Counseling Employment and Licensure

With many Americans of all ages facing poverty, discrimination, and mental health challenges, counselors are increasingly needed in both preK–12 schools and therapeutic settings across the country. 

After you earn your master’s degree and complete the required steps for licensure or certification, you can help meet the growing need for counselors in schools, agencies, and other professional settings nationwide.

Graduates of the Master of Arts in School Counseling program may be eligible for certification. These requirements vary by state. Learn about the school counselor certification requirements for your state.

Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness is a master’s program that can be taken online or on-campus. Licensure requirements can vary; explore the licensure requirements for mental health and wellness counseling for your state.

New York City is home to more than 8.3 million residents.¹ And employment for mental health counselors is expected to increase by 33% between now and 2030, with nearly 3,000 job openings a year in New York alone.²

Mental health challenges can affect anyone; in New York City, common challenges are PTSD within the veteran population and mental illness within the homeless population of the city.

The program leads to a Master of Arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness, leading to eligibility to become a licensed mental health counselor within New York. 

Licensed mental health counselors in New York City have the opportunity to help affected individuals live a better quality of life, providing support and connecting them with resources.

NYU Steinhardt’s program meets the academic requirements for certification as a school counselor for grades preK–12. 

With more than 1 million students in the NYC school system – the largest U.S. school district – there are plenty of opportunities for certified school counselors.³ Counselors can help those facing challenges related to homelessness such as poor academic performance and high absence rates.

Graduates of the Counseling@NYU School Counseling program may be eligible to be recommended for the New York State Initial Certificate, School Counselor. 

Graduates who completed the Bilingual Track are eligible to take the Bilingual Educational Assessment. After completing the program, Bilingual Track graduates are eligible for recommendation for the New York State Bilingual Education Extension (PPS/Admin). The Bilingual Education Extension is only for New York State. Other states might not have this designation. 

Learners can apply to get their Master of Arts in School Counseling with Advanced Certificate (Dual Degree), which is a 60-credit program. The first 48–51 credits are required for the Initial Certification. The program is also designed to meet the additional 12-credit requirement for the Professional Certificate, which is required in order to continue practicing within New York State. Graduates who choose to pursue the Professional Certificate must also complete any other remaining steps to obtain this certification as outlined by the New York State Department of Education. Additionally, all students in the Counseling@NYU program are eligible to take the courses for the Advanced Certificate.

The program is designed to help school counselors meet the education requirements for being a school counselor and prepare them for real-life experiences in schools.

NYU’s online counseling programs allow you to earn your counseling degree from many locations across the U.S. Counseling@NYU will prepare you to pursue a career in school or mental health counseling in your city and state.

1. QuickFacts: New York City, New York. (2022). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2023. ↩︎
2. Mental Health Counselors. (2023). CareerOneStop. Retrieved October 12, 2023. ↩︎
3. DOE Data at a Glance. (2023). NYC Public Schools. Retrieved October 30, 2023. ↩︎