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Online Master’s in School Counseling

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Overview

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You want more than a degree or job title. You want to serve the unique needs of the most vulnerable: children and their families. Find your path at Wake Forest. With our online master’s degree in school counseling, you can blend your love for children with the clinical skills to effectively counsel them — and improve their quality of life.
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Spring

Application Deadline:
November 1, 2025

Upcoming Start Date:
January 12, 2026

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Summer

Application Deadline:
March 1, 2026

Upcoming Start Date:
May 11, 2026

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Why Choose Wake Forest for Your Master’s in School Counseling Online?

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The Wake Forest master’s in school counseling is well-respected around the world.
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CACREP accreditation
Prepare for K-12 schools with our CACREP-accredited online school counseling program.
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Personal touch
Our resources include 24/7 technical support and tutoring services.
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Highly regarded faculty
Learn from nationally renowned counseling thought leaders.
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Professional application
Find and secure an internship with our network of industry partners.
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Exceptional preparation
Wake Forest graduates have an average pass rate of over 90% on the National Counselor Exam
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The average pass rate for Wake Forest MAC graduates on the National Counseling Examination exceeds 90%.
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Children Need Compassionate Advocates. Start Here.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 45% of school counselors are employed in elementary, middle or high schools — and demand is increasing. Openings for K-12 school and career counselors are projected to grow by 4% from 2023 to 2033, creating more than 16,000 new jobs.
Our online school counseling master’s program can prepare you to work in collaboration with the educators, supporters and family members of children to foster their academic success and well-being.
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Program Details

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What Can I Learn in the Online School Counseling Master’s Program?

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The 60-credit-hour online master’s in school counseling degree offers clinical instruction through practicum and internship experiences, as well as advanced therapeutic techniques across eight areas:

  • Human growth and development
  • Social and cultural foundations
  • Helping relationships
  • Group work
  • Career and lifestyle development
  • Appraisal
  • Research and program evaluation
  • Professional orientation
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“It’s an authentic program that is committed to helping us understand ourselves and human nature. Through the process of learning with our cohort and faculty, it creates a place of intellectual stimulation that will be greatly beneficial to us when we become counselors in the real world with real people.”
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– Lisa Rainwater, Wake Forest online master’s of counseling student
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Careers

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Top 5 Rewarding Jobs for Master’s in School Counseling Graduates

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Our master’s in school counseling online program has connected graduates with broad career opportunities in a variety of settings.
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School Counselor
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Help children and teens cope with social, familial and academic pressures, providing support and encouragement that can lead to a healthier and more fulfilling adult life.
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Career Counselor
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Help students and professionals create career plans and identify helpful resources for professional growth.
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Clinical Social Worker
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Work to help individuals cope with the daily struggles of life by diagnosing and treating mental, emotional and behavioral health issues.
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Community and Social Service Manager
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Lead the activities division of a social service organization by developing outreach policies in regular collaboration with social workers, counselors or probation officers.
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Social and Human Service Assistant
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Provide support for families in a variety of applications, such as psychological, social and community services, with a goal to resolve problems and increase quality of life.
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Wake Forest MAC students have worked in more than 60 different community agencies, mental facilities and schools.
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What Does a School Counselor Do?

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School counseling is a specialized field within the broader realm of counseling that focuses on the unique needs and challenges students face in educational settings. It encompasses providing academic, career, personal and social support to help students achieve their fullest potential.

School counselors can use their platform and abilities to enlighten, inspire, mentor, guide and empower students to learn life skills that are instrumental to their personal, social, academic and professional success. Counselors provide guidance and support to help foster students’ social and emotional growth and better prepare them for success in the classroom and in other aspects of their lives.

Typical responsibilities of a school counselor can include the following:

  • Identifying factors that can affect a student’s academic performance
  • Assisting in the psychological, academic, and social growth of students
  • Mediating conflicts among all stakeholders in the school community
  • Helping students overcome social or behavior challenges
  • Collaborating with students, parents, educators and administrators
  • Organizing and overseeing various school initiatives
  • Administering aptitude tests to help identify students’ abilities and interests
  • Reporting cases of possible neglect or abuse and referring students and parents to resources for additional support

Studies indicate that a significant percentage of successful students credit their achievements to the guidance and encouragement received from their school counselors. We dive deeper into the topic in this article, “What Is a School Counselor“.

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How Can Wake Forest Prepare You for Your School Counseling Career?

