The Graduate Certificate in School Counseling prepares K–12 counselors through coursework, fieldwork, and meets the CT 068 certification.
The Post Master’s Certificate in School Counseling provides course requirements and supervised fieldwork to prepare for school counselor certification in the state of Connecticut.
Candidates for this certificate program must hold a Master’s Degree in Counseling. In addition, candidates must complete a prerequisite course in special education (required for CSDE certification). The certificate includes 20 credits of required courses – 12 credits of course content and eight credits of fieldwork. Candidates are required to complete a 700-hour, 10-month-long supervised internship placement within a school setting.
No comprehensive exam or thesis is required.
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Foundational
Assessment & Diagnostic Processes
Career Development
Counseling Practice & Skills
Ethical & Legal Issues in School Counseling
Group Counseling & Group Work
Orientation to School Counseling
Research & Program Evaluation
Theories of Counseling & Lifespan Development
Specialization
Consultation in Schools
Counseling Children & Adolescents
Crisis Response & Intervention
School Counseling Curriculum Development & Classroom Management
Developmental Psychopathology
K-12 Career & College Readiness Counseling
Substance Use Prevention & Intervention
Graduates will:
- Demonstrate ethical, collaborative, and advocacy-driven practices by accurately identifying professional roles, credentialing requirements, relevant legislation, and counseling supervision models, and by applying self-awareness, professional engagement, and informed leadership to promote access, equity, and excellence across diverse service delivery settings.
- Demonstrate competence in culturally sustaining and evidence-based practices by effectively conceptualizing cases, developing and implementing prevention and intervention plans, responding to crises, building ethical counseling relationships, and engaging in collaborative decision-making to support diverse student needs across practice settings.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and wellness-oriented strategies grounded in developmental, relational, and neurobiological theories to support individual and family development, foster resilience and adaptation, and promote holistic well-being across the lifespan.
- Apply multicultural, social justice, and advocacy frameworks by identifying systemic barriers, and analyzing the influence of cultural identities and intersectionality and the impact of historical trauma, discrimination, marginalization, and income disparities on the people they serve. They will implement inclusive strategies that promote empowerment, wellness, and equitable access to services.
- Demonstrate the ability to ethically design, facilitate, and evaluate group counseling sessions by applying evidence-based, culturally sustaining, and developmentally responsive strategies, and by analyzing group dynamics, leadership roles, and therapeutic factors across diverse settings and delivery modalities.
- Apply ethical, culturally sustaining, and developmentally responsive career counseling strategies by conducting career assessments, interpreting labor market data, identifying systemic barriers, and developing individualized career and education plans that support diverse clients in achieving meaningful vocational and life-work goals.
- Design, implement, and evaluate career development programming that expands access and helps close equity gaps across learner and client populations.
- Demonstrate the ability to ethically select, administer, and interpret a variety of assessments by applying knowledge of developmental, cultural, and legal considerations to accurately inform case conceptualization, goal setting, service planning, and referral decisions across academic, career, personal, and clinical contexts.
- Demonstrate competency in research and program evaluation by designing ethically sound studies, selecting appropriate methodologies, analyzing and interpreting data, and applying culturally responsive, evidence-based findings to inform counseling programming and the counseling profession, evaluate outcomes, and support professional advocacy efforts.
- Demonstrate the ability to design and lead equitable, data-informed PK–12 programs that promote academic success, social-emotional development, and career readiness through advocacy, collaboration, culturally sustaining practices, trauma-informed care, and comprehensive school-based interventions and consultation.
Careers
School counselors are employed primarily in K-12 educational settings. They use their counseling knowledge, insight, and skills to promote student well-being and educational success.
Key Responsibilities of School Counselors:
- Provide a program of services for students in the school to promote academic, social-emotional, and career development in a proactive and preventive manner;
- Provide individual and group counseling for students identified in need;
- Consult with teachers, faculty, and administrators concerning student academic, social-emotional, and career success;
- Communicate and collaborate with parents/families to support students;
- Provide a liaison with community agencies based on student needs;
- Implement a comprehensive program that focuses on the uniqueness of all students based on data-informed decision making, closing achievement and opportunity gaps, and results in improved student outcomes.
Typical Job Titles
- School Counselor
For more information about school counseling, see the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) and the Connecticut School Counselor Association (CSCA).
Accreditation
The PMC in School Counseling is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This program is not accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
School / College
College of Education
Department
Counselor Education
Contact
Dr. Jennifer Parzych
schoolcounselinggrad@southernct.edu
From our Alumni
Southern's School Counseling program has been truly life-changing. The dedicated faculty, flexible structure for working professionals, and unwavering support have empowered me to grow as a passionate advocate for students, families and communities. I wholeheartedly recommend this program as it inspires, equips, and transforms future counselors to make a lasting impact.
Mike Cebula,
SYC-School Counseling Alumni, ‘25
SYC-School Counseling Alumni, ‘25
I joined Southern’s School Counseling Graduate Program to advance my skills and professional identity. This experience equipped me with counseling knowledge, self-compassion, identity, and resilience, while fostering meaningful collaboration within my Cohort. This program transformed education from a past wound into a place of healing and purpose.
Najia Walker,
MS-School Counseling alumni, ‘25
MS-School Counseling alumni, ‘25