Two teachers working with students at a table in a classroom.

Counselor Education: M.Ed. - Master of Education

The M.Ed. in Counselor Education program prepares you to become a school counselor in the K-12 setting. Graduates are leaders, advocates, collaborators, and systematic change agents in schools.

At a Glance

Program Results

M.Ed. - Master of Education

Counselor Education

Career Outcomes

School Counselor

Program Type

  • Full Time

Location

  • In-Person

Estimated Length

2 years

Application Deadline

Apply by January 5 each year for fall start

Credits

61

About This Program

Program Mission

Our vision is to train the next generation of justice-oriented school counseling leaders and system disruptors. We hope to do this through our mission to develop justice-oriented, culturally responsive school counselors who can lead, advocate, and dismantle systems of oppression while addressing the mental health, academic, and post-secondary needs of preK-12 students.

  • The M.Ed. in Counselor Education degree prepares you to become a counselor in both public and private schools with the support of a diverse and accomplished faculty. 
  • This CACREP-accredited program teaches you how to become a leader, an advocate, a collaborator and a change agent – with an emphasis on promoting equity, access, and justice as a K-12 school counselor. 
  • With teamwork built into the curriculum you will get the opportunity to collaborate with your classmates in a supportive and close-knit environment. Plus, student diversity in Charlottesville and the surrounding school systems grants excellent internship learning opportunities in both urban, suburban, and rural settings. 
  • In response to the growing mental health needs of K-12 students, the M.Ed. in Counselor Education program at UVA is thrilled to announce the launch of the School Mental Health Leadership (SMHL) Track. See Program Overview below for full description of SMHL track (limited grant funding is available to some students enrolled in this track). 

The M.Ed. in Counselor Education program aims to prepare:

  1. Graduates who can demonstrate professional, personal, and cultural self-awareness and knowledge about how it influences their service delivery; 
  2. Graduates who have developed the skills to lead and advocate for systemic change, including addressing barriers to students’ academic success and social/emotional development;
  3. Graduates who respond to school and students’ mental health and educational needs with developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive counseling skills and interventions;
  4. Graduates who can design, implement and evaluate components of a comprehensive school counseling program;
  5. Graduates who promote equitable student achievement, college access, and career readiness; and
  6. Graduates who apply and adhere to ethical and legal standards in working with students and all other educational stakeholders.

Program Overview

This CACREP-accredited program teaches you how to become a leader, an advocate, a collaborator and a change agent – with an emphasis on promoting equity, access, and justice as a K-12 school counselor. 

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements that apply specifically to this program are listed below:

Applicants will be notified if they have been selected for an interview with the program. Interviews take place the first week of February and are in-person.

If I had a different major than psychology (and related fields), can I still apply to the counseling program? 
Yes, you may apply if your undergraduate degree is in a field other than psychology. Your personal goal statement should reflect your career or goal shift and include a brief explanation for your change of direction. 

Visit our Graduate Admission page for the full admission process.

Graduate Admission

Application for admission is made to the School of Education and Human Development Office of Admission & Enrollment. For more information about the graduate admission process, please visit our Graduate Admission page.

School Mental Health Leadership (SMHL) Emphasis

In an effort to respond to the growing mental health needs of K-12 youth, the Counselor Education program at UVA created a pathway for graduate students to meet all course requirements for the Virginia Department of Education school counseling licensure and the Virginia Board of Counseling licensed professional counselor (LPC) process.

Students who choose the SMHL emphasis will take the following additional courses to meet the LPC course requirements in Virginia:

  • EDHS 7680 Psychopathology
  • EDHS 8730 Family Theory and Therapy

In addition, limited grant funding is available to some students enrolled in the SMHL emphasis. Grant-funded students will be required to complete all SMHL coursework along with additional field experiences, trainings, and activities. Funding application materials will available upon program admittance and acceptance. If you have additional questions, please contact the program director.

Coursework

To learn more about specific courses taken as part of the completion of this degree, visit the Graduate Record website. These webpages represent the official repository for academic program requirements.

