Counseling: School Counseling Concentration, M.A.

• Our School Counseling Concentration is based on the American School Counselor Association National Model. Our students will have immediate exposure to coursework and training on how best to serve a diverse student population.
• Our faculty are leaders in their profession, highly involved with their professional organizations, and continuously engaged in research so they can bring current trends, issues and practices into the classroom.
• Students can choose from a wide variety of electives to expand their counseling experiences. Electives include, but are not limited to, such topics as Consultation in School Counseling, Play Therapy, Grief and Loss, Diagnosis & Treatment in Counseling, Crisis Counseling, and Counseling Adolescents.
• The School Counseling Concentration is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP accreditation provides recognition that the content and quality of the program has been evaluated and meets the standards set by the profession.
• In addition, our program aligns with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards in school counselor preparation, and meets the North Carolina state requirements leading to k-12 school counseling licensure.
• A full array of daytime and evening classes offers students scheduling flexibility. The program is also offered on a full and part-time basis.
• The international honor society for professional excellence in counseling, Chi Sigma Iota, recognizes our Master of Arts in Counseling as an outstanding counselor education program.

• Do counseling students all take classes together?
  • Yes. Students in UNC Charlotte’s Department of Counseling benefit from taking core courses with peers in all three concentrations. School counseling students also take three courses with only school counseling students.
• Are practicum and internship site placements automatically assigned?
  • No. If students have a preferred internship or practicum site in mind, they are able to choose a site if it has been approved. If students have a preferred school district in mind, they are encouraged to work with district placement coordinators to find an ideal site. If students need assistance in finding a practicum or internship site placement, faculty members are able to assist.
• If I successfully earn a master’s degree in School Counseling from UNC Charlotte, do I need to take a licensure exam to work as a school counselor?
  • Yes. Students are required to pass the North Carolina Praxis II Test 5421 in School Guidance and Counseling before UNC Charlotte can recommend them for school counseling licensure in North Carolina.
• Do faculty members in UNC Charlotte’s Department of Counseling have experience working as school counselors?
  • Yes, many of the department’s full-time faculty members have worked as professional school counselors. Several faculty members regularly conduct research in school counseling and are involved in the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), The Reach Higher Initiative, and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision School Counseling Interest Network.
• Is a “school counselor” the same thing as a “guidance counselor”?
  • As the school counseling profession underwent changes in the 1990s and 2000s, researchers and practitioners embraced the term “school counselor” over “guidance counselor” to symbolize the enhanced role of working with all students on academic, social/emotional, and career development. “Guidance counselor” has come to represent an older model of school counseling with less emphasis on working with all students. Thus, this program will prepare you to become a professional school counselor.

Core Courses

Concentration Courses – plus 4 electives

• Faculty members in UNC Charlotte’s Department of Counseling have worked to establish mutually beneficial partnerships with multiple schools and school districts in Charlotte and surrounding counties. These close ties to the school counseling community provide experiential activities that supplement theoretical training. Every year, practicing school counselors come to campus to lead discussion panels with our students.
• Students are encouraged to join faculty research teams, to apply for grants, and to submit articles for publication. These collaborations often lead to opportunities to present at state and national conferences and to become published in the field.
• Students are required to submit a poster presentation proposal to the NC School Counseling Association Conference, with many receiving accolades in the past.

UNC Charlotte School Counseling alumni most often take on counseling positions in public or private elementary, middle, and secondary schools. As a result of the quality and reputation of our program, a number of students have received job offers while completing their final internship.

Graduates may also pursue careers in a number of other areas, including:

• School counseling department chair
• District school specialist
• Academic advisor in community colleges and universities
• Admissions counselor for community colleges or universities
• Independent college counselor
• Counselor for a non-profit organization focused on outreach and volunteer services
• Veterans’ Affairs counselor
• Career center counselor