishing interpersonal relationships and academic growth of diverse student populations. They will nurture positive, trustworthy, and supportive connections between students and those in the pre-K–12 community, including teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders. Moreover, these experiences will empower students to adapt their approach to address the developmental requirements of their students effectively.

The program offers an option in bilingual school counseling, which prepares graduates to identify issues relevant to student populations for whom English is a second language, and apply appropriate resolutions. Completion of requirements in bilingual school counseling leads to eligibility for a bilingual extension in New York State.

Optional Dual Degrees

The Master of Arts program in School Counseling offers dual degree options. See School Counseling for additional information regarding these options.

Career Opportunities

A degree in counseling can open the door to a range of professional opportunities. Graduates of the school counseling or bilingual school counseling program move on to positions in elementary, middle, and high schools, working with students on school counseling-related issues.

Accreditation

The online MA program in School Counseling is accredited by the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for 2015 through 2025.

Graduates of this program meet the academic requirements for licensure in the state of New York. Each state sets their own policies, regulations, and standards for licensure. Students intending to pursue licensure in a state other than New York should consult the MA program's Licensure page for more information on whether this program meets the academic requirements for licensure in that state and whether there is additional course work they may need to complete to meet that state’s requirements.

Admissions

Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:

• Résumé/CV
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• Proficiency in English

See NYU Steinhardt's Graduate Admissions website for additional information on school-wide admission. Some programs may require additional components for admissions.

Program Requirements

The program requires the completion of 48-51 credits, depending on chosen track.

School Counseling: K-12

School Counseling: K-12 Bilingual Extension

Sample Plan of Study

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

1. Understand how socio-historical contexts and issues of power and privilege, including gender, race and ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation, and other intersectional identities influence the counseling process including intervention and assessment.
2. Understand how socio-historical contexts and issues of power and privilege, including gender, race and ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation, and other intersectional identities influence the counseling process including intervention and assessment.
3. Apply counseling theory and process to school-age children, adolescents, families, and community members through case conceptualization, application of counseling interventions, assessment, consultation, case conceptualization, social justice, and advocacy.
4. Critically examine student growth and development in relation to academic needs and understand how that knowledge contributes to the establishment of meaningful relationships with pre-K–12 children, teachers, family and community.
5. Critically examine student growth and development in relation to academic needs and understand how that knowledge contributes to the establishment of meaningful relationships with pre-K–12 children, teachers, family and community.
6. Develop professional skills and values that support every student’s academic, career, personal, and social development using a data-driven school counseling practice.
7. Apply counseling theory and process to school-age children, adolescents, families, and community members through case conceptualization, application of counseling interventions, assessment, consultation, case conceptualization, social justice, and advocacy.
8. Develop professional skills and values that support every student’s academic, career, personal, and social development using a data-driven school counseling practice.

Policies

Program Policies

Fieldwork Placement

Be advised that fieldwork placement facilities that provide training required for your program degree, and agencies that issue licenses for practice in your field of study, each may require you to undergo general and criminal background checks, the results of which the facility or agency must find acceptable before it will allow you to train at its facility or issue you a license. You should inform yourself of offenses or other facts that may prevent obtaining a license to practice in your field of study. NYU Steinhardt will not be responsible if you are unable to complete program requirements or cannot obtain a license to practice in your field because of the results of such background. 

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.

Steinhardt Academic Policies

Additional academic policies can be found the Steinhardt academic policies page.