A school counselor working with a young child.

School Counseling

Master of Science in School Counseling

Quick Facts

Total Credit Hours: 60
Time to Completion: 3 years*
Tuition: $794 per credit hour**

SCHOOL COUNSELING DEGREE ONLINE

Master of Science

Husson University's Master of Science in School Counseling online program is designed for those who need access to coursework in an online format without sacrificing clinical quality. Our program prepares you to serve as a Pk-12 school counselor who successfully advocates and provides counseling interventions to enhance the well-being and academic success of students. Through flexible synchronous online courses, expert faculty, and real-world learning through clinical internships and on-campus residencies, you will enter the field of school counseling ready to hit the ground running.

Prepare to advance your career in clinical mental health counseling

Become a certified school counselor
Gain real-world experience through on-campus residencies, practicums and a clinical internship
Tutoring and mental health support
One-on-one advising and career services during your time at Husson and after!
Fall- and spring-semester start dates

Multiple Pathways

Husson University offers two distinct pathways for earning your Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling:

Synchronous Online Pathway: Our remote option allows you to attend live classes in real time. This hybrid approach maintains a hands-on focus through required clinical experiences and on-campus residencies.
On-Campus Pathway: Designed for those who prefer a traditional learning environment, the pathway features on-campus classes, residencies, and clinical field placements.

What You Will Learn

A school counselor takes notes during a group counseling session with students.

Husson’s CACREP-accredited school counseling curriculum provides a comprehensive professional foundation, ensuring you graduate prepared for licensure and certification. The program is specifically designed to develop your role as a leader in Pk-12 education, focusing on the three critical domains of academic, career, and social-emotional development.

Graduates of the Master of Science in School Counseling will be eligible for certification as a K-12 school guidance counselor through the Maine Department of Education. If you are interested in becoming certified in another state, you will need to obtain specific requirements particular to that state, as laws and regulations vary.

In this program, you will study:

Three school counseling domains: academic, career, and social-emotional develoment.
How to work with students to help them overcome both personal and academic obstacles.
The growth and development, both physical and psychological, of people over time.
Multicultural diversity and how to work with students of all different ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and demographics.
Counseling theories and methods that are essential to working with both individual students, classrooms full of students, teachers and parents.
How to design and facilitate counseling programs and group activities that address student needs.

Turn theory into real-world application

This program combines flexible online courses with hands-on learning opportunites to ensure you are thoroughly prepared to for a career in professional counseling. While pursuing your synchronous online master's in clinical mental health counseling, you will attend two residencies located on Husson's campus in Bangor, Maine:

Counseling Residency I: During this three-day residency, you will work with expert faculty to refine and demonstrate your skills, ethical practice, professional identity, and assessment of program dispositions as a counselor.
Counseling Residency II: This residency is designed to advance your individual and group counseling skills, proficency in case conceptualization, theoretical application, and structured treatment planning. You will also develop advanced and specialty counseling techniques, train in crisis management, and prepare for your practicum and internship.

Student Outcome Statistics

2024-2025 Data

Number of graduates in the past year: 4
Degree completion rate (within 5 years): 67%
Licensure or certification exam pass rate: no exam
Combined employment and doctoral admissions rate of students/graduates: 91-100%

Important Links

School Counseling Program FAQs

Program Candidacy Info

2021-2022 Program Evaluation Report

Apply Now Request Info

*Time to completion varies depending upon full- or part-time enrollment and any transferable graduate coursework. **All rates subject to change.

Course Highlights

Your courses will provide you with a solid foundation in different types of counseling while also developing your specialized knowledge and skills in school counseling.

Here are a few of the courses you'll take while in this program:

CO 701: The Role of a School Counselor - In this course, you will review the historical and philosophical bases for school counseling programs, explore the role of a school counselor, and examine the ethical and legal responsibilities of school counselors. Focus is given to recent applications of contemporary theories in educational settings as well as the role of the counselor in assisting all students in academic, career, and personal/social domains.
CO 704: Social and Cultural Diversity - This course is designed to promote understanding of social and cultural diversity through study of such issues as ethnicity, gender, race, socioeconomic status, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, ability/disability, family structure and geographic location. You will examine how their cultural identity impacts their beliefs, values and actions, and learn the skills for competent ethical practices with diverse populations.
CO 720: School Counseling for Exceptional Students - This course provides the school counselor with an overview of the philosophies, theories, assessments, and interventions to work with exceptional populations in PK-12 schools. You will explore the history, legislation, and current trends of special education through the lens of a school counselor. You will also demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based interventions, differentiated instruction, inclusion models, and relevant laws that impact diverse students.
CO 723: Counseling Young Children and Adolescents - In this course, you will address the physical, emotional and social development of children and adolescents and examine the relationship between development and counseling needs. You will also explore the implications of child development for counseling interventions and learn developmentally appropriate counseling theory and techniques, as well as diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders of childhood and adolescence.

Your Career Begins Here

How to Apply

The admissions process breakdown

Learn How to Apply to Husson

Tuition

An affordable education to help you increase your earnings potential

View Tuition Costs and Fees

Financial Aid

Explore ways to help cover costs of your degree

Learn How to Reduce Your Costs

Career Outlook for School Counse Majors

A master's degree in school counseling prepares you for a rewarding, stable career as a counselor in the educational system.

Job Growth

Median Salary

Faculty Spotlight

Deborah Drew, Ed.D.

Image of Deborah Drew, a faculty member at Husson University.

Deb is a Counselor Educator, Licensed Professional Counselor (LCPC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), as well as a certified Professional School Counselor. She joined the faculty at Husson in 2007, having previously served as a faculty member in the Counselor Education program at the University of Southern Maine. Her career spans more than four decades serving education in Maine as a teacher, school counselor, and counselor educator. In addition, she has a private practice offering counseling, consulting, and clinical supervision.

Deb has a passion for rural Maine and its people, especially its counselors and young people. Her areas of interest include mental health counseling, school counseling, career counseling, ethical decision-making, and clinical supervision.

Deb has an undergraduate degree in history, a master's degree, and a doctoral degree in Counselor Education all from the University of Maine. Deb is an active member of several national, regional, and state professional organizations that serve the profession of counseling.

Deb is, most importantly, a wife, mother, and grandmother; the best 'careers' of all!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is Master of Science in School Counseling online degree different than the on-campus program?

Is this program accredited?

What is the difference between a school counseling and clinical mental health counseling master's degree?

Transfer Made Easy

You're not alone. Hundreds of students transfer to Husson each year, some with just a few college credits, and others looking to transform an Associate's degree to a Bachelor’s or a Master’s. Best of all, you can transfer up to 90 credits toward your undergraduate degree or nine credits toward your graduate degree. We’ll be with you every step of the way to ensure you’re more than ready for the rewarding future you have in mind.

Whether you are transferring from a community college, looking to maximize your transfer credits, or trying to find an affordable school, Husson Online is a great choice.

Transfer Up To 9 Credits

Husson University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.