A Master of Science Degree in Clinical School Counseling will professionally develop school counselors and prepare individuals seeking certification for School Counseling in Texas. The 60-credit master’s degree must be completed at the graduate level. The master’s degree requires an internship in lieu of a thesis. The internship should be the last enrollment in the master’s program. The University of North Texas at Dallas is an approved school counseling certification program of the Texas Education Agency. The Counseling programs at UNT Dallas are nationally accredited by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).

In addition to completing the course work, candidates must pass the TExES School Counselor exam to become certified school counselors in Texas.

For details on requirements to become a Certified School Counselor in Texas, visit the Texas Education Agency website at https://tea.texas.gov/academics/college-career-and-military-prep/school-counseling.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Samuel Bore, Email: Samuel.Bore@untdallas.edu

TEA School Counseling Program Objectives

Graduate coursework requirements leading to school counseling certification are established by the State Board for Education Certification and addressed in Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §239.15. Thus, the specific Student Learning Outcomes are:

  • Understand professional issues such as history theories, practices of school counseling, learner developmental characteristics and needs, legal and ethical standards, and school counselor role and responsibilities.

  • Demonstrate skills to promote the educational, personal, social, and career development of the learner.

  • Understand the processes that address the development, monitoring, and evaluation of a developmental school guidance and counseling program that promotes learners’ knowledge, skills, motivation, and personal growth.

  • Support equity and excellence in the promotion of academic success for all learners by acknowledging, respecting, and responding to diversity while building on similarities.

  • Communicate through the demonstration of effective professional and interpersonal exchanges in the advocacy of all students in the school.

  • Participate in professional development through a commitment to learn, improve the profession, and model professional ethics and personal integrity.