Master of Science in School Counseling

The purpose of the school counseling program is to prepare counselors to function at the elementary, middle, or secondary school level. There are three ways to enter the school counseling program. Students hold a teaching certificate and have two years of teaching experience in order to meet school counselor licensure requirements in Kansas. Students have a degree in a counseling related field and enroll in the Alternative Route to Restricted Licensure program. Parallel Pathways is a new initiative developed by the Kansas State Department of Education to license additional School Counselors to serve in high need areas of Kansas. The requirements of teaching license and two years teaching experience are waived under the new Parallel Pathways legislation allowing people with a Bachelor’s degree in other fields to enter a Master’s program in School Counseling. The additional requirements needed to complete a Parallel Pathways degree will include six (6) hours of field experience to gain firsthand knowledge of the school environment and the responsibilities necessary to provide School Counseling services. Persons wishing to pursue a master's degree in the department are required to make application through the Graduate School as well as be admitted by the department. Applicants should complete all of the necessary admission requirements prior to their initial enrollment in courses in the department.