College Course Requirements for a Guidance Counselor

Guidance counselors help students achieve their goals.

Guidance counselors work in elementary schools, secondary schools and colleges to help students maximize their academic, social and emotional potential. They use tools like standardized tests, counseling and activity observation to determine how the child's need can best be met. They then collaborate with teachers, school administrators, students and parents to institute a plan of action. Guidance counselors must complete a plethora of college courses to fulfill state certification requirements.

Bachelor's Degree

State boards of education typically require guidance counselors to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or state-approved college or university. According to Education-Portal.com, acceptable majors include secondary school counseling, education, family therapy, career counseling or college student affairs. Regardless of chosen major, student's coursework should include counseling and development, multi-cultural counseling, psychopathology and developmental issues, applied school counseling, group interaction theory and process, psychological assessment and principles of community counseling and consultation.

Student Teaching/ Teacher Education Program

Several states require guidance counselors to have a valid teaching certificate. Students qualify for teacher certification either by majoring in education as an undergraduate and completing the student-teaching component of their curriculum or earning a bachelor's degree in another subject and completing a year-long joint master's degree/ teacher education program that combines classroom education with teaching experience. For example, the 11-month teacher education program at Harvard University requires students complete coursework in adolescent development in urban settings, issues of urban schooling, introductory teaching techniques, special education, racial issues in urban classrooms and various electives. Students are then required to apply their own education to real life experience through teaching at schools in urban districts.

Master's Degree

Several states also require guidance counselors have a master's degree in counseling or a related area. According to the American School Counselor Association, most public school systems and state board of education require guidance counselor applicants to have taken one or more of the following advanced degree courses: human growth and development, theories, individual counseling, group counseling, social and cultural foundations, testing/ appraisal, research and program evaluation, professional orientation and career development. Applicants are also required to have completed a supervised internship and clinical practice.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors
• Education Portal: School Guidance Counselor
• Harvard Graduate School of Education: Curriculum
• American School Counselor Association: State Certification Requirements