How to Become a Guidance Counselor in Baltimore
Guidance counselors in Baltimore must hold certification from the Maryland State Department of Education. This requirement applies to guidance counselors for kindergarten through high school. Guidance counselors in Maryland build, maintain and implement counseling programs that address students' academic and personal growth, career paths and social and emotional development. In general, elementary schools have one guidance counselor, while high schools have two to five counselors, depending on school size. As of 2011, guidance counselor salaries in Baltimore range from $43,000 to $83,000 per year.
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Instructions
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Complete a master's degree in school guidance and counseling. You must have at least a master's degree from a state-recognized college or university to work as a guidance counselor in Maryland. You can find a link to a search tool for Maryland-recognized programs in Resources. You must have already completed a bachelor's degree to be considered for admission to one of these master's programs. Schools in Baltimore offering master's programs in school guidance and counseling include Johns Hopkins University and Loyola University Maryland.
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Complete your experience requirements. You can complete this requirement in a number of ways, including working as a teacher for at least two years or working as a guidance counselor in another state. The more common route to gaining experience, though, is through a training practicum of at least 500 hours. Most Maryland-approved master's programs incorporate these practicum hours as part of their programs.
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Apply for certification with the Maryland State Department of Education. You must submit your school transcripts, proof of practicum completion and a Maryland Approved Program Statement form to the Maryland State Department of Education Certification Branch. Once you are approved for certification, the Department of Education will send you a certification package and begin a background check. Any previous felony convictions or history of substance abuse may make you ineligible for guidance counselor certification.
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Apply to Baltimore City Public Schools for guidance counselor jobs. You must apply through the Baltimore City Schools Office of Human Capital for guidance counselor jobs in Baltimore. The Office of Human Capital posts available jobs on its website, and you can submit an application even if there are no current postings for guidance counselors.
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