College of Education

Graduate Studies

Counseling psychology and School psychology

Department of Educational Leadership & Counseling Psychology

School counselor certification program (non-degree)

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Contact information

For general information about all counseling psychology and counseling graduate programs, email gradstudies@wsu.edu or call 509-335-7016.

For specific questions about the school counselor certification (non-degree) program, contact:

Program overview

Prospective students who already hold a master’s 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 Counselor Certification (non-degree) program. The admissions committee will evaluate applicants’ previous transcripts and determine what additional competencies (e.g., coursework, internships) will be required to qualify for school counselor certification. In addition, all students will be required to complete a written comprehensive exam, as required by the state of Washington (see WAC 181-79A-221). In addition to the standard application materials (see Application Information below) applicants or admitted students may be required to submit additional materials (e.g., previous course syllabi) to assist the admissions committee in evaluating students’ existing competencies. As part of the admissions process, and prior to enrollment in the program, the admissions committee and prospective student should agree on the recommended competencies (e.g., coursework, internships, written exam) to be completed by the student to qualify for certification as a school counselor. The faculty will provide admitted students with a written list of the requirements to be completed.

The WSU School Counseling program is approved by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and accredited by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). In addition, program oversight is provided by a Professional Education Advisory Board comprised of practicing school counselors, teachers, and principals, as well as program faculty. For more information about the philosophy, content, and strengths of our school counseling program, please refer to the Master’s Degrees with emphases in school counseling or community counseling page.

Application information

The application due date is January 10 for enrollment in the following fall semester. Applicants must apply to both the WSU Graduate School and to the School Counselor Certification (non-degree) Program. Admissions review criteria include previous academic record (GPA); professional interests and goals; previous counseling, research, volunteer work, or other experiences relevant to the program; and current letters of recommendation. In general, we prefer that at least two of the letters of recommendation come from faculty in the applicant’s previous master’s program. Applicants will generally be informed about the admission decision by February 15. We appreciate receiving confirmation of admitted applicants’ decision to enroll as soon as possible.

Student funding

Admissions decisions are made independent of graduate student funding. Employment is often available on campus in offices such as financial aid, community service learning, career services, health and wellness, multicultural center, student advising and learning, office of grant and research development, and new student programs. Some funding and employment opportunities may not be available to students who are not enrolled full-time. This may impact students in the School Counselor Certification (non-degree) Program, who may not need to be enrolled full-time to meet certification requirements as delineated by the admissions committee.

Program faculty

Helpful links

College of Education, Cleveland Hall, PO Box 642114, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-2114, 509-335-1738, Contact Us