Become a School Counselor
Careers in School Counseling
School counselors, also known as guidance counselors, address students’ academic, personal/social and career development needs by developing a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student success. School counselors work in elementary, middle, and high schools and in district supervisory positions.
How to Become a School Counselor in Oregon
There are three paths available at George Fox to move you toward an initial Oregon school counselor license:
- Track I: Master’s Degree in School Counseling available to individuals with two or more years of documented experience as a licensed Oregon teacher.
- Track II: Master’s Degree in School Counseling available to individuals without two or more years of licensed teaching experience. Included with Track II is a six-credit sequence that includes a 200-hour teaching practicum.
- Licensure Only: Certificate in School Counseling available to individuals with a master’s degree in a mental health profession.
The master’s degree program is generally two to four years in length with 57 semester hours of course work (63 for Track II students) required as a minimum for graduation. The Initial School Counseling Licensure Preparation Program is generally two years in length with 32 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. All classes are held at our Portland Center location.
Other graduate education programs are offered within the George Fox University School of Education.
Best Routes to Master of Arts in School Counseling
Employment Outlook
Graduates of the program can expect favorable job prospects, according to US News & World Report, which ranked school counseling #11 on its "Best Social Services Jobs" list. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of nearly 8 percent for this occupation by 2024.
School Counselor Professional Identity
In a faculty lecture titled "Superheroes, School Counselors, Professional Identity, & Getting the Job Done," Dr. Lorraine DeKruyf, PhD, explores what happens when training and professional identity are at odds with job assignments – for superheroes and for school counselors – and offers suggestions as to what might be done.
