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Licensure

School Counseling

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School Counseling is an online and on-campus program.

Graduates of the Master of Arts in School Counseling are eligible to be recommended for a New York State Initial Certificate, School Counselor.  Additionally, students of the Program’s Bilingual Track will be eligible to take the Bilingual Educational Assessment, and upon graduation, will be eligible to be recommended for a New York State Bilingual Education Extension (PPS/Admin). The Master of Arts only leads to Initial Certification(s).

Graduates of the Master of Arts in School Counseling plus the Advanced Certificate in School Counseling will be recommended for both New York State Initial and Professional Certificates, School Counselor.  Additionally, students of the MA Program’s Bilingual Track will be eligible to take the Bilingual Educational Assessment, and upon graduation, will be eligible to be recommended for a New York State Initial and Professional Bilingual Education Extension (PPS/Admin).

Graduates of the Advanced Certificate will be eligible to apply for Professional Certification(s) once they have completed three years of full-time paid school counseling experience.

NYU is authorized pursuant to the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) to enroll students in online programs and to place students for learning experiences in the SARA states and territories. For further details regarding NYU's SARA membership please visit the NYU State Authorization website. SARA requires universities to disclose to applicants and students whether programs that lead to professional licensure/certification meet the education requirements for licensure/certification requirements in the student’s state.

Note, state regulations change frequently, and the information posted here may have changed at the time of your specific application to or enrollment in our program of study. Please email the Field Placement Office if you have specific questions about whether our program meets licensure or certification requirements in a specific state.

Please see the table below for license or certification eligibility by state:

U.S. State Licensure/Certification Information
State State License Contact Info Does School Counseling meet the academic requirements for professional licensure/certification in this state? Additional Information
Alabama Alabama State Department of Education Yes Additional Licensure Requirements:
Candidates may need to apply for licensure via reciprocity. Students completing a program that is not accredited by CACREP must have two years of teaching experience. NYU is accredited MPCAC.
Alaska Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Yes, with certain specifications Additional Licensure Requirements:
State requires completion of three semester hours in Alaska studies. NYU School Counseling program does not offer such a class but Alaska allows a two-year waiver to meet the course requirements.
Arizona Arizona Department of Education Yes  
Arkansas Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Yes Additional Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass the Praxis exams. Candidates will need to pursue New York certification and then seek certification through reciprocity in Arkansas. This may require extra cost.
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Yes Additional Licensing Requirement:
Candidate must pass a basic skills exam or equivalent.
Colorado Colorado Department of Education No Other Licensure Requirements:
Colorado requires CACREP programmatic accreditation for licensure. NYU is accredited by MPCAC.
Connecticut Department of Education Yes Additional Curriculum Requirement:
CT waives their required study in special education for programs like NYU's that are approved by New York State.
Other Licensing Requirements:
Candidate must have a professional educator certificate or have/is eligible for an initial educator certificate.
Delaware Delaware Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
DE requires clinical experience of 700 hours in an elementary or secondary setting or clinical experience of 350 hours at each level for dual certification. NYU can work with the student to meet this requirement. Candidates must pass Praxis exams within first two years of employment.
Florida Florida Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass state-specific exams. 
Georgia Georgia Professional Standards Commission Yes  
Hawaii Hawaii Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass Praxis exams within first four years of employment.
Idaho Idaho State Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Idaho may require candidates to apply for licensure via reciprocity if they complete a program that is not accredited by CACREP, NCATE, or CAEP. NYU is accredited by MPCAC. 
Illinois Illinois State Board of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirement:
Candidate must hold or be qualified to hold a teaching certificate, must pass the ISBE Examination for School Counseling and meet all requirements for certification. Candidates will need to pursue New York certification and then seek certification through reciprocity in Illinois. 
Indiana Indiana Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirement:
Candidates will need to take CPR and suicide-prevention training.
Iowa Iowa Department of Education Residential: Yes, with certain specifications
Online: No		 Additional Curricular Requirements:
Iowa requires a course on teaching exceptional students. Residential students may take SPCED-GE 2052 Methods of Instruction for Students with Disabilities or SPCED-GE 2124 Issues and Trends in Special Education as an elective at no additional cost or time. This course is not available to online students. 
Kansas Kansas State Department of Education Yes

Additional Licensing Requirements:

3.25 cumulative GPA; must hold a valid Kansas professional teaching certificate; have a supervised internship by enrolling in internship credits during your first year of employment as a school counselor under your conditional license. Parallel pathway program also available for those without teaching experience.
Kentucky Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board Residential MA: Yes
Online MA: No

Additional Curricular Requirements:

