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

Master of Science in Education in School Counseling – General Concentration 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 or private schools.

Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25

Program Overview


A quick look at our online MSE in School Counseling

Gain an understanding of the overall role school counseling plays in today’s education environment with the MSE in School Counseling – General Concentration online program. Examine diverse theoretical approaches to student assessments and treatment planning in this program with online coursework. Explore ethical and culturally responsive strategies to interpreting research findings. The Arkansas State University school counseling program online prepares you to practice in public or private schools.

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

This online Master of Science in Education in School Counseling provides you with individualized, advanced practical experience working with K-12 students so they can thrive in school and beyond. Teaching experience is not required for admission, and 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 student centered program. The MSE School Counseling Program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). The program prepares students to work as transformational school counselors in both public and private schools within the K-12 setting.

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
  • 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 the online program, you will be prepared for school counseling roles, such as:

  • Elementary School Counselor
  • High School Counselor
  • Middle School Counselor
  • School Counselor
  • Elementary School Counselor
  • High School Counselor
  • Middle School Counselor
  • School Counselor
Total Tuition: $16,320
Program Duration: As few as 24 months
Credit Hours 48

Accreditation

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Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

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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: $340
Total Tuition: $16,320

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.

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/13/2512/16/2412/18/241/9/251/10/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/28/253/6/253/7/255/2/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/16/24
Start Class 1/13/25

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?

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. A teaching certificate is not required for this program in Arkansas.

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

  • 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.
    • Supply the email addresses for two references who can speak to your professional responsibilities and academic potential
      • One recommender must be a work supervisor while another must be a faculty member in your most recent academic program of study. If you have not been enrolled in an academic program for at least five years, you may substitute an additional recommendation from a current or former employer.
      • Please note: All recommendation letters are confidential. MSE School Counseling Applicants waive their right to view these recommendation letters after submission.
    • Complete three essay questions as part of your application. You will upload your answers as either a .pdf or Word document. The questions are:
      • Discuss your interest in Arkansas State University's School Counseling program. Please share relevant professional experiences and discuss how these experiences have impacted your goals of pursuing a degree in school counseling in working to foster social/emotional, career, and academic success for all.
      • In accordance with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA)'s National Model, please discuss the significance of being a culturally responsive and data-driven school counselor in today's global and dynamic society.
      • Share the attributes you possess that will enable you to be successful in a fully online and rigorous graduate program. Also, please describe your professional disposition, as well as how your disposition will impact the critical stakeholders you interact with while in graduate school, as well as in your future work setting.

    Submit all documents to:

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


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

Additional information

Unless otherwise noted, Arkansas State University has not confirmed if a program has met requirements for an out-of-state licensure. Please refer to the Program Approval Map to determine which programs are eligible to be offered in states and to find relevant State Agency contact information. Eligibility to offer in a state does not guarantee the program will meet state licensure/ certification requirements.

Note: To verify that an applicant can be recommended for licensure in another state, he/she must be eligible for professional licensure in the state of Arkansas. It is the responsibility of the student to confirm the requirements for licensure in his/her state as it applies to the participation in an out-of-state degree program.

Please contact your state’s Professional License Department/Board to ensure that your chosen distance education program meets your state’s requirements in which you intend to practice.

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.

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.

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
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 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
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: 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
Foundational individual and group counseling and education theories used in school counseling for successful student outcomes.
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: 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.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of roles and characteristics of consultants and consultees, legal and ethical issues in consultation, and evaluation of consultation practices. Includes practical experiences for skills development. Prerequisite: PSY 6113.
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
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.

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: 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: 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: 10-15 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). Spring duration: 15 weeks, Fall duration: 15 weeks, Summer duration: 10 weeks.
Duration: 7 Weeks 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.
Duration: 7 Weeks 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.
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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