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The Wake Forest Master of Arts in Counseling program comprises 60 credit hours and is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Our innovative curriculum offers clinical instruction through practicum and internship experiences that give you the opportunity for hands-on training and exposure to real-world counseling scenarios. We also provide training in eight areas:

  • Human growth and development
  • Social and cultural foundations
  • Helping relationships
  • Group work
  • Career and lifestyle development
  • Appraisal
  • Research and program evaluation
  • Professional orientation

Our graduates have a 90% pass rate on the National Counselor Examination, so when you earn your Wake Forest degree, you can feel confident that you are ready to take the next step in your career.

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School Counselor Job Outlook

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The demand for qualified school counselors is rising as awareness grows regarding the importance of mental health and emotional well-being in educational settings. Your online master’s in counseling can prepare you for a rewarding career in a field that’s expected to see significant growth in the coming years.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts 5% growth in the number of school and career counselors and advisors between 2022 and 2032, which is nearly twice than the average growth projected for all occupations. The median career advisor and school counselor salary was $61,710 as of May 2023, though those in the top 10 percent of earners had salaries exceeding $100,000.*

Key factors contributing to the projected growth include rising student enrollment in K-12 schools, as well as greater demand for career counseling at the college level as universities open an increasing number of career centers.

*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “School and Career Counselors and Advisors”

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You Can Make a Difference

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Pursuing a master’s in school counseling opens doors to a fulfilling career dedicated to making a difference in students’ lives. With increasing demand, diverse career opportunities and the chance to make a positive impact on future generations, the path to becoming a school counselor can be worthwhile and rewarding on many levels.

According to the American School Counselor Association, a growing body of research indicates comprehensive, data-driven school counseling programs improve a range of student learning and behavioral outcomes. Greater access to school counselors and comprehensive school counseling programs, particularly for schools in lower-income areas, can lead to benefits including the following*:

  • Higher likelihood of succeeding academically and behaviorally in school
  • Better attendance outcomes
  • Stronger sense of connection to school
  • Reduced racial disparities in proportions of students taking Advanced Placement courses
  • Reduced achievement gap with Latina/Latino students with limited English proficiency
  • Critical support and resources for the career development needs of immigrant students

These are just a few ways school counselors can change lives and make a profound impact on the students with whom they work.

*American School Counselor Association, “Empirical Research Studies Supporting the Value of School Counseling”

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Curriculum

Wake Forest students are known for having extraordinary pass rates on exams and going on to hold meaningful, respected human services positions across the globe. Graduates of the program also have a history of high acceptance rates in reputable doctoral programs. This success can be attributed to the dedicated faculty; the motivated, hardworking students; and the challenging curriculum at Wake Forest.
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Online Master of Counseling

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(60 credit hours)

The MAC program provides knowledge in eight areas: human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, helping relationships, group work, career and lifestyle development, appraisal, research and program evaluation, and professional orientation. The program also offers clinical instruction with practicum and internship experiences.

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Foundation Courses

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12 Credit Hours | 4 Courses

Both Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling students will take these courses.

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CNS 721 Research and Statistical Analysis in Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course will provide you with an overview of statistics and research in counseling. It will combine reading of the required text, journal articles and other selected publications, lectures, discussion, small group activities and student presentations to help students learn and assimilate the key statistics and research principles necessary to successfully complete the master’s in counseling program and practice as a professional clinical mental health or school counselor.
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CNS 740 Professional Orientation to Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course is an introduction to the profession of counseling. It covers the history of counseling, as well as the roles counselors play in today’s society. It examines counseling associations and specialization areas within counseling. Professional issues such as licensure and certification of counselors are explored, too. Public policy, advocacy and other contemporary factors that impact the present and future of counseling are looked at in context and developmentally.

While the focus of the course is on introducing the counseling profession, we know that some of you are planning on the field of human services. The ties to that field will be less explicit, but you will be able to see the progression of helping services that will readily apply to human services.

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CNS 741 Theories and Models of Counseling / 3 Credits
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Study of theories and approaches to professional counseling: psychoanalytic (Freud, Adler, Jung), person-centered (Rogers), existential (May, Frankl), behavioral (Skinner, Glasser), cognitive/rational (Beck, Ellis), systemic, postmodern. Professional orientation, issues, ethics, cultural pluralism, research, and trends in counseling.
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CNS 748 Life Span Development: Implications for Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course provides an examination of major theories of human development, including those from physical, psychological, cognitive, social and moral perspectives. Development is viewed across the human lifespan in each of these areas. The course is designed to encourage an integrated concept of these theoretical perspectives, which serves as a developmental framework for the counseling process.
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Core Courses

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18 Credit Hours | 6 Courses

Both Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling students will take these courses.

