Walden University · School of Counseling, College of Social and Behavioral Health

MS in School Counseling

Awarded degree: Master of Science in School Counseling

School Counseling

Master'sMS CACREP Fully online coursework

Overview

Online 90-quarter-credit MS in School Counseling with two pre-practicum labs (virtual or face-to-face synchronous sessions), a group lab, a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship; approved by Minnesota and Ohio.

Official program name: MS in School Counseling
Awarded degree: Master of Science in School Counseling
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Degree level: Master's
Counseling specialty: School Counseling
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Professional purpose: School counselor preparationThe institution states the program prepares students for school counselor certification or licensure, which state education agencies grant. It is not clinical counselor licensure.
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: Walden University — School of Counseling, College of Social and Behavioral Health
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Minneapolis, MNWhere the school is located. Coursework is online; this is not a residency requirement, does not decide whether you may enroll from your state, and is not where you complete practicum or internship.
Required credits: 90 total quarter credits for general program (100-105 with optional specialization)
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duration: up to 33 months; Accelerated track 27 months (three courses per quarter) (General track; accelerated track with three courses per quarter)
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Teaching language: English (not separately stated)

General Program or optional specializations (10-15 credits).

Why this program is listed

Online master's degree in school counseling.

Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list counseling bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees whose official program is counselor preparation in a named specialty, and — separately labelled — counseling psychology. Generic psychology, education, social work and standalone MFT degrees are excluded. Eligibility rules

Format and campus attendance

How coursework is delivered and whether you must come to campus for it. Practicum and internship are a separate requirement, shown in the next section. “Fully online coursework” appears only when the school says no campus attendance is required.

Academic delivery: Fully online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Practicum and internship are completed in person at approved sites, and some programs also require campus residencies.
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus attendance for coursework: No required campus attendance for coursework (stated)
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Class schedule: Mixed (live + self-paced)
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published

Campus requirements as published

Intensive Optional
Two pre-practicum labs, each 6 weeks online with 3 days of face-to-face or virtual synchronous sessions
Two
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Practicum, internship and placements

Supervised fieldwork in a clinical, community or school setting, as the school publishes it. For online programs this happens in person, usually near where you live — whatever the coursework format.

Practicum: Required100 hours. 100-hour practicum
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Internship: Required600 hours. 600-hour internship
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Placement arrangements and supervision

Placement location: Where states require field experience across P-12, students locate sites at the required grade levels
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

How practicum and internship placements work

Curriculum

Accelerated options

Optional Accelerated track allows completion in 27 months
Source: academics.waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Prior degree: RequiredBachelor's degree or higher
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Not requiredNo application fee
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredCompleted online application and transcripts
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Not required
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All students — Tuition per quarter hour	$550	per creditEstimated tuition$49,500 = 90 credits × $550 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required in-person sessions, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
All students — Total before scholarship, General Program	$54,435 – $54,635	entire programIncludes feesSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Estimated total tuition: $49,500 (90 credits × $550 per credit)

Comparison basis: All students — Tuition per quarter hour, academic year not stated. Excludes mandatory fees, books, living costs and any rate changes during the program. How we calculate

Other published fees

Program fee: $185 per termMandatory
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Pre-practicum lab fee, two in program (virtual $1,450 / in-person $1,550 each): $1,450 per courseMandatory
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

Funding policy and awards exactly as the school publishes them. Competitive scholarships and assistantships are not guaranteed funding; loans must be repaid and are not scholarships. Counseling tuition and scholarships

Funding classification: Funding not verified

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable.

Believe & Achieve Scholarship ScholarshipCompetitive
-$7,700 (shown in tuition estimate)
Eligibility: Progress-based; for those who apply and qualify
Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Accreditation and enrollment restrictions

Institutional accreditation covers the whole school; programmatic accreditation (CACREP) covers only the specialty and degree it lists. Enrollment restrictions for online students are a separate question.

Institutional accreditation

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 12, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)Status: Accredited · Specialty: School Counseling · Degree: M.S.Accredited since July 5, 2015 · current cycle ends October 31, 2033 · listed by the accreditor as onlineSource: cacrep.org · verified October 11, 2026

Published enrollment restrictions (state authorization)

Relocating to another state may affect enrollment and licensure Official pageSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
State-by-state authorization disclosures; relocation may affect enrollment and licensure Official pageSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

International applicants

Not verified for this program.

Licensure and professional disclosures

What the school publishes about professional licensure or certification. Meeting a state's educational requirements is only one part of licensure: examinations, post-degree supervised experience, background checks and a board application follow. This directory does not decide whether you qualify.

School counselor certificationDesigned to prepare graduates to practice as a licensed school counselor in many states Official disclosureSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School counselor certificationProgram approved by Minnesota and Ohio; some states require a teaching license/experience or a license-in-hand pathway Official disclosureSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School counselor certificationSome states require an existing teaching license and teaching experience Official disclosureSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
LicensureProfessional licensure disclosure chart by state Official disclosureSource: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

State-by-state disclosure as published

States not shown were not printed on the disclosure we checked and are not verified.

