Best Doctorate Programs in School Counseling

The admissions requirements and processes for doctoral programs in counselor education are similar but are still unique to the institution, so students should be sure to check the specific requirements for their school. In general, students applying to these doctoral degrees need to fill out the appropriate application and include the necessary supplemental documents. Some programs do require applicants to take the GRE and submit their test scores, but usually do not have a minimum score that needs to be met on this exam. Other common application materials include a resume or CV, letters of recommendation, an essay response, and/or a writing sample. Sometimes at least one letter of recommendation needs to come from a clinical supervisor who can discuss the students' counseling abilities. It is also common for these programs to require an interview process after students have submitted their applications.

Almost all doctoral programs in counseling education require applicants to hold a master's degree in counseling or a closely related field. Some programs may prefer that the master's degree comes from a counseling-accredited program (see below) and for students from a non-accredited counseling program or a related area, such as social work or psychology, their transcripts may need to be approved by the program director. Several doctoral programs also require applicants to meet a minimum GPA requirement between a 3.0 and a 3.3. Depending on the program, the admissions committee may also want to see prior coursework in key areas of the field, such as educational research, human growth and development, social and cultural diversity, and more.

Employers typically prefer candidates who have graduated from accredited institutions and/or programs and attending an accredited school has several additional benefits for students, such as a greater ability to transfer credits and qualification for financial aid. Many colleges and universities hold regional accreditation from organizations such as the Higher Learning Commission, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This level of accreditation is broad and more generic as it applies to the entire school.

In addition, some programs will have program-level accreditation that usually comes from an organization associated with the subject area. In the case of counselor education programs, many doctoral programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Most doctoral degree programs in counselor education can be completed in 3 years. Students usually work on their coursework during the first 2 years of the program and then complete their dissertation and/or doctoral internship during the final year of the program. Many students who complete the program in 3 years are enrolled full-time, but some programs are designed to be part-time programs. These programs may allow students between 3 and 5 years to finish the degree.

Ph.D. in Counselor Education programs usually require between 51 and 66 credits of coursework. Many of these programs lay out a degree path that allows students to see what courses to take which semester. These programs tend to focus on some foundational areas in the field for those aspiring leadership positions, including teaching, research, writing, advocacy, supervision, and counseling/consultation. Usually, students take some core, required courses in counseling and research, followed by some specialized courses in counselor education. Core courses could cover topics in areas such as:

• Qualitative research methods
• Advanced theories in counseling
• Educational policies, analysis of classroom discourse
• Statistics in education

Some specialized courses in counselor education may cover topics in:

• Diversity and social justice in counselor education
• Leadership in counselor education
• Theory of counselor supervision

It is fairly common for these degree programs to also include a practicum and/or internship experience where students accumulate multiple hours (sometimes up to 600 to 700 hours) of hands-on, real-world experience.

Preparing Your School Counseling Dissertation

Most Ph.D. programs in counselor education require a dissertation or at least a doctoral thesis. Students may take between 6 and 36 credit hours towards this requirement. Typically, this is a big research project where students explore a topic of interest in counselor education. Students usually work on their thesis or dissertation throughout the program, but focus on it primarily during the final year of the program while they may be completing an internship or practicum experience.

The various research courses that students take during their coursework help prepare students for collecting and analyzing data used in their thesis or dissertation. Once the project is completed and written, students typically defend their dissertation orally. The time it takes to complete one's degree can depend greatly on how fast students finish their thesis or dissertation. Depending on the program, students may also need to submit an e-portfolio to demonstrate their growth as a counselor educator during the program. Students are then graded based on a rubric and the student's dissertation advisor must sign off on it.

School counseling is a unique field that is usually only offered at the master's or graduate certificate level. Undergraduate degree programs are available in several related areas that can help prepare students for a career in counseling, such as psychology, pre-counseling, and social work. Therefore, there are many different degree paths to a career as a school counselor or counselor educator. Below, we explore some of the different degree options at each level, but these are by no means an exhaustive list of potential degrees.

School Counseling Associate Degrees

At the associate level, it is most common for students to find degrees in psychology or counseling and applied psychological science. Usually, these degree programs are offered as Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degrees and many are available in online formats. Associate degrees in the field are generally designed to prepare students to transfer to a 4-year school and earn their bachelor's in one of these related fields. Some students choose to begin entry-level careers related to psychology and counseling.

School Counseling Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelor's degree programs are also most commonly available in the field of psychology, however, some programs allow students to take a pre-counseling track and begin preparing for a counseling-related career. These degrees are typically offered as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) and can be available in online formats. There is at least one online degree with a pre-counseling focus that allows students to choose from several pathways, including one in school counseling to further specialize in the field.

School Counseling Master's Degrees

Students interested in school counseling have several different master's degree programs in the field to choose from. Graduates with a master's degree in school counseling can pursue a career as a school counselor, as these master's programs are designed to qualify students for a state credential, such as a license, certification, or endorsement, in the field. Students can choose from a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Education (MEd), or Education Specialist (EdS) degree in counseling with a concentration in school counseling. Usually, students are qualified to work with children in grades Pre-K through 12th.

