Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling

Become a Social Change Agent for Ohio Students

Demand for licensed school counselors to work with K-12 students in Ohio is increasing. Young people emerged from the pandemic with greater mental health needs around risk, depression, and other issues that can impede their development. John Carroll University’s Master’s in Education Degree (M.Ed.) in School Counseling program provides the needed skills, expertise, and hands-on experience to help students with their academic, personal, and career development. Upon completion of the program, candidates are license-eligible as school counselors in the State of Ohio.

Learn Essential Counseling Skills

Through the program counseling students develop important skills including paraphrasing, reflecting, and summarizing, and apply evidence-based techniques from multiple counseling theories.

Convenient Class Schedules

Classes meet late afternoon and evenings and feature small class sizes, to accommodate counseling student schedules and provide an optimal classroom learning experience. As students progress through the program and spend more time in their practicum and internship placements, classes move to either hybrid or online formats.

Learn at Your Own Pace

Program courses are offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms to facilitate quickly moving through the program. Students may also enroll part-time and take up to five years to complete the program.

Gain Experience in the Field

Through three semesters of field placement—practicum (one semester) and internship (two semesters)— students gain firsthand experience working in and navigating a school environment and learn valuable classroom management skills.

Successful completion of an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution.
This program has no set submission deadline. Applications are considered on a rolling basis upon completion. Admission decisions will be made based on space in the program.
No GRE Required

Free Application
Official Transcript(s)
2 Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
Interview
Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Photograph
No GRE Required

The M.Ed. in School Counseling is offered by the Department of Counseling in the College of Arts and Sciences. Tuition is charged at the College of Arts and Sciences rate
Degree-seeking students eligible for federal student loans. For information about the loan process, contact Student Enrollment and Financial Services at (216) 397-4248.
A limited number of graduate assistantships provide a tuition waiver for up to 15 credit hours per year plus a stipend. Students are expected to spend 20 hours per week working for the department.

The Department of Counseling offer's a post-master's option to allow individuals to seek their school counseling license. Individuals who are eligible for this licensure-seeking program must already hold a degree in a related field (e.g., counseling or education). The number of credits required to complete this post-master's option varies depending on the courses completed by an applicant in their previous graduate program.

To find more information about this, please review our JCU Graduate Bulletin page for this program here. Any questions about this program can be directed to the Department of Counseling or the JCU Graduate School.

More Counselors Are Needed

While the American School Counselor Association recommends schools maintain a ratio of 250 students per school counselor, the current average ratio is 464-1.

A Bright Outlook for Job Growth

Between 2020 and 2030, there are projected to be 100,000+ job openings nationwide for mental health counselors.

Earning Potential of $75k

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical mental health counselors in the Cleveland, OH area with at least 5 years experience can earn more than $75,000.

Why John Carroll for School Counseling?

The M.Ed. in School Counseling program consists of 60 hours of coursework that can be completed in as little as two and a half years. It features a core sequence of courses that cover human growth and development, tests & measurement, counseling theory, and diversity issues in counseling. The program also includes 9 hours of field experience that encompass both a practicum and internship.

View program Courses »

John Carroll’s M.Ed. in School Counseling degree program is accredited by the following agencies:

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE): Initial and Advanced programs
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Ohio Department of Education

John Carroll University is a private, Jesuit Catholic University located in Cleveland with a long tradition of training exceptional educators. JCU proudly welcomes students of all backgrounds.

BEST REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES MIDWEST RANKINGS

#2 U.S. News and World Report

BEST COLLEGE VALUE

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

“Students who complete this program, including the internship, are frequently amazed by how much they’ve grown, both as professionals and as people.”

—Andrew Intagliata, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counseling

JCU offers an affordable tuition rate competitive with other Northeast Ohio institutions. Tuition scholarships and a limited number of graduate assistantships that provide a partial tuition waiver are also available.

More information regarding the total cost of attendance can be found here.

Curriculum Highlights

CG5562 Counseling Techniques and Practice

Emphasizes the application of the theoretical principles involved in individual counseling, skill-building, and interviewing.

CG5535 Group Procedures

Explores career development throughout the life span and individual career decision-making theories.

CG5563 Diversity Issues in Counseling

Studies sociological, historical, philosophical, and psychological scholarship about the many cultures, races, ethnic groups, and other minority groups that constitute American society.

Pursue Your Counseling Career Goals

As you train to become a school counselor, in addition to providing critical support to students, you’ll also be encouraged to build community partnerships, address opportunity gaps faced by students, and learn data-driven program evaluation.

In addition to drawing on their experience and expertise, program faculty take the time to get to know students as individuals. Small class sizes also encourage the extraordinary mentoring for which John Carroll is known.

Program faculty have established relationships with various schools across Northeast Ohio. Plus, the opportunity to learn alongside other area educators an active network of alumni at 60 local schools provides a strong pathway to employment.

JCU M. Ed. in School Counseling alumni can be found working across Northeast Ohio and beyond, including for the following employers:

Aurora City School District
Avon Local School District
Benedictine High School
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Constellation Schools LLC
Elyria Catholic High School
Fairview Park City Schools
Gilmour Academy
Kenston Local Schools
Keystone Local School District
Mayfield City Schools
North Ridgeville City Schools
University School
Walsh Jesuit High School
Warrensville Heights City Schools
West Geauga Local Schools
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

Notable Alum

Cherelle Simmons, MEd School Counseling ‘24

"I can only look back on my time at JCU and feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the people that welcomed me into the community. Due to the fair size of class attendance, I was fortunate enough to meet a great group of students in my School Counseling program that have helped me push through and will graduate with. This program has allowed me to confront my implicit biases and reevaluate my outlook on life. I have learned to challenge ideas with curiosity instead of confrontation, which molds me to be more empathic to those around me. I am confident in my experience, development and success from the School Counseling program. My time here at JCU has bloomed a version of me that I cannot wait to introduce to my future students."

Your Inspired Future with the JCU Graduate School