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CNS 737 Basic Counseling Skills and Techniques / 3 Credits
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The overarching objective of this course is to help you develop the counseling skills necessary to create and maintain therapeutic relationships with clients. To that end, you will be provided opportunities to learn how to utilize effectively the following basic counseling skills: mirroring, non-verbal minimal encouragers, verbal minimal encouragers, invitational skills, open questions, closed questions, reflection of content (also called paraphrasing), reflection of feeling, reflection of meaning and confrontation. As you learn how and when to utilize these skills, you will enhance your ability to develop rapport with clients, listen actively, express empathy and motivate clients to make positive changes.
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CNS 739 Advanced Counseling Skills and Crisis Management / 3 Credits
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This course focuses on expanding the development of your counseling skills (as begun in CNS 737), with a particular emphasis on the knowledge, skills and awareness needed to work effectively with clients who may be in crisis. To better assist your clients in the future, this course will also place a high priority on each student’s ability to develop a greater sense of self-awareness and introspection. As a central element of counseling and specifically crisis intervention is sitting with, holding and tolerating intense emotional experiences, this course will enhance your own ability to experience, and assist others in experiencing, a full range of human emotions.
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CNS 742 Group Procedures in Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course is intended for students admitted to the graduate program in the Department of Counseling. It is designed to develop a basic familiarity with the theories, procedures and techniques used in the four main types of groups defined by the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW): psychoeducational, task/work, counseling, and psychotherapy. It should provide the learner with an understanding of group processes and dynamics from both an experiential and a didactic perspective. Ethical guidelines for group practice will be emphasized, as well as exemplary practices for leading a group. Research on groups and multicultural considerations in groups will also be covered, along with developmental issues across the lifespan that pertain to groups.
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CNS 743 Career Development and Counseling / 3 Credits
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The purpose of this course is to introduce students to career development theories, career counseling processes and techniques, career assessment tools, career development program planning and sources of occupational information. Emphasis is placed on empirically based career development theories, theoretically based counseling interventions, and current issues in the world of work and vocational counseling.
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CNS 747 Cultures and Counseling / 3 Credits
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The course examines the influence of culture in human development and in counseling relationships. The areas of awareness, knowledge and skills in the context of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity will be explored in-depth.
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CNS 773 Family Counseling / 3 Credits
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This is a professional counseling course that surveys the field of marriage, couple and family counseling. By completing this course, students should become knowledgeable about the history, theories and practices of marriage, couple and family counseling. Ethical, legal and other professional issues related to marriage, couple and family counseling (e.g., identification and affiliation) will be covered, too.
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School Counseling Concentration Coursework

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School Counseling: Beginning Practice Courses

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8 Credit Hours | 3 Courses
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CNS 738a School Counseling Practicum / 3 Credits
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The Counseling Practicum is a pre-internship experience designed to help students further develop their individual counseling and group work skills under careful supervision. The Practicum includes a minimum of 185 total hours, with at least 150 hours of field experience in a community/mental health or school setting plus at least 35 hours of individual/triadic and group supervision by University faculty. The 185 hours break down as follows:

150 hours of work in a school or community setting over a period of one semester (an average of 12-15 hours per week for 14 weeks). These hours should include the following activities:

  • A minimum of 50 hours of direct client contact.
  • A minimum of 7 hours of supervision by the site supervisor, conducted weekly, across the semester. (Approximately 30 minutes per week).

35 hours of university supervision, which includes:

  • 14 hours of individual or paired supervision by a university supervisor
  • 21 hours of group supervision (1 1/2 hours per week) by a university supervisor
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CNS 749 School Guidance and Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course is designed to introduce students to the philosophy of a comprehensive, developmental K-12 school-counseling program and to the ASCA national model for school counseling programs. Students will be expected to demonstrate the professional knowledge, skills and practices necessary to promote the academic, career and personal/social development of all K-12 students. The emphasis will be on school counseling programs as critical components of the education enterprise, the planning and management of such a program, and the skills of school counselors.
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CNS 786 Consultation and Technology in Counseling / 2 Credits
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This course will provide you with an overview of consultation and collaboration theory and process. Students will gain a foundation for facilitating change in human systems, as well as consultation with families, schools, colleges and community agencies. This course will utilize reading from the required textbook, journal articles and other selected publications, lectures, discussion and various activities to help students learn and apply the basics of consultation and collaboration to professional practice.
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School Counseling: Advanced Practice Courses

