Online Master’s in School Counseling (MEd) Your CACREP-accredited Path to Counseling Mastery
60
Credit Hours
Online*with required intensives
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Provide Supportive Student Care and Counseling with a Master’s in Educational Counseling Online
Imagine the impact a guiding figure had on your life’s direction. Was there a teacher who shaped your journey? If you’re passionate about being a positive influence in the lives of young people, pursuing a career as a school counselor could be the perfect fit for you. As a school counselor, you can have the opportunity to support students as they navigate the challenges of their school years.
Liberty University’s CACREP-accredited Master of Education (MEd) in School Counseling offers a comprehensive pathway to becoming a school counselor in Christian, public, and private schools. This program also holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), ensuring that your education meets the highest standards of quality.
So, why choose our online school counselor programs? Through this MEd in School Counseling, you’ll develop advanced skills in counseling and psychology, with a focus on ethics, assessment, evaluation, and group counseling techniques. This program is specifically designed to help prepare you for K-12 school counseling licensure**, equipping you with the credentials to support students from diverse backgrounds.
As you work toward your master’s degree in guidance counseling, you can gain both practical and theoretical knowledge to apply in real-world situations. Our online program can train you to help students overcome various challenges and set achievable goals for their futures. You won’t just assist students in applying for college, securing scholarships, and finding jobs; you can also play a critical role in their mental and emotional well-being throughout their K-12 education.
Start your journey in an online school counselor program today. Explore ways to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school counseling programs that are culturally sensitive and promote the career, personal, social, and academic development of children and adolescents.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Education (MEd) in School Counseling.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
**Please note: The MEd in School Counseling may be used to obtain an advanced-level license for PreK-12 school personnel. Candidates residing in Virginia must have completed 2 years of successful, full-time teaching experience or 2 years of successful experience in guidance and counseling to qualify for the school counseling license. Individual state licensure requirements may vary. Please verify licensure requirements for the state in which you reside.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master’s in School Counseling Program?
Choosing Liberty University’s online master’s in school counseling program means choosing a path where your education meets your calling. At Liberty, we don’t just offer an education – we offer an opportunity to impact the world through compassionate, school counseling.
Our school counseling master’s online program is designed to foster a collaborative learning environment, bringing together a culturally diverse, global student body. Here, you can work to become a competent, responsible, ethical, and professional school counselor empowered to serve in public, private, and Christian schools across all educational levels. Whether you aim to support elementary, middle, or high school students, Liberty’s online master’s degree programs in counseling could provide you with the credentials you need to start your career journey.
One of the key advantages of Liberty’s program is the opportunity to network with professionals nationwide while learning from industry experts. The rigorous curriculum, paired with practical field experience, can assist you in becoming prepared to address the diverse needs of students, promoting their mental, spiritual, and physical health. Our program emphasizes a balanced approach to counseling that supports both academic achievement and overall well-being.
Through hands-on experience, including a full-semester practicum and 2 full-semester internships, you can gain hands-on experience. These placements allow you to apply classroom knowledge in real-world situations, working alongside seasoned professionals to refine your skills. By the time you graduate, you can be ready to make a meaningful difference as a licensed school counselor, joining the ranks of Liberty graduates who are fulfilling their calling in this vital field.
What Will You Study in A Master’s in Education Counseling Online?
In an online master’s in education counseling degree, you can gain the comprehensive tools to become a K-12 school counselor. Online graduate counseling programs are designed to help equip you with the skills to counsel children from diverse backgrounds, conduct thorough assessments and evaluations, and implement group counseling techniques within the school environment.
As part of a guidance counselor master’s program, you can:
- Delve into culturally sensitive counseling practices, exploring social justice and advocacy approaches that respect the diverse belief systems found in today’s society.
- Study best practices for developing, implementing, and evaluating K-12 school counseling programs that promote access and equity for all students.
- Learn to recognize the family, personal, and environmental factors that influence the development of students at all educational levels.
- Prepare to navigate the ethical and legal challenges you’ll encounter in your counseling career.
Our online school counseling master’s program covers a broad spectrum of general counseling methods and specialized topics in educational counseling. By blending theoretical knowledge with practical application, you could develop a well-rounded approach to counseling that supports both the personal and academic growth of students.
To enhance your educational experience, you’ll complete 2 online synchronous intensive courses, 1 full-semester practicum, and 2 full-semester internships. These placements will allow you to gain valuable, hands-on experience in the field, strengthening your résumé and helping you meet the requirements for school counseling licensure.
