School Counseling Lehigh University

Overview

Overview

The M.Ed. in School Counseling leads to Pennsylvania Department of Education certification for school counseling from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. 

The course of study prepares students to work with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and developmental stages, helping them gain skills for living in a complex and culturally diverse society. Master’s candidates learn how to provide direct services and consultations as well as conduct workshops, classes and preventative programs. 

Applying what you learn in a real-world setting is an important part of the program. Many master’s candidates get that experience at the Community Voices Clinic based at two local public schools in Southside Bethlehem, where they are supervised by a Lehigh professor and doctoral-level graduate assistants, as well as at other local schools in Bethlehem and Allentown.

Lehigh’s faculty brings to the classroom a wide variety of experience in addition to a deep well of knowledge of the latest research, best practices and techniques in counseling. A low student-to-faculty ratio means master’s candidates work closely with mentors throughout the program. 

Those interested should complete an online application and provide undergraduate and (if applicable) graduate transcripts. Applicants must have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average as an undergraduate. They should submit an essay and an acknowledgement that they understand the College of Education policy on clearances. Candidates should also provide two letters of recommendation with at least one from a faculty member of an accredited academic institution.  Only U.S. citizens can receive Pennsylvania certification as a school counselor. 

The deadline to apply is January 15 for a Fall start. 

The degree requires the completion of 16 courses (48 credits) based on the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  A typical course load of three or four courses in the fall, three or four in the spring, and two to four in the summer enables candidates to complete the program in two years (two falls, two springs and one summer). 

Students are expected to perform a minimum of 100 hours of field work in addition to an internship of 15-20 hours a week for two semesters. A clinical coordinator assists students with placements for practicum and the internship. 

The culminating experience is the student’s comprehensive portfolio.

Classes are offered in the afternoons and evenings to make the program more convenient for working professionals, which contributes to the degree’s high completion rate.  

Nationwide, the need for school counselors is growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects demand to rise by 13 percent between 2016 and 2026. 

As of January 2014, school counselors in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are certified PreK-12.  The Lehigh School Counseling Program now leads to certification at PreK-12 through the Pennsylvania Department of Education TIMS online system.

Graduates have gone on to counseling positions in elementary, middle and secondary schools, and mental health and social service agencies. 

School counselors do not require CACREP accreditation to practice in schools in the United States. CACREP accreditation is not required for a license as a professional counselor in many jurisdictions within the U.S.