M.S. in Counseling
National Louis University's Master of Science in Counseling degree program is designed for students who are interested in working as a school counselor or community counselor.
Consider getting your Master's in Counseling at NLU if you:
- Are interested in working in a school setting or pursuing your Type 73 School Service Personnel Certificate
- Want to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in a community agency setting
- Are interested in working with diverse populations
- Want to learn from faculty that have both academic and professional counseling experience
- Would like to have a group of fellow students with whom you can build relationships during your course of study
- Are looking for a program that’s accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Why an NLU Master's in Counseling Degree
Since 1886, National Louis University has been preparing students for success in serving the needs of others. NLU provides a foundation for those who desire to contribute to the needs of their local and global communities through personal attention and coursework that’s both practical and proven. Today, with its founders' community activism at its roots, NLU continues to carry out this legacy by educating students to help individuals and groups through counseling. Both community and school options in the Master's in Counseling degree program are CACREP accredited.
A Convenient, Supportive Environment
NLU recognizes many students are balancing work and family while in school, so courses are scheduled to accommodate those important commitments. Graduate classes meet just one day or evening per week, making obtaining a counseling graduate degree even easier. Plus, counseling degree program students who begin the program together remain together throughout the course of study. This group offers a network of support and camaraderie from day one until graduation and beyond.
What You Will Learn with a Master's in Counseling Degree
- The many facets of being a professional counselor, including the importance of advocating for clients, and adhering to ethical and legal guidelines
- A breadth of different counseling theories and skills including technological competencies
- An appreciation of and opportunities to deepen self-awareness
- How to understand people from a developmental perspective with consideration for client context, culture and diversity
In this program, students also complete 600 hours of internship work and 100 hours of practicum that provides opportunities to apply classroom-based knowledge in a real-world setting.
Career Outlook
Employment of counselors is expected to grow by 18 percent between 2008 and 2018—faster than the average for all other occupations. Numerous job openings will occur as many counselors retire or leave the profession, and more individuals are willing to seek help. School counselors will see an expansion of their responsibilities, including preventive counseling and crisis management, that will also likely to lead to increases in their employment opportunities. Mental health counselors will also see an expanded job market as insurance companies increasingly approve reimbursement to counselors as a less costly alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists.[1]
Professional Licensure
Completion of the Master of Science program fulfills the educational requirements to be eligible to sit for the National Counselor Examination for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) license. It also fulfills the educational requirements along with two or more years of full-time supervised work experience in a clinical setting to apply to take the upper-level examination for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) license. To qualify for the LCPC license, you must have two years' work experience (3360 hours) in addition to a master's in school counseling.
Prepare for the TAP with an NLU Workshop
The ILTS Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) is one of the most important tests on the road to becoming a school or community counselor. NLU offers a series of TAP workshops in critical content areas. All workshops are FREE to NLU applicants and students and open to everyone else for a fee.* Get fully prepared for the TAP and register for a workshop today!
Admission Requirements
All Master's in Counseling applicants must meet NLU’s general admission requirements. Refer to the appropriate application checklist available online at www.nl.edu/applyonline.
In addition to NLU standard admission requirements, students enrolling for a Master's in School Counseling are required to satisfy the following additional steps:
- All School Counseling applicants must pass the Test of Academic Proficiency* (scores may not be older than 5 years)
- School Counseling: non-teachers are required to pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (scores may not be older than 5 years) as well as complete three education courses in order to sit for Type 73 certification
- Submit three official sealed letters of recommendation
- Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal scores
- Faculty interview (once application file is complete)
- Must be fully admitted 6-8 weeks prior to start date (depending on term)
- Submit a human Service essay
- Written statement of academic and professional goals
*You must be an applicant or student at the time of registration for the workshops to be free. If you pay for a workshop and become an applicant afterward, we can’t provide a refund.
