Salem College’s online master of Education in School Counseling program prepares passionate educators who want to make a difference in the lives of K-12 students. Students will gain the knowledge and skills required to become licensed school counselors and learn about:

• Advocacy
• Ethics and legal issues
• Child and adolescent development
• Career counseling
• Individual, and group counseling
• Program management, delivery, and assesment

The school counseling program consists of online classes, internship experiences, and two weekend residencies on the Salem campus. New students start with the fall semester and complete their degrees in 2 or 3 years. Salem College’s school counseling program was ranked among the top ten online programs in the nation by Forbes Advisor in 2024.

In addition to completing your graduate application, you will need the following items to be eligible for the program:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or minimum graduate-level grade point average of 3.0 (minimum of 12 completed hours of graduate coursework)
• Satisfactory responses to two writing prompts
• Two professional recommendations
• Acceptable criminal background check

Students in the School Counseling program have opportunities to explore connections with their professors and each other through, among other things, the program’s signature Residential Weekends. The weekends focus on developing key skills needed for successful counseling through observation, role playing, and individualized feedback. In addition, students participate in 700 hours of Practicum/Internship in which they are placed in K-12 schools, working alongside licensed professional school counselors as they carry out day-to-day responsibilities. Finally, although the program is online, students receive dedicated attention from their professors and develop strong relationships and networks with their peers and future colleagues.

Mental health is woven throughout the school counseling curriculum. Two examples include:

• Students in EDUC 664, Individual Counseling learn how effective counseling practice produces changes in the brain and builds new neural networks through neural plasticity and neurogenesis. Students also learn how negative plasticity is associated with long-term stress and trauma and how prevention and intervention efforts may provide a pathway toward improved physical and mental health.
• Students in EDUC 695, Contemporary Issues in School Counseling study mental health topics as they play out in schools and among students (e.g. violence, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.). Prevention and intervention strategies are emphasized.

Counseling courses may be completed following a 2 or 3-year plan.

Demand for knowledgeable and highly-skilled school counselors is on the rise. School counselors enjoy a rewarding career with a high level of responsibility and are vital to any educational institution. They collaborate with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to promote positive outcomes in students’ academic, career, and social-emotional development. Candidates who successfully complete the school counseling program and earn the required minimum score on the PRAXIS School Counselor exam are eligible for North Carolina licensure as school counselors. Our graduates are in high demand as K-12 school counselors, career counselors, and social-emotional learning specialists.