State	Educational requirements	Source
Alabama	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, or Class A Professional Leadership Certificate, or Class A Professional Educator Certif)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Alaska	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Special Services Certificate (Type C) or Provisional Type C Special Services Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
American Samoa	School has not determinedProgram Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Undetermined (Unknown)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Arizona	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor, PreK-12)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Arkansas	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counseling Endorsement)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
California	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification-Early Childhood to Young Adulthood Schoo)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Colorado	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Initial Special Services License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Connecticut	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (A professional educator certificate, or (holds or is eligible for) an initial educator certificate and 30 school months of successful teaching experie)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Delaware	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Elementary School Counselor Standard Certificate or a Secondary School Counselor Standard Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Florida	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Certificate for out of state teachers and administrators Professional Florida Educator's Certificate for graduates of a teacher education)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Georgia	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Standard Professional Certificate in School Counseling)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Guam	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Initial School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Hawaii	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (NASDTEC Stage 3 License (Standard License))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Idaho	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Pupil Service Staff Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Illinois	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Educator License (PEL) School Support Personnel Endorsement)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Indiana	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Services License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Iowa	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Initial Professional Service License Professional Service License Applicants for an Iowa school counselor license, who do not have two (2) years of su)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Kansas	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor License (Initial License))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Kentucky	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Provisional Certificate for School Counselor P-12)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Louisiana	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Ancillary Teaching Certification)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Maine	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional School Counselor Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Maryland	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Massachusetts	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Support Personnel, School Counselor - Initial)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Michigan	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minnesota	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor License - Tier 2 School Counselor License - Tier 3 School Counselor License - Tier 4)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Mississippi	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Instructional Support Personnel License - School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Missouri	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Montana	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Class 6 School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Nebraska	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor Endorsement)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Nevada	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Hampshire	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Educational Specialist - School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Jersey	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Educational Services Certificate w/ School Counselor Endorsement - Standard Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Mexico	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor Pre K-12 License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New York	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor - Initial Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
North Carolina	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Educator License - School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
North Dakota	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor (SC03))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Northern Mariana Islands	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Basic I Basic II Standard Professional)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Ohio	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Pupil Services License / School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Oklahoma	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Traditional School Counselor Certification Alternative School Counselor Certification)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Oregon	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Preliminary School Counselor Professional School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Pennsylvania	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Elementary and Secondary School Counselor (PK-12)/Educational Specialist)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Puerto Rico	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Guidance Counselor (PK-12)* *Must first be licensed in Puerto Rico as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Rhode Island	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Support Professional-School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
South Carolina	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor/Guidance - Elementary (Cert. 86) or Secondary (Cert. 89))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
South Dakota	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor Education Specialist Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Tennessee	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Services Personnel License - School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Texas	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Student Services Certificate-School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
U.S. Virgin Islands	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Guidance Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Utah	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Educator License - School Counseling)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Vermont	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor Endorsement (64))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Virginia	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Counselor preK-12)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Washington	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Educational Staff Associate, School Counselor Certification (First Tier))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Washington, DC	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (School Service Provider (SSP))	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
West Virginia	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Professional Student Support Certificate)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Wisconsin	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Pupil Services License)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Wyoming	Meets (as stated by the school)Program Meets Minimum Educational Pre-Requisites: Yes (Standard Educator License with a Professional Services Endorsement for School Counselor)	Source: waldenu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

CACREP accreditation does not guarantee licensure in every state, and school counselor certification is not the same as clinical counselor licensure. LPC, LMHC and other state titles · School counselor credentials

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.

academics.waldenu.edu/catalog/social-behavioral-health/master-science/marriage-couple-family-counsel — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
academics.waldenu.edu/catalog/social-behavioral-health/master-science/school-counseling — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026
CACREP Directory of accredited programs (CSV export downloaded 2026-10-11) — Accreditor directory, verified October 11, 2026
waldenu.edu/about/accreditation/state-authorization-and-program-licensure — Official disclosure page, verified October 12, 2026
waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/ms-in-school-counseling — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/ms-in-school-counseling/ms-in-school-counseling-licensure — Official disclosure page, verified October 12, 2026
waldenu.edu/professional-licensure-disclosure — Official disclosure page, verified October 12, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Key facts

Degree
MS · Master'sSchool counselor preparation
Specialty
School Counseling
CACREP
Accredited (matched in the CACREP directory)
Delivery
Fully online coursework · Mixed (live + self-paced)
Campus attendance
No campus visits (stated)
Practical training
Fully online coursework; local practicum and internship required100 practicum + 600 internship hours
Study intensity
Study intensity not published
Length
up to 33 months; Accelerated track 27 months (three courses per quarter) (General track; accelerated track with three courses per quarter) · 90 total quarter credits for general program (100-105 with optional specialization)
Tuition
$550 per creditAll students — Tuition per quarter hour
Next deadline
No upcoming verified date
Location
Minneapolis, MN

The school publishes enrollment restrictions for online students. Check your state before applying. Details

Official program page

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CounselingSchools.net is independent and not affiliated with Walden University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs, deadlines and licensure eligibility with the school and your state board.