Counselor with young students sitting in a group in an office setting

Master's in School Counseling (MSE) Online

Gain an overall perspective of the important role school counseling plays in the present education environment. Prepare to become a leader and support the mental health needs of all students in public, private, charter or virtual schools.

Next Apply Date: 12/8/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/12/26
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/8/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/12/26

Program Overview

A quick look at our online MSE in School Counseling

Develop your understanding of the role counseling plays in today’s education environment with the MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program. Examine diverse approaches to research, student assessment and treatment planning. Explore ethical and culturally responsive strategies for interpreting research and deepen your knowledge of career counseling, best practices for post-secondary readiness and family dynamics as they influence student holistic performance.

Collaborate with expert faculty as you develop insight into telemental health in the counseling realm. Learn about diagnostic criteria, the importance of screening, identifying students who may be struggling with mental health disorders and utilizing referrals to connect individuals with the support to thrive academically, socially, emotionally and vocationally. Coursework in human development and group dynamics elevates your ability to advise K-12 students in need of short-term guidance during their formative years.

This track will specifically cover:

  • Diagnostic criteria and best practices to support student mental health and wellness
  • Consultation and collaboration with critical stakeholders to promote student success
  • Utilization of family counseling, family systems, and family engagement to augment student performance
  • Amplification of counseling services through research and assessment, data interpretation, statistical concepts, and evidence-based practices
  • Exploration of career and college options to promote post-secondary preparation and readiness
Coursework is delivered 100% online—making this program flexible and accessible for recent graduates and working professionals alike.
The A-State MSE School Counseling Program is a 48-credit program. Didactic classes are capped at 70 students and clinical courses including Practicum, Internship 1 and Internship 2 are capped at 20 students. The MSE School Counseling Program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).


Upon completion, students will meet school counselor licensure requirements in the state of Arkansas. Please note that out of state students must meet licensure requirements in Arkansas before being eligible for reciprocity in their state of residence. This program prepares students to work as transformational school counselors in public, private, charter or virtual schools within the K-12 setting and is approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Please refer to the Program Approval Map for eligibility information related to this program.

You will gain an understanding of:

  • Knowledge pertaining to psycho-social aspects of development and counseling across the lifespan
  • Importance of culturally responsive counseling in the K-12 school setting Significance of ethical principles and practice
  • Significance of ethical principles and practice
  • Group purpose, development, dynamics, theories, methods, skills and other group approaches in a multicultural society through both theoretical information and experiential exercises
  • Relevant theoretical approaches utilized in the K-12 school setting
  • Overview of the history and growth of the school counseling profession, as well as the significance of the ASCA National Model
  • Importance of using data and incorporating evidence-based techniques into practice to elicit positive student outcomes
  • Relevance of developing needs assessments and program evaluations as data-driven practitioners
  • Fundamental counseling skills and techniques in order to facilitate impactful counseling sessions
  • Experiential practice in clinical courses to amplify and apply skills and knowledge obtained throughout the program
You will gain an understanding of:+
  • Knowledge pertaining to psycho-social aspects of development and counseling across the lifespan
  • Importance of culturally responsive counseling in the K-12 school setting Significance of ethical principles and practice
  • Significance of ethical principles and practice
  • Group purpose, development, dynamics, theories, methods, skills and other group approaches in a multicultural society through both theoretical information and experiential exercises
  • Relevant theoretical approaches utilized in the K-12 school setting
  • Overview of the history and growth of the school counseling profession, as well as the significance of the ASCA National Model
  • Importance of using data and incorporating evidence-based techniques into practice to elicit positive student outcomes
  • Relevance of developing needs assessments and program evaluations as data-driven practitioners
  • Fundamental counseling skills and techniques in order to facilitate impactful counseling sessions
  • Experiential practice in clinical courses to amplify and apply skills and knowledge obtained throughout the program

As a graduate of this online program, you will be prepared for roles, such as:

  • Licensed K-12 School Counselor (Public, Private, Charter or Virtual)
As a graduate of this online program, you will be prepared for roles, such as:+
  • Licensed K-12 School Counselor (Public, Private, Charter or Virtual)
+

