MEd/EdS in Professional Counseling (School Counseling)

Prepare for a career supporting students in elementary, middle, and secondary schools with our dual M.Ed./Ed.S. in Professional Counseling (School Counseling).

Through our program, you will become an effective practitioner and researcher within the school setting. This is a full-time, nationally accredited degree program, and the required coursework leads to certification and licensure.

By completing your dual degree, you will qualify for initial certification as a school counselor in Georgia (S-6). To receive licensure, you will need to participate in extended supervised counseling experiences and complete an examination.

This CACREP accredited program in professional counseling, school specialty, was ranked #1 in the nation in 2024 (U.S. News and World Report). We have partnered with local school districts and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to offer specialized training to admitted students in integrative behavioral health, preparing our future counselors to deliver these programs and services in school settings. Additionally, students selected for this program will receive a stipend of $10,000 during year two (the internship year) of their graduate training. If you have any questions or concerns about our program, please email us at scuga26@gmail.com .

Highlights

1. Ranked #1 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
2. CACREP-accredited
3. Dual degree (M.Ed./Ed.S.) program: two years, 66 credit hours
4. Partnerships with metro Atlanta and Athens school districts
5. Internationally recognized faculty and training program
6. Opportunities to interact with Ed.S. and Ph.D. students

Accreditation Information

This program is accredited by CACREP .

The 2022-23 academic year was another successful year for the school counseling initial certification program in preparing students to be school counselors and educational leaders. The program had another very successful admissions cycle in the Spring of 2023, admitting a new cohort of 12 students, while graduating a cohort of 12 students in May of 2023, with a cohort of nine students successfully completing practicum in the Spring of 2023, and will be starting internship in the Fall of 2023.

• Annual Report (PDF)
• Program Assessment 2022-2023 (PDF)

Mission Statement

The mission of the program is to prepare counselors to work in elementary, middle, and secondary schools who are educational leaders and self-reflective practitioners; who serve as advocates for all students; who understand and apply principles of group work in building school and community partnerships; and who accept responsibility for improving educational practices through an active program of research and evaluation.

Program Objectives

The professional counseling (school emphasis) program objectives include:

1. Develop candidates’ awareness of their own cultural values and beliefs as well as understanding and respecting the values and beliefs of all individuals,
2. Develop candidates’ cultural competence and responsiveness to promote educational equity and social justice in a variety of school settings,
3. Develop candidates’ individual and group counseling skills and skills related to the development and implementation of the school counseling classroom curriculum,
4. Develop candidates’ leadership, advocacy, and collaboration skills to address systemic barriers to learning for all P-12 students, and
5. Develop candidates’ knowledge and skills for using appropriate data to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school counseling programs including the integration of evidence-based practices.

Curriculum

Our program offers you a dynamic academic experience based in both scholarly research and practical application. Coursework, practicum, and internship opportunities prepare you to apply your skills in a variety of school settings and to manage counseling programs at the individual and organizational levels.

The dual M.Ed./Ed.S. in Professional Counseling (School Counseling) will:

• Increase your preparedness for working in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings
• Help you become a leader in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of a comprehensive school counseling plan
• Teach you to provide individual, counseling, group counseling, and classroom guidance
• Prepare you to use data and evidence-based practices in selecting interventions
• Qualify you for initial certification endorsement as a school counselor by the State of Georgia (S-6)
• Lead to your licensure as a professional counselor in Georgia

This intensive program admits students once per year in the Summer semester. Our schedule allows you to complete the degree in a timely manner (within two calendar years). As a student, you will attend courses two to three days per week and progress through coursework and clinical experiences as part of a cohort.

The curriculum consists of 66 credit hours, includes 100 clock hours of practicum, and provides 660 hours of internship experiences in a school setting. At least 40 clock hours of the clinical experiences in practicum and 240 in internship will involve direct work with individuals, supporting groups in schools, and service-learning opportunities.

During the course of the program, all candidates will have an opportunity to work with children in each of the grade bands as required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. The grade bands are PK–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12.

Your coursework covers topics such as:

• Foundations in school counseling
• Cross-cultural counseling
• Interpersonal relations
• Developmental counseling
• Theories of counseling and human development
• Individual appraisal
• Seminar in counseling and human development
• Service-learning
• Introduction to group counseling
• Counseling children and adolescents

Our Faculty

Our nationally recognized faculty will work with you to customize your degree program. Learn more about our faculty and their expertise.

Additional information and disclosures regarding state licensure for professional practice in this field can be found at the UGA Licensure Disclosure Portal .

How to Apply

Part 1: Apply to the University of Georgia

The Graduate School handles admission for all graduate programs at the University of Georgia, including those in the College of Education. The Graduate School website contains important details about the application process, orientation, and many other useful links to guide you through the process of attending UGA at the graduate level.

If your intended start date is Summer 2023, when you start your UGA Graduate School application, you will need to select 2022-2023 as the academic year to which you are applying.

Start A Graduate School Application

Part 2: Apply to the M.Ed./Ed.S. in Professional Counseling (School Counseling)

Applicants are required to apply for both the M.Ed. in Professional Counseling (emphasis in School Counseling) and the Ed.S. in Professional School Counseling on the Athens campus. Failing to do so will mean an incomplete application.

To apply, submit the following:

• Graduate School application
• TOEFL or IELTS (applicants from non-English speaking countries only):
  • Transcripts in the native language and English for international applicants
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume
  • 3 letters of recommendation
• GRE is not required for this program

GAPSC Requirements

The state of Georgia requires that all candidates have a minimum 2.5 GPA on undergraduate or previous graduate work. Go to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission website for details.

Deadline To Apply

The application deadline is December 1 for admission the following Summer semester (students are admitted to begin the program in the Summer semester only). After the initial application review, invitations will be extended for interviews to be held in February.

Log Into Existing Application

Useful Links

• Brochure (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Student Handbook (PDF)