Our residential program meets requirements for Kentucky's 5-year provisional certification. Our online program is not approved to operate in Kentucky.
Louisiana Louisiana Department of Administration No Other Licensure Requirements:
Louisiana requires CACREP programmatic accreditation for licensure. NYU is accredited by MPCAC.
Maine Maine Department of Education Yes, with certain specifications Additional Curricular Requirements:
Maine requires a course on teaching exceptional students in the regular classroom. Residential students may take SPCED-GE 2052 Methods of Instruction for Students with Disabilities or SPCED-GE 2124 Issues and Trends in Special Education as an elective at no additional cost or time. This course is not available to online students but candidates may be able to get a conditional certificate and take the course outside of NYU after completion of the program, with additional cost.
Maryland Maryland State Department of Education Yes  
Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements: Passing scores on the Communication and Literacy Skills test.
Michigan Michigan Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Michigan requires candidates to obtain a Temporary School Counselor License to practice as a school counselor while completing Michigan testing requirements.
Minnesota Minnesota Board of Education Yes  
Mississippi Mississippi Department of Education Yes with certain specifications Other Licensure Requirements:
Passing scores on Praxis exams.
Missouri Missouri Department of Education Yes with certain specifications Other Licensure Requirements:
The candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree in education from a state-approved teacher preparation program and must pass Missouri-specific exams. Candidates may need to apply for licensure via reciprocity.
Montana Montana Office of Public Instruction Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Montana requires that candidates must be of "good moral and professional character" and that they have passing scores on Montana-specific Praxis exams.
Nebraska Nebraska Department of Education Yes Other Licensing Requirements:
The candidate must have two years of teaching experience.
The candidate must pass Praxis exams and the Content Mastery Exam for Education–Basic Skills Test (CMEEBST).
Additionally, Nebraska requires that candidates must be of “be of good moral character,” have no felony conviction or misdemeanor involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct, and have not been determined mentally incompetent.
Nevada Nevada Department of Education No Additional Curricular Requirements:
Candidates need to have 3 credits of parental involvement and family engagement, which NYU does not provide. Candidates may take this course after the program for extra cost outside of NYU.
New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Education Yes

Other Licensure Requirements:
Candidates seeking to be state certified through reciprocal agreement must verify that they have received training and experience comparable to that which they would have received if they had graduated from a NHDOE approved graduate program in school counseling. Certification through reciprocal agreement is done through a review of transcripts, curriculum vitae, and experience descriptions. Candidates seeking to be state certified school counselors must have been trained in all three grade levels in order to receive certification to work in NH public schools.
New Jersey New Jersey Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass an exam in physiology and hygiene, including the effects of narcotics and alcohol.
New Mexico New Mexico Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass the New Mexico Content Knowledge Assessment for School Counselor.
New York New York State Education Department Yes  
North Carolina North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass the Praxis exam.
North Dakota North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Yes Additional Curricular Requirements:
Students enrolling prior to September 2021 must have a supervised school-based internship of at least 450 hours, with at least 150 hours at the elementary level and at least 150 hours at the secondary level. The program can help you get this at no additional cost or time. Students enrolling in or after September 2021 will meet this internship requirement as part of the curriculum.
Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must hold a valid educator's professional license.
Ohio Ohio Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass the NTE or Praxis exam.
Candidates must exhibit good moral character.
Oklahoma Oklahoma Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass state-specific exams.
Oregon Oregon Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must apply for licensure through reciprocity.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass Praxis exams.
Rhode Island Yes Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass Praxis exam and must apply for licensure through reciprocity. The out-of-state certificate must be comparable to certification in Rhode Island.
South Carolina   Yes Additional Licensure Requirements: Candidates must pass Praxis exam.
South Dakota South Dakota Department of Education Yes Other Licensure Requirements:
Applicants must pass the 5421 Professional School Counselor state-designated test with a minimum score of 164 and complete one year of supervision by a mentor school counselor who meets the requirements (3 years as a school counselor).
Tennessee Tennessee Department of Education Yes Additional Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass the Praxis exam.
Texas Texas Education Agency Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidate must have 2 years of classroom teaching experience.
Candidate must pass the state School Counselor Exam. Candidates should apply for certification in New York State first and then apply as a certified school counselor for licensure in Texas.
Utah Utah State Board of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidates must pass the Praxis.
Candidates will need to pursue New York certification and then seek certification through reciprocity in Utah. This may require extra cost.
Vermont State of Vermont Agency of Education Yes

Additional Licensure Requirements:
Candidates must pass the Praxis.
Virginia Virginia Department of Education Yes Additional Licensure Requirement: 
Candidate must have two years of classroom teaching experience.
Washington State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Yes  
West Virginia West Virginia Department of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidate must pass the Praxis.
Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Yes  
Wyoming Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board Yes  
U.S. Territories Licensure Information
U.S. Territories State License Contact Info Does School Counseling meet the requirements for professional licensure in this state? Additional Information
American Samoa   No  
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education Yes Additional Licensing Requirements:
Candidate must pass the Praxis.
Guam   No  
Northern Mariana Islands   No  
Puerto Rico   No  
U.S. Virgin Islands   No