MSE in School Counseling – General Online FAQs

Like teachers, school counselors help facilitate student learning and development. They can also address the wider range of support needs children and adolescents encounter outside of the classroom. Counselors may work with students on meeting academic goals, choosing a college or channeling their interests into a career. They can also help students who experience social or behavioral issues or conflict with peers. K-12 counselors collaborate with teachers and other educators to plan services and monitor student progress. They may also work with families as part of their role. The school counselor's intervention and crisis response skills help administrators maintain a safe and healthy environment for all students on campus.
It's a master's degree that prepares teachers and other educators for the dynamic role of school counselor and the diverse responsibilities entailed in supporting elementary, middle or high school students. Many career-changers with a passion for education also choose this profession and enroll in an MSE program as their first step to entering the field.
Master's coursework addresses the school counselor's full range of duties, as well as specific roles and job functions. You will study counseling theory, ethics and best practices, and develop legal and cultural competency in the profession. The A-State online MSE in School Counseling program prepares you to work with individual children and youth, as well as groups of students. You'll learn how to develop a comprehensive school counseling program from design to evaluation and graduate with the expertise required to work effectively with K-12 students at any level.
Most teachers studying in online master’s programs arrange their own internship, usually at their current school or another one in their district. If you are new to education and changing careers, you may find that friends, family or colleagues have contacts in local schools who can pave the way for an internship experience. You can also reach out to school districts in your area directly. K-12 counselors are in high demand, so chances are good a school or district will be able to help. When you apply to the A-State online MSE in School Counseling program, start making your internship arrangements right away. Don't forget to secure a commitment from a licensed counselor with the proper qualifications who will be available to supervise your practice experience. For more information about supervisor qualifications, contact an enrollment specialist at 866-621-8096.
Yes. The number of clock hours in school counseling practice required for your degree will depend on state guidelines, as well as those of your master’s program. The A-State online MSE in School Counseling program requires 700 clock hours of experience, divided between the practicum (100) and two internship courses (600). At least 40 hours during your practicum and 240 hours during your internships must be spent in direct service, defined as supervised counseling with K-12 students in local school settings. Meetings and other learning activities are also encompassed in the hourly requirement. You will gain experience from the client's perspective as well by participating in 10 hours of personal group counseling as part of the second internship course.

Also available:

MSE in School Counseling – Crisis and Trauma

MSE in School Counseling – Special Populations

Total Tuition: $16,800
Program Duration: As few as 24 months
Credit Hours 48

Accreditation

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Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Tuition

Affordable tuition designed for you

Our MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program features the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition for all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $350
Total Tuition: $16,800

Calendar

Important dates and deadlines to keep in mind

Our MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, with accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

View full calendar +

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/12/2612/8/2512/8/2512/18/251/9/262/27/26
Spring 23/9/262/2/262/2/262/16/263/6/265/1/26

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/8/25
Start Class 1/12/26

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

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Admissions

What you need to know to apply

A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. To be admitted to the MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program, students must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.75 GPA. Although a teaching certificate is not required for this program in Arkansas, students should be prepared to have access to a classroom setting as part of the internship component of the program.

Please note, meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Student applications that meet minimum requirements are forwarded to the School Counseling Program Coordinator in the Department of Psychology and Counseling for final review, after which a decision on admission will be determined. Students should check for specific requirements in their state. See full admission requirements below.

Admission Requirements:

  • Minimum 2.75 GPA
  • Official transcripts
  • Bachelor's degree
View all admission requirements +

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA
    • If you have lower than a 2.75 GPA, you may still be admitted, dependent upon your references and your essay responses.
    • Note: If you are admitted and have less than a 3.0 cumulative GPA, you must make a grade of B or better during the first 12 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University
  • Two references who could speak to your professional responsibilities and academic potential
  • Answers to three essay questions (listed below)

Application submission requirements

  • Complete online application
  • Submit a nonrefundable $30 fee
  • Have official transcript(s) sent from the registrar of the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution.
  • Official report of a score, obtained within the last five (5) years, on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • A typewritten essay that addresses

(1) personal, educational, and career goals and aspirations

(2) personal perceptions of influences on goals and aspirations

(3) personal view of the role and value of school counseling

  • Three appraisal/recommendation forms, with at least one completed by a work supervisor and at least one completed by a faculty member in the applicant’s most recent academic program of study. (When the applicant has not completed that program of study, a statement of status in that program also is required.)
  • Applicants who have not been enrolled in an academic program for more than five years may substitute a recommendation from a current or recent employer for the faculty recommendation. The third form may be completed by anyone who can attest to the applicant’s ability and/or character, except that it may not be completed by anyone who is a relative of the applicant.

    • Submit all documents to:

    A-State Online
    P.O. Box 2520
    State University, AR 72467


    Fax: 870-972-3548
    Email: [email protected]

Additional information

For more information on state eligibility, please visit our State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures page.

Appeals process

  • Students who fall below the minimum admission requirements (GPA) or who are denied may send a written letter of appeal, GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial), and additional supporting information to [email protected]
  • The appeal request will be forwarded to the department chair for conditional admission review.

Transfer credits

Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.

Heather Weir
Where you are as a person will change in the program; it will change your perception on how you work with students and what the role of a school counselor really is. You will grow as an individual. I am so proud of who I am now and how much I have grown because of the school counseling program. You learn things about yourself that you didn’t know.

Heather Weir, A-State online MSE in School Counseling – General graduate

Courses

View the online MSE in School Counseling curriculum

Students in the MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program must complete a total of 48 credit hours. Required coursework includes 11 core courses (33 credit hours and five concentration courses (15 credit hours).