All master's degree students in counseling are required to take 34 credit hours of core courses in the eight foundational areas as specified by CACREP. In addition to the core courses, students that matriculated into the program prior to Fall 2024 must take 24 credit hours of courses specific to their area of specialization (e.g. School Counseling), and student matriculating in Fall 2024 or later must take must take 27 credit hours of courses specific to their area of specialization (e.g. School Counseling). In addition, students complete a 100-hour school-based practicum and a 600-hour internship placement. Practica and internships are complemented by course seminars that allow for group supervision and case discussions. Students take a comprehensive examination near the end of their program of study.

Transferring Credits:
You can transfer up to 6 credits of graduate-level courses taken at another university. The courses must be equivalent to courses offered in our program. Your faculty advisor reviews the syllabus and transcript to decide whether a course is equivalent. Course credits may be considered for transfer that are (1) credits from a recognized graduate school completed within the preceding five years, (2) of at least B grade, and (3) directly related to the student’s graduate program and approved by the student’s advisor. Practice-based courses such as Essential Counseling Skills, Practicum and Internship cannot be transferred.

Counselor Education Coursework

Information on courses that are part of the M.Ed. in Counselor Education curriculum can be found on the UVA Graduate Record website.

Accreditation, Associations & Additional Program Details

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

The counselor education program area at the School of Education and Human Development is CACPREP accredited. All master's degree students in counseling are required to take 34 credit hours of core courses in the eight foundational areas specified by CACREP. In addition to the core courses, students must take 24 credit hours of courses specific to their area of specialization (e.g. school sounseling).

The University of Virginia counselor education program, school counseling specialty area is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through October 31, 2027. The program will comply with CACREP’s policy and standards in order to maintain this accreditation status through that date. Any substantive changes will be made known publicly and reported directly to CACREP.

Full accreditation documentation including information on student outcomes, program modifications, and annual reports can be found on the CACREP Annual Reporting Measures page of the school's Office of Assessment.

Professional associations are vital to the productive professional life of counselors. Faculty members expect students to join appropriate associations. Membership dues are usually less for students, and members receive professional newsletters, journals, announcements of professional activities, updates about federal legislation and policies that have an impact on counseling services and on professional counselors, and opportunities to network. In addition, members are offered professional liability insurance at reduced rates.

Application forms for the American Counseling Association (ACA) are available through ACA. ACA also has a number of divisions that focus on specialty areas (e.g., counselor education and supervision, group counseling, mental health, school, assessment, creativity in counseling, and spirituality). You may access information about ACA and its divisions at: http://www.counseling.org. You may also contact ACA at 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304-3300; or 1-800-347-6647.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) supports school counselors’ efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they achieve success in school and are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. ASCA provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to more than 27,000 professional school counselors around the globe. http://www.schoolcounselor.org/

The Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) is a state branch of the ACA. Similarly, the Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA) is a state branch of the ASCA. These are excellent ways to learn more about our profession and to become involved in issues and activities that can influence the delivery of counseling services in Virginia. You can learn more at www.vcacounselors.org and www.vsca.org.

Other professional associations:

In 2024, the UVA School of Education & Human Development is ranked #8 for best graduate schools of education in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

The school also ranked #13 in student counseling for graduate schools of education.

M.Ed. in Counselor Education News

Program Faculty

Blaire E Cholewa

Blaire E. Cholewa

  • Associate Professor
Amanda G Flora

Amanda G. Flora

  • Associate Professor
Natoya Hill Haskins

Natoya Hill Haskins

  • Associate Professor
  • Counselor Education Program Co-Director
Elisabeth A. Pleszkoch

Elisabeth A. Pleszkoch

  • Assistant Professor
Julia Taylor

Julia Taylor

  • Associate Professor
Antoinette Thomas

Antoinette R. Thomas

  • Professor of Education
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • Counselor Education Program Co-Director
Derick J. Williams

Derick J. Williams

  • Associate Professor of Education

Contact Us

Disclosures

As a member of the State Authorizations Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the University of Virginia (UVA) is authorized to provide curriculum in a distance learning environment to students located in all states in the United States except for California. (34 CFR 668.43(a)(6)& 34 CFR 668.72(n)). Although California does not participate in SARA, it allows students to enroll in out-of-state programs.

Upon completion of the M.Ed. in Counselor Education program at the UVA School of Education and Human Development, graduates may be eligible for initial professional licensure in another U.S. state by applying to the licensing board or agency in that state. Please visit the University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by this program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))

Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).