Earn Your Online Master’s in School CounselingEarn Your Online Master’s in School CounselingEarn Your Online Master’s in School Counseling

NYU Steinhardt’s online master of arts in School Counseling program prepares aspiring pre-K–12 school counselors to pursue certification and employment in public and private schools nationwide. We teach school counseling practice and research techniques through the lens of equity and social justice so you can help students from diverse backgrounds thrive academically, professionally, socially, and personally.

The program is taught by NYU faculty dedicated to developing you into an effective school counselor. You will choose one of two concentrations: school counseling or bilingual school counseling, which teaches you to address common challenges experienced by students for whom English is a second language.

Accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)

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Online Experience

Bilingual Concentration

Advanced Certificate

Accreditation

School Counseling Program Highlights

Rigorous, Hands-On Preparation
Build your skills through 48 graduate-level credits, counseling lab, 100-hour practicum, and 600-hour internship.

Complete in as Few as Two Years
Depending on your start date, you could earn your school counseling master’s online in as few as five terms.

GRE Not Required
GRE scores are not required for admission into the online master’s in school counseling program.

Rolling Admissions
NYU Steinhardt accepts applications year-round, offering multiple start dates a year.

The final deadline for the September 2025 Cohort is May 20, 2025.

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The School Counselor Master’s Program Online Experience

Face-to-Face Classes and Engaging Assignments

Collaborate with your peers and faculty while practicing leadership skills using our interactive online campus, which features dynamic course work and weekly class sessions.

Virtual Skill-Building with a Partner

Work with a classmate during an online counseling lab that prepares you for your practicum and internship experiences.

Real-World Practice at Schools Near Your Community

Help pre-K–12 students thrive during a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship at NYU-approved public or private schools in your area.

In-Person Networking and Collaboration

Visit NYU’s New York City campus for an in-person immersion experience, where you will apply key skills learned in the program to intensive training alongside faculty and classmates.

What Can I Do with an Online Master’s in School Counseling?

Graduates of the online master’s in school counseling program are prepared to work effectively with students, parents, teachers, and administrators within pre-K–12 schools. Your work may include providing individual and group counseling support, developing curricula, and working with parents, teachers, and school administration to ensure students’ academic success and healthy socioemotional development.

As an elementary school counselor, you will create a nurturing environment in which children develop the knowledge, habits, and emotional skills to succeed in middle school, high school, and beyond.
As a middle school counselor, you will provide vital academic and emotional support to younger adolescents as they undergo various physical changes and begin to define their adult identities.
As a high school counselor, you will guide older adolescents toward academic and professional success during one of the most exciting and daunting times in their lives: preparing for college and career.

Bilingual School Counseling Concentration

As a student in the school counseling program, you will have the option to specialize in bilingual school counseling by taking a specific course sequence which adds three credits to your plan of study. Students in this concentration will learn to develop and apply appropriate solutions to common challenges experienced by pre-K–12 students for whom English is a second language. The specialization’s curriculum focuses on bilingual and multicultural theory and on identifying the characteristics of well-adjusted children who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

Master of Arts in School Counseling with Advanced Certificate (Dual Degree)

Our online program will prepare you to meet the State of New York’s requirements for graduate course work for Initial and Professional Certification. The 60 required credit hours can be completed through our online Dual Degree Master’s program (48-51 credits) and an Advanced Certificate in School Counseling (additional 12 credits).

The online master of arts in School Counseling program is comprised of 48-51 credits, which is required for Initial Certification. For Professional Certification in the State of New York, students are required to complete an additional 12 credits to continue practicing. Students have the option to complete these additional 12 credits while simultaneously earning their MA degree. Students are not required to complete their additional 12 credits at the institution granting their MA degree. 

Courses for the Advanced Certificate are available now to all Counseling@NYU students in the program — learn more about the curriculum on our snapshot webpage.

Accreditation

New York University Steinhart’s Counseling@NYU online program offers a master of arts in School Counseling and Bilingual School Counseling, Grades pre-K12. New York University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The program is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Board (MPCAC) for the period of January 2015 to January 2025. Learn more about MPCAC accreditation.

Certification

New York University’s master’s of arts in School Counseling and Bilingual School Counseling, grades pre-K–12 prepares students to work as a school counselor in elementary, middle, and high schools, and as a child advocate in community-based organizations. The online master’s in School Counseling program leads to eligibility to be recommended for New York State Initial Certification as a school counselor for grades pre-K–12. The dual master of arts in School Counseling with Advanced Certificate in School Counseling program includes completion of the course work necessary to advance your career in New York State. The designed outcome of the dual program is to prepare you to meet New York State educational requirements for Initial and Professional Certification as a school counselor. 

Students may also be eligible for certification in other states outside of New York, though these requirements may vary from state to state. We encourage each student to research and understand the specific requirements for certification for their state of residence. Resources for each state’s licensing board can be found on NYU Steinhardt’s Professional Licensure page.

Change the lives of students in need.Change the lives of students in need.Change the lives of students in need.

Earn your school counseling master’s online.Earn your school counseling master’s online.Earn your school counseling master’s online.