Practicum, Internship 1, and Internship 2 will involve weekly supervision sessions that will help to promote awareness through learning and processing the complex needs and challenges of K-12 students, as well as to augment preparation in becoming impactful school counselors. In addition, students will be required to attend live weekly sessions for COUN 6123 and COUN 6663.

Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of societal changes and trends, human roles, societal subgroups, social mores and interaction patterns, and differing lifestyles as they relate to the application of professional counseling assessments and techniques.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of ethically and legally sound counseling practice in the school setting. This course will examine the ethical standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies and will explore applications of ethical and legal considerations specific to professional school counseling.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the principles of group dynamics; group leadership styles; applications of helping relationship theories in group settings; group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches.
Duration: 10-14 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The purpose of this course is to train students to develop, maintain, and utilize a helping relationship to benefit a client population through assessments, direct counseling services, and/or consultation. Further, this course will provide student interns with a highly individualized, advanced practical experience working with adolescents in a comprehensive developmental counseling program. This practicum is 100 total hours (40 direct and 60 indirect). 14 Weeks Fall and Spring, and 10 Weeks in Summer.
Duration: 10-14 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
First supervised practice including individual counseling, group work, developmental classroom guidance, consultation, and program coordination activities. This internship is 300 total hours (120 direct and 180 indirect). Prerequisites: COUN 6213 with a grade of “B” or better. 14 Weeks Fall and Spring, and 10 Weeks in Summer
Duration: 10-14 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Second supervised practice including individual counseling, group work, developmental classroom guidance, consultation, and program coordination activities. This internship is 300 total hours (120 direct and 180 indirect). Prerequisites: COUN 6223 with a grade of “B” or better. 14 Weeks Fall and Spring, and 10 Weeks in Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of psychological theories of development across the life span, including the influence of environmental factors upon personality, normal and abnormal behavior, and adjustment. Students are required to apply developmental concepts to the counseling profession.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
History and scope of the school counseling profession, including the development trajectories of diverse learners and appropriate scope of school counseling practice in varied educational settings.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Foundational individual and group counseling skills for student success, including assessment of individual stu-dents’ academic, college/career, and social/emotional needs and identification of evidence-based direct and indirect school counseling activities in support of student success.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Foundational individual and group counseling and education theories used in school counseling for successful student outcomes.

COUN 6063 is taken as a co-requisite of Counseling Practicum. COUN 6653 is a co-requisite of Counseling Internship I & II and should be taken alone.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of career development theories, and lifestyle and career decision making models. The application of the theories and models across the life span and populations utilizing occupational information, assessment instruments and computer/Internet resources as career counseling tools will be addressed.
Duration: 15 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Methods and research of clinical systems, assessment of psychopathology, and diagnosis, including diverse theoretical approaches to treatment planning and clinical practice issues. Introduction to the treatment of substance related and addictive disorders.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Systems theory and family counseling approaches, including an overview of family development, life cycle perspectives, theories, and interventions with an emphasis on collaborating with families and best practices that can be used in the school setting. Corequisite: COUN 6663.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this course students will learn about tele-mental health, the definition and significance of tele-mental health. Students will also learn about ethical and legal guidelines pertaining to mental health including ethical codes, informed consent, scope of competency, confidentiality, HIPAA and HITECH. Additionally, students will learn about the applicability of services and supervision via video conferencing. Students will also learn about advantages and disadvantages associated with tele-mental health, as well as liability insurance, license portability, and practicing across state lines. Additionally, students will learn about client virtual care, video etiquette, and multicultural considerations. Students will also learn about principles and treatment modalities associated with tele-mental health.
Duration: 15 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Assessment and various research designs, including quantitative and qualitative methodology, basic statistical terminology, needs assessment, program evaluation, and critiquing of research. Ethical and culturally responsive strategies for interpreting and reporting findings are addressed.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Impact of crises and trauma-causing events on cognitive and emotive development in children and adolescents, including social and emotional learning, self-regulation, and relationship building.
Applicants seeking an Arkansas teaching license by reciprocity who hold a valid license from another state in Childhood (P-4), Elementary Education (K-6), Middle Childhood (4-8), or Secondary Social Studies (7-12) must meet an Arkansas History requirement by documentation of the successful completion of three (3) college credit hours in Arkansas History at an accredited college or university OR a 45-hour professional development piece in Arkansas History through Arkansas IDEAS. Applicants holding a valid license in areas other than the four mentioned above do not have to meet the Arkansas History requirement. HIST 3083 History of Arkansas (offered in summer terms only) meets the Arkansas history requirement.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An advanced survey of Arkansas history from prehistoric times to the present with an emphasis on political, economic, and social/cultural themes. Required of BSE Social Science majors.

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