Potential Career Opportunities
Growing enrollment at all levels of education creates a need for counselors to respond to students’ developmental and academic needs. Upon completion of Liberty’s online Master of Education in School Counseling degree, you could pursue:
- Licensed school counseling roles in public and private K-12 schools
- Continued education/requirements to become a licensed professional counselor
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
- View the Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
- View our School Counseling Advising Guide.
- Students should verify any additional licensure requirements.
- This program is accredited by both CAEP and CACREP.
- This program is available online with required intensives.
- This program requires 2 online synchronous intensives, 1 full-semester practicum, and 2 full-semester internships.
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
State Licensure Requirements
Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Full Time | $565/Credit |
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Graduate Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our School Counseling Graduate Program Online
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.7 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Admission into this program also includes:
- Contact information for 2 recommenders from professional sources (i.e., not family/friends). This form can be submitted online (login required). These individuals should be qualified to address the applicant’s ability to complete the graduate-level work, disposition, and ability to become a counselor, and their maturity, motivation, and ethics. Some examples of individuals that may be suitable include professors, employers, or leaders in an organization where the applicant volunteers. Please note: This contact information must be less than 1 year old.
- Statement of Purpose
- Please describe in 200-250 words why you desire to become a counselor and indicate the type of counselor certification you plan to seek after graduation.
- Describe in 200-250 words an occasion in which you have interacted with an individual or a group of individuals from another culture. Identify the cultural differences which were present and how you demonstrated respect for those differences.
- Describe in 200-250 words how you form effective interpersonal relationships with others in individual and group settings.
- Complete the form agreeing to the Master of Education in School Counseling’s Mission Statement and Diversity Statement.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
- If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.
Transcript Policies
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for EdS and EdD courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions for Online Masters in Counseling Programs
What is Reciprocity?
Liberty University’s CAEP/CACREP accredited school counseling program is designed for licensure in Virginia and may be used for reciprocity through licensure or accreditation in another state. Along with the successful completion of this degree, 2 years of prior teaching and/or school counseling experience will be needed to obtain a full license in Virginia. Those who do not have prior teaching and/or school counseling experience may qualify for a provisional license through accreditation according to the regulations of each state.
To view educational requirements and whether this specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.
Is an online master’s degree in school counseling respected?
Like many students, you may be wondering whether an online Master of Education in School Counseling holds the same weight as a residential program. As long as you attend a university and/or program that is accredited, you can be confident that your master’s degree will hold weight as an advanced educational credential.
At Liberty, we have just what you need. We are institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, our online master’s in school counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) – and by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
With our master’s in school counseling online, you can be confident that you’re earning a degree that may serve you well for years to come.
Is a school counseling degree online the same as an online guidance counselor degree?
Maybe you’ve been searching for an online guidance counselor program, and you’re wondering whether Liberty’s Master of Education in School Counseling fits the bill.
Many people use the terms “school counselor” and “guidance counselor” interchangeably, but these terms do have different connotations. In fact, the term “guidance counselor” is now considered outdated in many circles. Over the years, guidance counseling has morphed into school counseling – with the change in terminology reflecting the way that today’s school counselors are quite different from the guidance counselors of the past.
Traditionally, guidance counselors have had a more vocational focus, with an emphasis on helping students prepare for college or a career. In contrast, school counselors offer a more comprehensive approach to helping students succeed. Not only do they focus on vocational matters – they also help foster students’ mental, emotional, and social well-being as they navigate the challenges of school. Today, the term “school counselor” is growing in popularity because it more fully denotes the scope of this role than the term “guidance counselor” does.
At Liberty, we’ve designed our online school counseling master’s program to offer a broader, more well-rounded education than a standard master’s in guidance counseling online would. School counselors fulfill a wide range of responsibilities, and our comprehensive approach to counseling could help ensure that you’re ready to meet the current needs and challenges of this field.
Can I get a master’s in school counseling online?
Many of Liberty’s school counseling courses are offered 100% online, giving you the flexibility to complete your assignments from the comfort of your home. You’ll complete 2 online synchronous intensive courses – and you’ll complete 1 practicum and 2 internships at an approved location near you.
Your practicum and internship placements can help you put your skills to the test in a real-world setting. This mix of online and in-person training can help provide the flexibility, rigor, and networking opportunities you need to prepare for your career.
Is a school counseling degree worth it?
In general, a master’s degree and state licensure/certification are required if you want to work as a school counselor. If you are confident that this is the career path you want to pursue, a master’s in education counseling online can be an invaluable investment.
Liberty’s MEd in School Counseling could help provide the training you need to work as a licensed school counselor. Individual state requirements may vary – to find out whether our program is the best fit for you, be sure to research the licensure requirements in your state.
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