Counselor education
Help others grow academically and professionally
With a Masters of Arts in counselor education, you’ll be qualified to counsel individuals and groups throughout their lifespan. Become a licensed school counselor and help students develop academically, personally/socially, and in their careers. Or work towards becoming a licensed mental health professional (LPC or LPCC) and work in a community setting. Whatever you decide, a master's in counselor education leads to a fulfilling career that allows you to do well by doing good.
Careers
- Licensed K-12 school counselor
- Mental health professional in a community agency or college setting (LPC, LPCC)
Watch a replay of a recent info session
Check out this video replay or these slides from our recent info session at the Psychology Grad School Virtual Fair on October 6, 2022.
Latest news
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Dates and deadlines
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Coursework, related licensures, and annual report
Coursework
The counselor education program is a two-year, full-time program. You’ll study individual, group, and family counseling, research and evaluation, counseling theory, human growth and development, diagnostic assessment, social and cultural foundations, ethics, and career development.
Program mission statement and program objectives (on Student Site)
Area of emphasis
Your curriculum requirements will depend on the area of emphasis you choose:
- School counseling
- Clinical mental health
Emphasis specific objectives (on Student Site)
Curriculum
Practicum / internship
During your second year, you’ll spend two to three full days per week at an internship site practicing your counseling skills under the supervision of an appropriately trained counselor.
Licenses you'll prepare for
Successful completion of the counselor education MA program prepares you to pursue the following Minnesota licensures:
- Licensed School Counselor (K-12)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
Annual report
Optional: Counseling Research Practicum Sequence
- EPSY 5417: Counseling Research Practicum
- EPSY 5427: Advanced Counseling Research Practicum
The counselor education program offers students the opportunity to participate in Counseling Research Practicums. The purpose of these courses are to enable students to develop applied research expertise consistent with their responsibilities as licensed professional counselors, licensed professional clinical counselors, higher education counselors, school counselors, and professionals in other counseling-related fields. Courses in this sequence provide students who are interested in participating in a research project the opportunity to document that participation on their transcript. Class requirements are tailored to support your research participation with a research mentor and research team. Taking these classes will not require that you pay additional tuition, as it will fit into your full-time tuition band. Course credits also can be used to help you meet the 60-credit hour requirement for LPC/LPCC licensure, and will also allow you to demonstrate research competencies for admissions to doctoral programs. This course sequence is also offered to alumni and other individuals who are seeking to qualify for licensure.
Ongoing research opportunities include, but are not limited to: Pandemic-Effects on College Students, School Counselor Advocacy, LGBTQ+ Research, Autism Research, Career Development Research, Student-Led options.
Tuition
Visit the College of Education and Human Development's Finance and Funding page for information on tuition.
Funding
Scholarships
Once you enroll in the program, you will be able to apply for counselor education funding. Scholarships are competitive, and an application will be provided to enrolled students each year.
- The Sunny Hansen BORN FREE Scholarship Fund: Focus on gender and multicultural issues in career development
- Counselor Education Fund: Focus on students and special projects within the CSPP/Counselor Education Program (2022-23 research/professional development focus)
- Kay Herting Wahl Fund: focus on students planning to become licensed school counselors
- Norm Sprinthall Memorial Fellowship: focus on students planning to become licensed school counselors (preference for students in practicums/internships and who enhance diversity of the student body)
- Dirk Miller Fellowship: focus on counseling for eating disorders
- Additional College of Education and Human Development’s Tuition, Aid and Scholarships
This funding information is for students interested in applying for scholarships and funding. Visit our giving page for more information on donating to the funds.
Financial aid
- Visit the College of Education and Human Development's Finance and Funding page for more information on funding.
- Visit OneStop Student Services for more information on available financial aid.
Diversity and inclusion
The Department of Educational Psychology is deeply committed to increasing the diversity of our undergraduate and graduate programs, of our teaching and learning, of our research and clinical practice, and of our outreach and service across fields of educational psychology. Visit our diversity and inclusion page to learn more about our commitment to diversity and resources to help all students succeed.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this program was my cohort, it is very energizing to be surrounded by people who are passionate about the same thing you are.
Marin Thuen, MA '15
School Counselor, Olson Middle School
Read more about Marin's experience
Other counselor education alumni profiles
Faculty and staff
Carolyn Berger Program coordinator
caberger@umn.edu
- Postsecondary and career readiness
- Gender identity
- Accountability practices
- Best practices for designing and evaluating research-based counseling interventions
- School-based mental health
- University and school collaborations and partnerships
Seth Christman chri2031@umn.edu
- College student mental health
- LGBTQ+ experiences of trauma and resilience
- Intersectionality, anti-oppressive practices, and healing in teaching, research, and therapy
- Supervision & mentorship in counseling and psychology
Marguerite OhrtmanMA clinical training director
mohrtman@umn.edu
- Social media and anxiety with students
- Working with at-risk students and their families
- Training of school counselors
- Resiliency and impact of school counselors
- Leadership in school counseling
- School-based mental health
- University and school collaborations and partnerships
Feven Seifufseifu@umn.edu
- Existential issues (meaning of life and death in particular)
- Impacts of death awareness on a person’s life, but more specifically on goals (intrinsic versus extrinsic), values, and sense of connectedness
- Experiences of near-death survivors
Sherri Turnerturne047@umn.edu
- Methods and factors that facilitate the career development of underrepresented and urban adolescents
- Native American STEM career development
- Counseling/counseling psychology research
- Current: Pandemic-related research