Counselors in schools work with students, parents, faculty and administration to ensure all students' needs are met. School counselors talk to students who are worried, frightened, anxious or overwhelmed, helping them cope and offering support and guidance, sometimes referring students who need more help to outside sources such as clinics, therapists and substance abuse centers. School counselors have a wide range of responsibilities: In a single day, a counselor may help a student get through sadness at a classmate's death, counsel another student who is being bullied, talk to a student who is having trouble with a teacher and advise another student about career choices and colleges.
School counselors in almost every state are required to obtain a master's degree in school counseling. Master's programs, offered both online and at colleges and universities, require about 60 hours in coursework. The ASCA, or American School Counselor Association, website offers a state-by-state listing of schools that offer master's degrees in school counseling, and the EduChoices.org site lists online schools for the same degree.
According to ASCA, most public schools mandate master's degrees for their counselors and require specific types of coursework, such as human growth/development, individual and group counseling, testing, research, social and cultural studies and career development. Counselors also complete a supervised practicum and internship as part of obtaining their degrees. State requirements change, and each state's education department will have the most recent information about certification requirements. Counselors obtain certification through the National Board for Certified Counselors by meeting the following requirements: two endorsements (one from a recent supervisor), a passing score on the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) exam, a master's degree and two or more years of supervised field experience.
Before seeking a master's degree, school counselors earn an undergraduate degree, most often in education, child psychology or counseling. Master's degree-seeking students must also take the Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, exam. Students entering a master's program commonly choose from among the following degrees: an M.A., M.Ed or M.S. in school counseling, educational psychology, career counseling, school psychology, teaching and learning, administration and supervision, professional counseling or school counseling.
Graduate schools offer coursework for school counselors in both theoretical and practical skills. Commonly offered courses cover counseling techniques and theories, group counseling, basics of school counseling, curriculum organization, developmental psychology and counseling program administration. Additionally, students attend seminars, work in local schools to gain experience and submit either a thesis or professional portfolio before graduation. The master's degree takes a full-time student 2 1/2 to three years to complete.
The American School Counselor Association says that as of 2010, 28 states and the District of Columbia require counselors for all grade levels. California requires counselors for seventh through 12th graders, and four other states--Mississippi, Utah, Washington and Louisiana--require counselors for ninth through 12th graders.