School Counseling - MCoun

The hybrid online Counseling Master's program prepares students to work as school counselors in Oregon and beyond. As a CACREP accredited program, the OSU School Counseling master’s degree aims to prepare graduates to be leaders and advocates for change in their schools and communities. Students can work full-time during this part-time program. Face-to-face classes occur only twice each quarter on a Friday through Saturday in beautiful Corvallis, OR. Approximately 24 students are admitted each year into a cohort.

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The Ecampus OSU School Counseling master’s degree has been approved by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) in Oregon to meet educational requirements for certification* as a School Counselor in Oregon. Graduates are also eligible to become board certified counselors by the National Board of Certified Counselors. To determine whether this program meets licensure requirements in your state of residence, you must contact the appropriate licensing board(s). 

The Ecampus Master of Counseling program based out of OSU Corvallis is distinct from the Master of Counseling program at OSU Cascades campus. The Ecampus program is a hybrid online program whereas the Cascades program is a 100% on-ground program. The programs have different faculty who do not cross-teach. Students admitted to the Ecampus program take all courses in the Ecampus program.

The OSU master’s in School Counseling degree is part-time, and financial support such as loans and grants are more limited than for full-time programs. There are no teaching or research assistantships since these require full-time enrollment.


 

Why a MCoun in School Counseling at Oregon State University?

  • Take courses in an online/face-to-face hybrid format. Students meet twice each quarter on a Friday through Saturday in beautiful Corvallis, OR.
  • Be able to continue working full-time while taking courses part-time. Students can work full-time during the first two years of the program. During the third year, students may need to leave or reduce employment to complete internship requirements. Students who are already employed as a school counselor may use these experiences to meet internship requirements.
  • Be a part of a collaborative cohort. Unlike fully online programs, students also meet regularly in-person and develop significant peer relationships. Master’s in School Counseling students complete all courses in a cohort and develop significant peer relationships through frequent class meetings together.
  • Learn from nationally recognized scholars and leaders in the professional counseling field with a focus on antiracism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. We are committed to engage in anti-racism work to better serve the needs of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in our community. Most recently, OSU Counseling was honored to receive the 2022 Counseling Program award from the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities. The award is presented to a program that has demonstrated a commitment to the promotion of LGBTGEQIAP+ awareness and affirmation.
  • Attend a high quality online program with a long history of delivering remote education, having offered graduate courses via Extended Campus since 1944 and full graduate degrees via Extended Campus since 1976. The Oregon State University counseling programs are the second oldest in the world, with counseling classes first offered in 1917. The Counseling program at Oregon State University was one of the very first CACREP-accredited programs.
  • Graduate from a CACREP-accredited program.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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What to Expect

Visit our how to apply page.

The nonrefundable application fee is $75.

That’s okay! 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 8 core areas of counselor education to prepare students to begin working in the counseling field upon graduation.

Find 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 baccalaureate (i.e., Bachelors) degree is a prerequisite for admission, and year of graduation does not matter.

Ideally, candidates 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. Prospective students who do not possess this background may wish to complete a MOOC (massive open online course) like Introduction to Psychology or Human Services in order to gain foundational psychology and human services-related knowledge in preparation for content in a graduate level curriculum in professional counseling.

The M.Coun SC program takes approximately 3 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 1 to 3 weeks in between.  See OSU academic calendar for information on the start and end dates of a particular quarter.

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

Our acceptance of transfer credit is limited. Learn more about transfer credits.

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, 2004Swan, 2004Kintu & Zhu, 2016).

While the hybrid format works well for some students, not all students thrive 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). Completing an online self-assessment may assist prospective students in determining whether this type of program could work for you. 

Yes. OSU has a long tradition of excellence in counselor education and our M.Coun program is accredited by CACREP, 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.

In addition to a faculty advisor, all Ecampus students have access to NetTutor, an online academic support resource that offers assistance with topics like Psychology and Statistics and has a Writing Tutor and Paper Center to work with students on writing and editing.

Try out the Ecampus tuition calculator to see how much it would cost for you.

There is a distance education fee and a matriculation fee for Ecampus students in addition to tuition. Use the tuition calculator to estimate your cost of attendance. Please note, Ecampus students are not required to pay fees for on-campus services such as health services, technology, and the recreation center, as these are not services you will use.

Visit the graduate school website to see more about payment.

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

We encourage students to begin identifying sites that might be able to provide appropriate clinical skill-building and supervision early in their 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 students 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, students are welcome to seek compensation for internship hours. Students may use their 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, students’ internships are designed to offer training and to 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.

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Master's Clinical Mental Health student greets a client

Clinical Mental Health Counseling - MCoun

The OSU Ecampus Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree meets the educational requirements for licensure as a counselor in Oregon (LPC), Washington (LMHC), and in many U.S. states. Graduates are also eligible to become board certified counselors by the National Board of Certified Counselors. To determine whether this program meets licensure requirements in your state of residence, you must contact the appropriate licensing board(s).


  

View Corvallis Program

View OSU-Cascades Program

Counseling PHD student speaking with a client

Counseling - Ph.D.

This hybrid program prepares students to work as advanced practitioners, counselor educators, and supervisors in clinical and academic settings. As a CACREP accredited program, graduates are prepared be to be leaders and advocates in the counseling field. The degree emphasizes student contributions to counselor education through research while understanding and addressing the needs of today's communities. Students can work full-time during the program in order to continue to provide meaningful professional counseling services to the communities in which they live and work. Face-to-face classes occur only twice each quarter.


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