Educator to School Counselor Post-Master's Certification and Licensure Program

Overview of program

1. Designed for individuals with any master’s degree, with priority given to those employed full-time in a K-12 setting, who:
   1. Want to obtain school counselor licensure (7054) in the state of Wisconsin
   2. Wish to work full- or part-time in schools while completing coursework
   3. Have a background in education or a counseling-related field (such as social work, advising, psychology. etc.)
2. Delivered through a cohort model to facilitate learning within relationships and collaboration with colleagues
3. Primarily online, with a summer residency

Structure of the program

1. 25 credits in total (additional courses may be required for non-teachers)
2. Takes a minimum of one year to complete: June - May, including summer and January terms
3. Primarily asynchronous online coursework, with a few brief, in-person learning experiences:
   1. In-person five-day summer session (June 16-20, 2025) 
   2. In-person meeting over one weekend during January
   3. In-person internship experience with a weekly online classroom component - if you are currently employed at a PK-12 school, you can complete your internship experience there.
4. Flexible length - can be completed in a minimum of one year, or longer

Application Process

Start the School of Graduate Studies application.

1. Select Semester:
   1. Graduate Fall, Spring, and Summer 
   2. Then select Graduate Summer
2. Select Program: 
   1. Certificate
   2. In-person/hybrid
   3. Educator to School Counselor
3. Fill out the application:
   1. Personal Background
   2. Additional Information/Wisconsin residency
   3. Academic History (Submit transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs)
   4. Employment history
   5. Resume
   6. Background Check (required before official admission)
   7. Additional Counselor Education Materials
      • Cover Letter
      • Personal Statement  (Please detail your experiences in the field of education and/or counseling. Describe what you hope to accomplish through this certificate program).

• FAQ on Slate
• Virtual interviews will be arranged once application materials are complete.

• Admissions for the next summer's cohort are rolling until the program is filled. A limited number (capped at 12) will be admitted. School counselors working under emergency licensure are priority. Please get application materials in as soon as possible!

Financial Information

UW Whitewater's Department of Counselor Education believes in reducing barriers and increasing accessibility for anyone who has the goal to become a School Counselor. We have special grant funding available to assist applicants for our first cohort with tuition costs if needed. Please don't hesitate to ask about this.Financial information:  

1. You will be able to borrow many required textbooks for free (paid for by the grant)
2. Tuition cost for Wisconsin residents is about $560/credit plus fees (+$50/credit for virtual courses) before scholarship
3. Financial support will be provided to students who apply early (limited to 12)
   1. $1,500/semester (summer, fall, and spring)
4. Further financial assistance may be available.  Please contact Anne Garvey Shah at garveysa@uww.edu.
5. Some school districts may support some tuition costs - ask us if you need help requesting assistance from your district!
6. For specific information, please reach out to Anne Garvey Shah at garveysa@uww.edu.

Job Outlook and Salary

• Varies widely by district and experience
• Most districts, school counselors are on the same salary schedule as teachers
  • More for master’s degree plus additional credits post-master’s!
• Talk with your district contacts:
  • What counts as experience?
  • What is the starting salary?
  • How many credits post-master’s will move you up on the salary schedule?
• The job outlook is great! 
  • School counselor shortages all over the state
  • Many places will hire with emergency license

Program Sequence and Courses

Course Descriptions

Summer

• School Counseling Skills and Theories (3 credits): In-person summer intensive experience + asynchronous online work
  • This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore, define, and refine the role of helper in school counseling relationships along with the exploration of prominent counseling theories. Students engage in skills-based practice and are exposed to relevant current professional research in the field so they begin to develop their personal theories of counseling.
• Ethics and Foundations of School Counseling (3 credits): In-person summer intensive experience + asynchronous online work
  • This course provides students with an understanding of foundational principles in school counseling, including professional identity, conflict resolution, social justice, advocacy and ethics. We will examine the role of the culturally sustaining and antiracist school counselor in creating collaborative relationships with students, staff and families to impact student development and create equitable school systems. We will discuss ethical codes, theories and paradigms of ethical decision making models, as well as legal implications of ethical practice within school counseling practice.

Fall

• School Counseling Programs I (3 credits): 8-week course, online asynchronous
  • This course focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive school counseling programs focused on academic, social-emotional and career development. A systemic lens will be used to view the varying influences impacting student life and learning in PK-12 schools Students will develop data-driven interventions across multi-tiered systems of support that impact student achievement, well-being, and post-secondary access.
• Trauma Informed Practice and Crisis Management in Schools (3 credits): 8-week course, online asynchronous
  • The purpose of this course is to provide educators, professionals, and administrators in educational settings with an overview of trauma-informed practices. Students will explore the impact of childhood trauma, including neurobiological responses to trauma, and how to create environments where resilience is fostered. Students will also learn how to approach and address crises in school settings, including suicide, school violence and other disasters.
• School Counseling Internship (1-3 credits): 16 weeks in a school setting; course meets in a synchronous online format every week
  • The School Counseling Internship is an opportunity for students to apply concepts and skills in field counseling settings. Students are placed in internship settings, which are compatible with the individual student’s experiences, competencies, and career goals. Students work in K-12 educational settings under the supervision of a licensed school counselor.
    • Note: School Counselor certificate students already employed in a school district will work with the program coordinator and their employer to ensure that their clinical internship covers the school counselor license they are working toward. The program coordinator will work with students and school districts to determine if an provisional school counseling license can be obtained to complete the internship.

Winterim

• Group Intervention in Schools (2 credits): 3-week interim online plus one weekend in-person
  • A discussion-based and experiential course designed to assist students to learn concepts and skills related to working with small counseling groups. Group development and group dynamics are investigated through didactic assignments. Consideration is given to the application of group procedures in specific settings.

Spring

• Mental Health in Schools (3 credits)-8 week course, online asynchronous
  • The purpose of this course is to provide current educators, professionals, and administrators in PK-12 and higher educational and professional settings with an overview of mental health, examine how behaviors may present in schools and the community, focus on individual and systemic educational preventions and interventions, and explore policies and interventions around drug and alcohol use and other potentially harmful coping strategies.
• School Counseling Programs II (2 credits): 8-week course, online asynchronous
  • The course focuses on theories and models of career development, as well as counseling and decision-making specific to PK-16 environments. The course addresses sources of career, educational, vocational, occupational, and labor market information, technology, career information systems, assessments and techniques pertinent for career planning, placement, and follow-up, with the goal of social justice and systemic change. Students will learn about career development program planning, implementation, evaluation and theory application and skills to support students and families through educational transitions. Throughout the course, students will gain leadership and advocacy strategies to address opportunity gaps, access and barriers to special programming.
• School Counseling Internship (1-3 credits): 16 weeks in a school setting; course meets in a synchronous online format every week
  • The School Counseling Internship is an opportunity for students to apply concepts and skills in field counseling settings. Students are placed in internship settings that are compatible with the individual student’s location, experiences, competencies and career goals. Students work in K-12 educational settings under the supervision of a licensed school counselor.
    • Note: School Counselor certificate students already employed in a school district will work with the program coordinator and their employer to ensure that their clinical internship covers the school counselor license they are working toward. The program coordinator will work with students and school districts to determine if an provisional school counseling license can be obtained to complete the internship.