University of Southern California Online M.Ed. - School Counseling (K-12)

The University of Southern California (USC) offers an online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling through the Rossier School of Education. The program prepares graduates for licensure or certification in K-12 school counseling. It focuses on student success as a whole person, including their social, emotional, and academic needs.

Graduates will be prepared to provide guidance and academic counseling in K-12 settings, evaluate and assess students, set individual goals for each student to meet their social, emotional, and academic needs, and promote access to higher education. Upon graduation, students will be recommended for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Pupil Personnel Services: School Counseling (PPS-SC) Credential.

Participants outside of California should inquire about their state requirements for licensure or certification in school counseling, which may differ from California standards. USC does not currently accept students from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, or Utah.

The online M.Ed. in School Counseling program comprises 49 credits and can be completed in as few as five semesters. Typically the degree is completed in two to three years. Both full-time and part-time options are offered. The program begins in the spring, summer, and fall, with no campus visits required.

Local field experiences are woven into the curriculum, including a 100-hour practicum of supervised counseling of children, adolescents, and families. Two 300-hour internships must also be completed in K-12 settings. The USC placement services team helps students secure local fieldwork sites.

Courses include live, face-to-face, weekly class sessions supplemented by readings, recorded videos, and interactive online lessons. Faculty create online coursework in collaboration with highly skilled instructional designers. Online students can participate in online group discussions, individual sessions with faculty, and peer group work. Organizational tools, admissions counseling, library resources, career counseling, and all regular USC resources are available to online students.

Courses include Interrogating Systems of Inequity in Professional Practice; Introduction to School Counseling; The Counseling Process; Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling; Learning and Individual Differences; Theories in Counseling; Counseling Practicum; Human Development Theory; Counseling and Collaborative Consultation in the School Setting; Group Counseling; School Connectedness, Climate, and Classroom Management; Cross-Cultural Counseling; Career and College Readiness Counseling; Research Methods and Data Analysis; Substance Abuse; Family Counseling; and Counseling Field Work I-II.

The University of Southern California is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).