Counseling psychology and school psychology
Department of Educational Leadership & Counseling Psychology
Overview of programs
The counseling psychology program offers a Ph.D., available at the Pullman campus; and masters degrees (both master of arts and master of education), available at the Pullman and Tri-Cities campuses.
For general information about all counseling psychology and counseling graduate programs, email gradstudies@wsu.edu or call (509) 335-7016 or (509) 335-9195.
Ph.D. program in counseling psychology
This program prepares students for careers in counseling, teaching, research, and other professional roles as counseling psychologists. For example, graduates obtain positions in university counseling centers, academic faculty in counseling psychology departments, private or group practice in psychology, or other mental health settings as therapists. Graduates of the program are license-eligible in most states. The Ph.D. program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1990.
Masters programs with emphases in school and community counseling
Masters degrees in counseling focus on one of two professional options: (1) school counseling, which prepares students for residency certification as K-12 school counselors, and (2) community counseling, which, in combination with the fulfillment of additional post-degree requirements, prepares students for licensure as a mental health counselor. Students in either program can pursue either the master of education degree (Ed.M.) or the master of arts (M.A.) degree. The Ed.M. degree is generally pursued by graduate students who intend to work in a K-12 educational or community/agency setting. The M.A. degree, which requires a thesis, can be helpful for students who plan to subsequently apply for doctoral programs or who have a strong interest in conducting research, although Ed.M graduates also apply for and enter doctoral programs.
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Learn more about our Master's
degree programs
in School counseling and Community counseling » - School counselor peer review course »
School counselor certification program
(non-degree)
Prospective students who already hold a masters degree in counseling from WSU or another accredited institution, and who seek residency certification in the state of Washington as a school counselor, can apply for our school counseling certification (non-degree) program. This program is distinct from our masters degree program in school counseling, which also leads to certification as a school counselor in Washington (see masters programs, above).
