Inspire True Change With an Online Master’s in School Counseling
School counselors play a pivotal role in children and adolescents’ academic and personal development. Whether it’s educating parents, providing college counseling or supporting mental health care, school counselors positively influence the growth of K-12 students in many ways.
At Teachers College, you have the opportunity to gain the education you need to make meaningful, lasting change as a school counselor — all online. In our Online School Counseling program, you can balance your academic and personal commitments and study anywhere in the United States while receiving the high-quality education you can expect from Teachers College.
Online School Counseling Program Highlights
At Teachers College, earning your school counseling master’s online comes with the same benefits as our in-person program. From faculty expertise to intensive practicum and fieldwork, you’ll gain numerous opportunities to grow as a school counselor and contribute to the larger field of education.
Rooted in Social Justice
Learn how to support children, adolescents, and families from marginalized and diverse communities. At Teachers College, every course you take will have social justice at its core, even when the words “multicultural” or “racial justice” aren’t in the name. We believe socially just practice is the only ethical, effective practice, and our focus on it allows us to align our work with the broader movement toward social equity. This means you’ll not only learn about the role of culture, race, gender and intersectional factors in human development; you’ll also learn how to contribute to social justice as a school counselor.
Experiential Training That Leads to Self-Awareness
Continually refine the tool you use to enact your practice: you. Some of the most important, challenging, and transformational aspects of your training will come from courses like Foundations, Group Counseling, and Multicultural Counseling, where you’ll learn about yourself as you learn about the practice of counseling. In the online master’s in school counseling program, you’ll be able to practice your skills in a live virtual setting and receive real-time feedback from full-time faculty invested in your growth. You’ll also complete a year-long, on-site internship at both a high school and an elementary or middle school in your community.
Research Exposure and Opportunities
Learn from leading scholars in school counseling and contribute research to the field. In alignment with TC’s robust standards for research, our faculty includes researchers whose work has shaped the counseling profession, giving you access to experts who will help you become a more effective practitioner and researcher. Whether you want to work as a practitioner or continue on to earn a Ph.D., developing research skills is imperative to addressing contemporary issues in education and school counseling. Even in the Online School Counseling program, you’ll have unrivaled opportunities to develop those skills.
Teachers College at a Glance
Online Master’s Degree in School Counseling Cost & Aid
Teachers College is committed to creating opportunities for our students — and helping you build a better future. As an admitted student in the Online Master’s in School Counseling program, you’ll receive the Vanguard Scholarship, specially designed for online students. You may also be eligible to receive other types of aid, including grants, fellowships and loans.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Summer 2025 term.
Master of Education
- Points/Credits: 60
- Entry Terms: Summer
Certification
View Public Disclosure Notification
- NY State Initial: School Counselor
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | January 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 | N/A |
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| International applicants are not eligible to apply for this program and are encouraged to consider other program options | |
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation | |
| Supplemental application required (included in online application) |
Additional Information
- The School Counselor Master of Education program is registered with the New York State Education Department leading to provisional certification for School Counselor in New York State. If you plan to work in any other state and are considering enrolling in the online School Counselor program, please review additional material provided for your state on the respective state's Department of Education website. For more information visit the Program Website.
Online School Counseling Program Faculty
Through mentorship, feedback and experiential instruction, TC’s faculty helps you hone your skills to become a successful counselor within schools — and to make an impact on the education field. Our faculty draw from a wealth of expertise and research interests in counseling and psychology, including multicultural psychology, social justice, Latinx mental health, career development, child development, and community-based interventions. All of our faculty members can speak to both theory and practice in counseling psychology.
Dr. Becky Reed is a full-time lecturer and field placement coordinator for the Ed.M. in school counseling programs. A graduate of Teachers College for both her Ed.M. and Ph.D. in counseling psychology, Dr. Reed is uniquely positioned to support and mentor students in the program. She takes pride in fostering a sense of community in her online courses and helping students gain experience with counseling techniques. Her research interests include the training and development of school counselors and mental health counselors, intersections of social class and education, gender diversity within education systems and psychotherapy, and college access for underserved populations.
Why Earn Your Master of Education in School Counseling Online?
Earning your school counseling master’s online allows you to prepare to become a school counselor while balancing your work and other commitments. Our program features both asynchronous and live learning opportunities so you experience the interaction that comes with in-person programs. Additionally, you’ll have access to virtual office hours for additional feedback and mentorship from your professors.
Online Master’s in School Counseling Program Outcomes
The Online School Counseling program prepares you to become a change agent, social justice advocate, and self-aware practitioner in K-12 schools and other educational institutions. You’ll be ready to apply your skills in clinical practice, administration, assessment, and research and be able to produce knowledge, become a policy development and implementation leader and work in independent practice.
Gain Skills to Make Change
To prepare for school counseling jobs, you’ll learn the following skills in our program:
- Individual and group counseling skills
- Providing support and advisement to students and families
- Problem-solving and evaluating systems
- Critical analysis of individual experiences and system challenges
- Communicating in a respectful manner
College Advising Certificate
If you are interested in college and career advising, you can earn an Advanced College Advising Certificate from Teachers College concurrently with your Ed.M. degree. The Advanced College Advising Certificate program is one of five in the United States dedicated to training school counselors in this specialization.
School Counselor Certification
Upon graduation from the online master’s in school counseling program, you’ll be eligible for certification as a school counselor in New York State. Our program may also fulfill criteria for other states. If you are interested in obtaining certification in another state, please research that state’s requirements.
Online School Counseling Program FAQ
With a Master’s in School Counseling degree from TC, you can work as an elementary, middle school, or high school counselor to empower students to navigate personal, social, mental health and academic challenges.
As an elementary school counselor, you would focus on socio-emotional learning, helping students navigate social situations, build organizational skills, and manage their academic responsibilities. If you’re interested in working with middle schoolers, you’d help students transition from elementary school to middle school, and from middle school to high school. You’d also provide mental health care, facilitate individual or group counseling, and help students continue to build social and emotional skills. As a high school counselor, you’d help high school students plan for college and their careers, provide mental health care, and more.
Beyond working directly with students, you can also work to shape educational policy, produce research or go on to doctoral programs.
If you are passionate about advocacy, social justice, and student wellbeing, becoming a school counselor is more than a good career — it is transformative. As a school counselor, you’ll have a direct impact on students, contributing to their academic, career, and personal development and promoting resilience and growth. With expertise in human development, counseling techniques, college counseling, career advising, racial justice, and systemic challenges, you’ll be uniquely equipped to help learners individually and at the policy level.
In addition to providing a rewarding career, school counseling also provides stability and the opportunity for continued education. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, school counselor jobs are predicted to grow at a rate faster than average over the next 10 years. The average salary for school counselors nationally is $60,140 and $78,355 in New York.
Yes. All full-time faculty members have weekly office hours, which students will be able to attend via Zoom.
At this time, the TC program is not available part time. Students in the Online Master’s in School Counseling are part of a cohort model, meaning they move through the program and take similar courses together on a full-time basis.
Yes, you may be able to work full time during this program, however, the second-year practicum may pose challenges if you work 9 to 5. Students who have held full-time jobs during the program have been able to carve out time for live courses by informing their employers in advance.
During the program’s second year, you will need to be at a school for a minimum of 20 hours per week. However, if you work in a school, you can sometimes complete your internship at your school. Dr. Reed, our Program Director and field placement coordinator, is available to help you determine a schedule and the possibility of working full time while in the program.
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