Counselling school students has always been important but has become more so with the increasingly competitive environment in education which has often lead to disturbing results. Parental pressure, peer pressure, societal pressure have just become too much for students to cope up with. And we have seen the results of the inability to cope. If we have to create a more favourable and conducive environment, we must take counselling seriously. There is a whole range of courses on offer with some focusing even on mental health. While you can do a Masters or a PhD, there are also courses which will prepare you for becoming a Licensed Counsellor.

The University of New Brunswick runs a research and practice based Master of Education in Counselling, which is “tailored for future masters – level practitioners, working as school counsellors or counselling therapists in community agencies or private practice.” (https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/education/grad/med/counselling.html)

Boston College runs an MA in School Counselling, which prepares students to take a “whole child” approach to their work for in and out – school factor and emphasizes helping students to understand the ways in which multiple systems (e.g., families, schools, and communities) interact to promote thriving and achievement among children and adolescents representing diverse cultures, racial/ethnic groups, social classes, abilities/disabilities, and sexual orientations.” (https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/academics/departments/cdep/ma-school-counseling.html) NYU Steinhardt offers an MA in School Counselling or Bilingual School Counselling, which gives “training to become a professional pre-k-12 school counselor, working in public or private schools, colleges and community agencies”.  (https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/degree/ma-school-counseling-or-bilingual-school-counseling) Pittsburgh State University has a Master’s in School Counselling, which prepares teachers for Pre K-12 category. (https://academics.pittstate.edu/academic-programs/psychology-and-counseling/school-counseling-graduate-program.html#undefined1)

University of Dayton runs an MSE in School Counselling, which prepares students to “become positive voices advocating for the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of children in PK-12 school systems as professional school counsellor”.  (https://udayton.edu/education/departments_and_programs/edc/programs/school_counseling/index.php) Butler University offers a Master’s in School Counselling structured “around the knowledge, dispositions and performances of school counselling professionals, focuses on the P-12 developmental needs of students”. (https://www.butler.edu/school-counseling/about) Florida State University, College of Education offers a Masters in School Counselling, which “prepares the next generation of counselors to serve the diverse needs of K-12 students”. (https://education.fsu.edu/degrees-and-programs/graduate-programs/school-counseling)

California State University Long Beach has a Master of Science in Counseling which gives two options 1) School Counseling 2) the Pupil Personnel Services Credential which prepares school counselors to act as social justice advocates and agents of change in urban schools and diverse multicultural settings.” The university “endorsed the use of data-informed decision-making and evidence-based practices to effect systemic change in schools and the community”. It goes on to state: “The American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA) National Model, which promotes a balanced, holistic approach that considers the academic, career, and social/emotional development of K-12 students, serves as a base for our program.” (https://www.csulb.edu/college-of-education/school-counseling)

Cincinnati, College of Education offers Master of Education in School Counselling for those who wish to be a school counselor leader and work with K-12 students in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development as well as contributing to the overall climate of the school environment. You acquire the skills to take the national Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE) and move toward licensure. (https://cech.uc.edu/schools/human-services/graduate-programs/counseling-graduate-programs/sccl.html) Mercer University runs an MS in School Counselling, which prepares “students to function as professional school counselors in public and private P-12 school settings and to be certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC) at the S-5 level. (https://professionaladvancement.mercer.edu/programs/graduate-professional/school-counseling/)

Champan University, Attallah College of Educational Studies has Master of Arts in Counselling and Pupil Personal Credential in School Counselling program, which is suitable for those who wish to work as professional school counsellors from preschool through high school “with knowledge of how to perform a variety of tasks including college and career guidance, mental health counselling, student social and emotional support, and consultation with teachers and parents”. (https://www.chapman.edu/education/graduate/counseling.aspx)

University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences offers an MA in School counselling which offers two tracks such as Pupil Personnel Services and another is PPS credential with Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. The focus is on “students whose needs are culturally sensitive or specific to their social identities, such as the children who are refugees, are in foster care or are in domestic violence situations.” (https://www.sandiego.edu/soles/counseling-and-marital-and-family-therapy/ma-school-counseling/) George Southern University offers an MEd in School Counselling which has two concentrations Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling and it is helpful to those who wish to work as school counselor. (https://coe.georgiasouthern.edu/coun/programs/school-counseling/) Marymount University offers an MA with three specialization with from which a student must choose. These specializations are Clinical Mental Health, Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling.  (https://www.marymount.edu/Academics/School-of-Sciences-Mathematics-and-Education/Graduate-Programs/Counseling-(M-A-)) Fairfield University runs an MA in School and Clinical Mental Health Counselling, which develops knowledge in nine areas such as “human growth and development, the helping relationship, lifestyle and career development, research evaluation, social and cultural foundations, group counseling, individual appraisal, professional orientation, clinical skills”. (https://www.fairfield.edu/graduate-and-professional-studies/graduate-school-of-education-and-allied-professions/programs-and-certificates/graduate-programs/school-counseling/index.html)

Eastern University offers an MEd in School Counselling which equips student to “become an advocate for students while promoting the welfare of an entire learning community. This graduate program prepares students to seek state certification as a PreK-12 school counselor, licensed professional counselor, and licensed behavior specialist.”

(https://www.eastern.edu/academics/graduate-programs/med-school-counseling) Loyola University of Chicago runs M.Ed. in School Counselling, which is practitioner – orientated program and wishes to “prepare culturally sensitive professionals who think critically and base their practices on scholarly inquiry.” (https://www.luc.edu/education/masters/school-counseling/)

Doane University runs a Master of Education in School Counselling “designed for those who are seeking to become highly competent school counselors. Students will be prepared to work with diverse populations in elementary, secondary and high schools. The academic preparation follows guidelines established by the state and certification boards.” (https://www.doane.edu/graduate-and-adult/master-of-education-school-counseling)

The Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel offers a Master of Education in Counselor Education “is designed for adults who want to enter the school system as guidance counselors, either on the elementary or secondary level. Students who successfully complete the program will obtain both a graduate degree and recommendation for licensure through the state to become a guidance counselor.” (http://www.citadel.edu/root/counselor-education-programs/med-school-counseling)

Rider University runs an MA in Counselling Services (School Counselling Concentration) which emphasizes on the “developmental Counselling” and is helpful for those who wish to develop their career as “school counselor in elementary and secondary public and private schools.”(https://www.rider.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-education-human-services/graduate-programs/counseling-services/ma-counseling-services-school-counseling-concentration)

Syracuse University runs an MS in School Counselling, which helps students to “develop the dispositions, knowledge, and skills to promote the academic, career and personal/social development of all students through data – informed school counselling programs”. (https://soe.syr.edu/admissions/graduate/masters/school-counseling/) The University of Memphis’ MS in School Counselling, says much the same thing preparing “professional school counselors to implement developmentally informed, data driven, ASCA National Model ® school counselling programs to support the growth of their student clientele across academic, career, and personal – social life domain.” (https://www.memphis.edu/cepr/counseling/school.php)

St. John’s University has a Master of Science in School Counselling, which helps students to “prepare skilled and multiculturally competent school counselors who are capable of identifying and responding to the needs of diverse clients by providing a wide range of guidance and counseling services for children, adolescents and their parents”. (https://www.stjohns.edu/academics/programs/school-counseling-master-science-education) The University of Sydney, offers a Master of Teaching (MTeach) in School Counselling, which qualifies students to become a school counsellor as well as a qualified teacher in one area of the secondary school curriculum.” https://www.sydney.edu.au/courses/subject-areas/spec/school-counselling.html)