Find complete application details on our how to apply page.

The nonrefundable application fee is $75.

That’s OK! Many students pursue counseling as a life transition or second career. OSU’s M.Coun. in School Counseling provides a well-rounded curriculum grounded in the core areas of counselor education to prepare you to begin working in the counseling field upon graduation, as established by CACREP. 

You can find information on potential careers on the Ecampus website.

No problem! For an increasing number of people, professional counseling may be a second or third career. Completion of a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for admission, and your year of graduation does not matter.

Ideally, as a program candidate you will have some background or knowledge of psychology and human development, potentially from degrees in psychology, addiction studies, human services, child and family studies, nursing, public health, or related fields.

Even majors like sociology or anthropology may contribute to a knowledge base that will be useful in counseling. If you don’t have this background, you may wish to take an introductory course in psychology or human services in order to gain foundational knowledge in preparation for a graduate-level curriculum in professional counseling before you apply.

The M.Coun. in School Counseling program takes approximately three years to complete, with courses scheduled every quarter.

OSU adheres to a quarter-term calendar rather than a semester calendar. This means that classes meet for four 11-week quarters, with breaks of one to three weeks in between. See OSU’s academic calendar for information on term start and end dates.

No, currently there is no full-time option for the M.Coun. in School Counseling program. 

In this program, the hybrid format refers to courses that blend in-person, full-day class meetings twice per term with asynchronous, online learning activities throughout the term. Some courses may include a few synchronous online webinars in addition to the full-day, in-person meeting(s). The platforms we use for these activities may include Canvas, Zoom, and/or Adobe Connect.

The flexibility of this format enables you to attend class when your schedule and responsibilities might otherwise prevent you from doing so. OSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning includes research and best practice recommendations for asynchronous and hybrid learning environments. Research has shown that hybrid learning environments can equal or exceed traditional classroom settings in terms of student satisfaction, performance and learning outcomes (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004; Swan, 2004; Kintu & Zhu, 2016).

While the hybrid format works well for some students, not everyone thrives in this format. Student characteristics that are correlated with successful outcomes in a hybrid learning environment include: self-regulation, time management, attitude toward blended learning, social support and technology competencies (Kintu & Zhu, 2016).

Yes. OSU has a long tradition of excellence in counselor education, and our M.Coun. program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. To read more about CACREP standards and why accreditation matters, visit the CACREP website.

Visit the CACREP website to see why choosing an accredited program is significant.

Yes! Our program was designed to meet the needs of working students and students whose responsibilities would not accommodate the face-to-face seat time requirements of a traditional, full-time program.

Try out the Ecampus tuition calculator to create a rough estimate of the total cost of this program. More Ecampus tuition and fee information is available on Oregon State’s finance and administration website.

Visit the OSU Graduate School website to see more about financing your education.

These forms of financial support are currently only available to on-campus, full-time students. Occasionally, unpaid positions may be open to master’s students.

Once admitted, we encourage you to begin identifying sites that might be able to provide appropriate clinical skill-building and supervision early in your program. As our main campus is in Oregon, we have some connections to Oregon-based agencies. Students living outside of Oregon are responsible for identifying and securing their own practicum and internship sites. All field placement sites have to be approved by the counseling program. The program will work with you collaboratively to address issues related to practicum and internship placements.

While the program does not compensate students financially for this part of your clinical training and education, you are welcome to seek compensation for internship hours. You may use your current employment sites as practicum or internship sites with permission from the program coordinator if the assigned duties while interning: (a) are consistent with the goals of graduate-level school counseling, (b) differ significantly from current/prior employment experience, (c) have been approved by the employer, and (d) meet the site requirements stipulated by OSU’s counseling program. In other words, your internship must be designed to offer training and build skills in the areas of intake, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and consultation.

Yes and no. As a graduate of a CACREP-accredited program, you will be eligible to begin working toward licensure in many states, and if you pass the NCE, you will be eligible to apply to the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) upon completion of your degree for certification as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC); however, specific requirements for state licensure vary by state.

Most states require counselor trainees to complete 2-3 years of supervised experience as registered interns, associate counselors, or under a limited permit before earning full licensure as licensed professional counselors (LPCs) or licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs). Some states (e.g., CA) also require additional coursework beyond the graduate degree in order to obtain a full license.

Students are strongly encouraged to visit the State Board that handles licensure for the state(s) in which they wish to practice to learn about specific requirements. Please review the professional counseling licensure board relevant to you for detailed information on licensure requirements, policies, and application process. NBCC provides a listing of state licensure boards in the U.S. that you may contact directly.