There are seven school counseling graduate programs in Connecticut offered by public and private institutions. Five of these programs are on campus and two are online with low-residency requirements.
Public state schools, such as Southern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University offer lower tuition than private counterparts. Fairfield University and the University of Saint Joseph are Catholic schools for those seeking a faith-based education. Each provides relevant coursework and varying degrees of opportunity to work with faculty on research projects. Six out of the seven programs are CACREP-accredited. Keep reading to learn more about the programs available and to find the best fit for you.
Connecticut School Counseling Programs Quick Facts
- Number of School Counseling Programs in Connecticut: 7
- CACREP-Accredited School Counseling Programs: 6
- Hybrid or Online School Counseling Programs in Connecticut: 2
- Tuition Cost Range: $26,148 – $65,040
- Average Cost of Tuition: $47,029
Central Connecticut State University
- New Britain, CT
- 60-63 credits
- Campus
Program:
Master of Science in Counselor Education
City: New Britain, CT
Modality: On campus
Length: 60-63 credit hours
Tuition: $7,281 tuition and fees for a full-time in-state students, $43,686 estimated total program cost
Program Overview:
The M.S. in Counselor Education with a concentration in school counseling prepares practitioners to work with students across their education. Students learn how to provide intervention, plan school-wide programs, work with multi-disciplinary teams, and be change agents in schools. Students attend full or part-time and classes are offered on a flexible schedule. In addition to coursework, students complete a 100 hour practicum and 700 hour internship.
Why We Like This Program:
- Students have access to a state-of-the-art clinical laboratory.
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
- Students can complete this program on a full-time or part-time schedule.
Additional Considerations:
- This program’s graduation rate data is presented in a confusing manner, which makes it difficult to know how many students graduated according to schedule.
- The full-time program is designed to be completed in three years.
Fairfield University
- Fairfield, CT
- 60 credits
- Campus
Program:
Master of Arts in School Counseling
City: Fairfield, CT
Modality: On campus
Length: 60 credit hours
Tuition: $925 per credit hour, $55,500 estimated total program cost.
Program Overview:
The M.A. in school counseling trains counselors for the K-12 setting. In addition to coursework and field experience, students have access to the Counselor Education Lab and Training Center on the university campus. This state-of-the-art facility includes classrooms, an observation room, and six rooms that are designed for practice and feedback. Students can take coursework full or part-time.
Why We Like This Program:
- Fairfield University is a Catholic university based in the Jesuit tradition, which may be a good fit for students seeking a faith-based education.
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
Additional Considerations:
- This program requires either the Praxis Core exam or the GRE.
- This program is designed to be completed in 36 months.
Southern Connecticut State University
- New Haven, CT
- 60 credits
- Campus
Program:
Master of Science in School Counseling
City: New Haven, CT
Modality: On campus
Length: 60 credit hours
Tuition: $4,358 per term for full-time, in-state students, $26,148 estimated total program cosy
Program Overview:
The M.S. in school counseling trains counselors to work in K-12 settings, aligned with the American School Counselor Association and Connecticut Comprehensive School Counseling Framework. Students are trained in individual and group counseling, collaboration and consultation with teachers and parents, and implementing comprehensive school programs. In addition to coursework, students complete a practicum and internship.
Why We Like This Program:
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
- Students can study full or part-time.
Additional Considerations:
- Applicants must supply either GRE or Praxis Core exam scores if their SAT or ACT scores are from more than five years ago.
- The application deadline is January 15th. This program starts in the fall semester.
University of Connecticut
- Storrs, CT
- 60 credits
- Campus
Program:
Master of Arts in Educational Psychology, School Counseling
City: Storrs, CT
Modality: On campus
Length: 60 credit hours
Tuition: $1,084 per credit hour, $65,040 estimated total program cost
Program Overview:
The M.A. in Educational Psychology, School Counseling focuses on providing support to students from underrepresented populations. The program uses the American School Counseling Association’s National Model for School Counselors. Students complete a 700 hour practicum and 10-month (190 day) internship in an urban public school.
Why We Like This Program:
- Students begin their practicum in a school setting in their second semester, which gives them hands-on learning experience earlier than most comparable programs.
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
- Students can complete this program on either a full-time or part-time basis.
Additional Considerations:
- At $1,084 per credit hour, this is the most expensive school counseling master’s program in Connecticut.
- While there are some hybrid and online course offerings, this program is mostly conducted in person.
- Students take both the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) and National Counselor Examination (NCE) as part of this program.
University of St. Joseph
- West Hartford, CT
- 60 credits
- Campus
Program:
Master of Arts in School Counseling
City: West Hartford, CT
Modality: On campus
Length: 60 credit hours
Tuition: $978 per credit hour, $58,680 estimated total program cost
Program Overview:
The M.A. in school counseling uses a cohort format. Students can complete the coursework full or part-time. Students learn through lecture, interactive problem-based learning, project work, and discussion. The program focus is on preparing practitioners who can provide relationship-based and student-focused education and counseling services in diverse settings. Students are also prepared to engage in social justice advocacy and to be change agents in their schools.
Why We Like This Program:
- There is an active chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society for counseling students, on campus.
- The GRE is not required.
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
Additional Considerations:
- Per the program website: “If a student does not hold a Connecticut teaching certificate and has at minimum 30 months of classroom teaching experience, he/she must complete a 10-month full-time residency in place of the internship.”
- At $978 per credit hour, this program has a high tuition cost.