School Counseling Graduate Certificates

Graduate certificate programs in school counseling are usually offered as post-master's certificate programs, meaning that applicants need to already hold a master's degree in counseling or a related field. These programs are designed to equip those already trained in counseling with the specialized skills related to school counseling. Students can find online certificate programs and can usually finish the certificate in 1 year or less. These programs typically require around 12 credits of core courses and can help qualify students for professional certification in the field.

School counselor jobs usually only require a master's degree in school counseling for students to work in roles such as high school or elementary school guidance counselors Those wishing to become a professional counselor and lead those in school or mental health settings and/or conduct research may consider earning their Ph.D. in Counselor Education. Graduates of these programs can work as directors of counseling in various settings, including public schools, or counselor educators. Many go on to work as postsecondary teachers and conduct research while teaching the next generation of counselors. Find out more about a few career options here.

Become an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor or Advisor

School and career counselors or advisors usually need to have at least a master's degree. Typically, this degree is in counseling, psychology, or another closely related field. Many of these degree programs include a clinical experience where students receive hands-on training while being supervised. After earning a master's and completing an internship experience of some kind, these counselors are eligible for their state-issued license, certification, or endorsement that is typically required to work in a public school setting.

School counselors may work at the elementary, middle, or high school levels. They help students navigate various personal issues that may arise, help them set academic and career goals, and advise students as needed. This requires maintaining paperwork and reporting any serious issues, such as abuse.

Become a Social and Community Service Manager

Those with their doctorate in counselor education may wish to move on to higher leadership roles overseeing counseling or related services as a social and community service manager. Typically, these managers need at least a bachelor's degree, but a master's can be required. It is also important for these managers to have extensive work experience.

Social and community service managers are responsible for identifying the needs of their community and working to create possible solutions and programming to meet these needs. They may develop and oversee programs, evaluate the effectiveness of these programs, and train workers to run the programs. They can also pursue social service funding through grants and work to increase the community's awareness of available programming.

Become a Postsecondary Teacher

Many graduates with a Ph.D. in Counselor Education will choose to teach the next generation of counselors at the collegiate level. Postsecondary teachers usually need to hold a doctoral degree, unless they are teaching at a smaller institution (such as a community college, where a master's degree may suffice). It is also important for these educators to have some experience in their given area of expertise and/or hold any certifications that are commonly required in the field. In the case of teaching school counseling, many of these professionals may hold a state license, certification, or endorsement.

Postsecondary teachers are usually responsible for planning and implementing curriculum for multiple courses in their specialty area. They must decide what their students need to know in the different subject matters and plan assignments and assessments accordingly. These teachers are often responsible for researching their chosen field and may also serve on various institutional committees.

There are many counseling-related professional organizations available for those working in the field, including some geared specifically to school counseling. Professionals in counseling should consider joining these groups to stay updated on current news and events in the field, connect with other professionals in the field, and access valuable resources. For instance, these organizations typically provide job postings, information about certification and careers, training, and more. A couple of examples of potential professional organizations for school counselors or counselor educators to join include:

• American Counseling Association- The ACA is one of the primary groups for professionals in counseling and offers membership to the group. From the group's website, professionals can access publications, continuing education opportunities, and career information. The group also hosts conferences and is involved in government affairs for advocacy of the field.
• American School Counselor Association- The ASCA is designed specifically for school counselors and hosts a popular annual conference for the field. Professionals can become members and explore professional development opportunities, current research in the field, and standards for the profession.

The cost of earning a doctorate in counseling education varies greatly from school to school. The bulk of the cost is tuition and some programs charge tuition by the credit hour based on factors such as the specific program or residential status (in-state vs. out-of-state). Some doctoral programs in counseling cost over $500 per credit hour. Students also need to research and factor in the cost of any additional fees, such as matriculation fees. Other costs to consider for these programs include books and materials and any transportation costs for doctoral internship experiences. Finally, students may want to budget living expenses to see the total cost of earning their degree.

To help fight the cost of earning a doctorate in counselor education, many students turn to various forms of financial aid. Doctoral students can still fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but funding options are more limited for doctorate students than at other levels. For this reason, many schools work to provide doctoral students with additional funding options. For example, many schools provide various assistantship opportunities. Students may be graduate research assistants (GRAs), graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), or graduate administrative assistants (GAAs). However, doctoral students need to check the status of these assistantships as they are typically only available for full-time students. They are also usually competitive and students will need to apply for them.

Many schools offer counselor education Ph.D. programs and have scholarships available. Some of these awards can be more generic, such as scholarships from the university or a specific college, like the College of Education. Students typically need to complete a separate application to apply for various scholarships. One way to find scholarships for Ph.D. programs in counselor education is to use CareerOneStop's Scholarship Finder tool.