Online School Counseling Masters Programs In Connecticut
There are a total of two online school counseling masters programs in Connecticut. An online program provides flexibility and allows some students to complete counseling coursework while completing the internship in their local community. Both online programs do have a residency requirement for labs or clinical experiences.
Sacred Heart University
- Fairfield, CT
- 60 credits
- Online + Campus
Program:
Master of Arts in School Counseling
City: Fairfield, CT
Modality: Online with on campus requirement
Length: 60 credit horus
Tuition: $900 per credit hour, $54,000 estimated total program cost
Program Overview:
The M.A. in school counseling provides coursework and field experiences to prepare students to work in K-12 settings. Coursework is provided synchronously and asynchronously online. Students also complete fieldwork requirements. Students may apply to the Bachelor’s-Master’s of Arts in School Counseling as freshmen and are admitted into the graduate program at the same time as their undergraduate program. Students complete the B.A. in four years and the M. A. in an additional two years of study.
Why We Like This Program:
- Students complete two week-long on campus residency experiences in Fairfield, CT. Otherwise, the program is held online.
- The GRE is not required.
Additional Considerations:
- Despite a lot of language on the program website about CACREP standards, this program is not yet CACREP-accredited. It is, however, actively working towards this.
- This program does not meet the requirements for school counseling certification in several states and therefore, Sacred Heart University does not admit students from those states for the school counseling master’s degree.
Western Connecticut State University
- Danbury, CT
- 60 credits
- Online + Campus
Program:
Master of Science in School Counseling
City: Danbury, CT
Modality: Online with on campus requirement once per month
Length: 60 credit hours
Tuition: $4,358 per term for students who live in the region, $26,148 estimated total program cost
Program Overview:
The M.S. in school counseling is designed to be completed in three years through part-time study in evening classes. Courses are online and synchronous. There is an on-campus requirement for clinical skills labs on Saturday per month. The program applies the American School Counselor Association Model and CT Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Framework.
Why We Like This Program:
- Students learn in a cohort model in which they progress through their coursework with the same group of classmates.
- This program is CACREP-accredited.
- New York State accepts this program for school counselor certification, although additional field work may be required.
Additional Considerations:
- Applications are accepted once per year on January 10th.
- Students typically take two classes per semester, which is a part-time schedule. There is not a clear path to progress through the program faster.
CACREP-accredited School Counseling Masters Programs In Connecticut
Currently, there are six CACREP-accredited school counseling masters program in Connecticut:
- Central Connecticut State University,
- Fairfield University,
- Southern Connecticut State University,
- University of Connecticut,
- University of St. Joseph, and
- Western Connecticut State University.
No GRE Required School Counseling Masters Programs In Connecticut
None of the school counseling programs in Connecticut require applicants to submit their GRE scores (as long as they have passed other exams recently, such as the Praxis Core, SAT, or ACT). Each program has their own admissions requirements, so be sure to check the requirements well in advance of application deadlines.
Connecticut’ Most Affordable School Counseling Masters Programs
The full cost of a graduate degree will depend on many factors, including the number of credit hours taken each term, housing, and more. Western Connecticut State University and Southern Connecticut State University provide master’s coursework at $4,358 per term. And, Fairfield University, University of Saint Joseph, and Sacred Heart University all provide progrms for less than $1,000 per credit hour.
Accelerated School Counseling Masters Programs In Connecticut
All the programs in Connecticut take two to three years to complete and require 60 credit hours. For students who are entering undergraduate coursework, the Sacred Heart M.A. in School Counseling can be completed in two years, rather than three, because students enter during their undergraduate coursework.
School Counseling in Connecticut
Connecticut is a small state in the northeast. There are more than 513,000 students in 1,103 public schools. Many of the students attend schools in urban centers, including Bridgeport, Stamford, and New Haven.
Average salary for a school counselor in Connecticut is $65,615. This salary ranges depending on the city; reported salaries in New Haven are higher ($124,377) while salaries in Harford are lower ($59,591). Connecticut is a smaller state, but its location in the northeast, near New York, provide more diversity and mid-sized cities.
School Counselor Certification in Connecticut
The Department of Education supervises certification requirements for school counselors (licensure 068). In order to become a school counselor in Connecticut, each practitioner must:
- Earn a master’s degree,
- Receive a recommendation from their institution stating that they completed 30 semester hours of graduate credit in school counseling services, with coursework in the areas of:
- Principles and philosophy of developmental guidance and counseling
- Psychological and sociological theory as related to children
- Career development theory and practice
- Individual and group counseling procedures
- Organizational patterns and relationships of pupil personnel services to total school program and community
- Pupil appraisal and evaluation techniques
- School-based consultation theory and practice
- Obtain a professional educator certificate,
- Complete a school counseling internship,
- Provide evidence of supervised lab and practicum experiences, and
- Special education coursework.
FAQs
How much does a school counselor make in Connecticut?
Average salary for a school counselor in Connecticut is $65,615. This salary ranges depending on the city; reported salaries in New Haven are higher ($124,377) while salaries in Harford are lower ($59,591). Connecticut is a smaller state, but its location in the northeast, near New York, provide more diversity and mid-sized cities.
How does someone become a school counselor in Connecticut?
To become a school counselor in Connecticut, one must complete an approved master’s program and obtain school counseling certification through the Connecticut Department of Education. Those who hold a valid certificate from another state can also transfer their certificate to Connecticut through their reciprocity policy. Certain states are prioritized with “enhanced reciprocity” which provides a faster path to certification in Connecticut.
How long does it take to become a school counselor in Connecticut?
Most masters programs in school counseling are completed within two to three years.