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22 Credit Hours | 8 Courses
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CNS 736 Appraisal Procedures for Counselors / 3 Credits
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In this course, we will study the selection, use and interpretation of tests in counseling as an adjunct to clinical impressions. More specifically, our focus will be on the appraisal, assessment and diagnosis of personality, emotional, intellectual and learning characteristics and disorders of clients in schools, colleges and community human service agencies. As part of your studies, you will gain a better understanding of psychometrics, norming practices, cultural considerations and ethical practice as these all relate to appraisal.
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CNS 744a School Counseling Internship I / 3 Credits
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Internship is a highly individualized learning experience that provides opportunities for growth in skills, knowledge and professional development. In internship, you will have opportunities to practice school counseling. Internship supervision meetings will be related to the needs, abilities and concerns of the group members and supervisor. Activities will be designed to facilitate growth in specific counseling skills, case conceptualization skills, application of school counseling job responsibilities, self-awareness and professional identity development.

You will take two counseling internship courses (CNS 744 and 745) that together total a minimum of 600 hours of experience in a school site and 42 hours of group supervision with your colleagues and a university supervisor. Internships are completed following the successful completion of the Counseling Practicum. Each semester’s experience includes the following:

  • 300 hours of work in a school setting over a period of one semester (an average of 21 hours per week for 14 weeks) and should include:
    • 120 hours of direct service with clients and
    • 14 hours of individual supervision by the site supervisor and
    • 21 hours of group supervision (1 ½ hours/week) by program faculty with other students
  • 321 hours minimum

Work in schools as an intern counselor and satisfactorily complete the following requirements:

  1. Complete 300 hours internship per semester (600/year) with 120 direct service clock hours each semester (24/year)
  2. Participate in all activities as requested by your site supervisor in a timely, complete manner
  3. Become familiar with and follow all state/county/school policies
  4. Maintain current professional liability insurance. Have documentation on file with the Wake counseling department.
  5. Adhere to ethical standards as outlined by the American Counseling Association and the American School Counseling Association. Read with your on-site supervisor and sign the ethical standards guidelines; submit the copy with all signatures to your program faculty.
  6. Obtain supervision from site supervisor and/or university supervisor immediately if you become aware of any information that would cause you to be concerned for anyone’s safety. Inform both supervisors without delay.
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CNS 745a School Counseling Internship II / 3 Credits
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Internship is a highly individualized learning experience that provides opportunities for growth in skills, knowledge and professional development. In internship, you will have opportunities to practice school counseling. Internship supervision meetings will be related to the needs, abilities and concerns of the group members and supervisor. Activities will be designed to facilitate growth in specific counseling skills, case conceptualization skills, application of school counseling job responsibilities, self-awareness and professional identity development.

You will take two counseling internship courses (CNS 744 and 745) that together total a minimum of 600 hours of experience in a school site and 42 hours of group supervision with your colleagues and a university supervisor. Internships are completed following the successful completion of the Counseling Practicum. Each semester’s experience includes the following:

  • 300 hours of work in a school setting over a period of one semester (an average of 21 hours per week for 14 weeks) and should include:
    • 120 hours of direct service with clients and
    • 14 hours of individual supervision by the site supervisor and
    • 21 hours of group supervision (1 ½ hours/week) by program faculty with other students
  • 321 hours minimum

Work in schools as an intern counselor and satisfactorily complete the following requirements:

  1. Complete 300 hours internship per semester (600/year) with 120 direct service clock hours each semester (24/year)
  2. Participate in all activities as requested by your site supervisor in a timely, complete manner
  3. Become familiar with and follow all state/county/school policies
  4. Maintain current professional liability insurance. Have documentation on file with the Wake counseling department.
  5. Adhere to ethical standards as outlined by the American Counseling Association and the American School Counseling Association. Read with your on-site supervisor and sign the ethical standards guidelines; submit the copy with all signatures to your program faculty.
  6. Obtain supervision from site supervisor and/or university supervisor immediately if you become aware of any information that would cause you to be concerned for anyone’s safety. Inform both supervisors without delay.
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CNS 746 Counseling Children / 3 Credits
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This course explores theory, techniques and issues to provide specialized knowledge and skills training in counseling children and adolescents. Students will learn to assess behavior and incorporate developmentally, ethnically, legally, and gender appropriate strategies and techniques to meet the needs of counseling children and adolescents. Students will examine various theoretical, behavioral, and play therapy techniques for counseling children and adolescents.
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CNS 760 Issues in School Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course is designed to allow students to investigate current issues related to the practice of school counseling. The emphasis will be on identifying appropriate prevention responses to these issues.

Upon completion of this course, student will have the knowledge and skills outlined in the CACREP School Counseling standards. The lettering and numbers in the tentative schedule refer to specific guidelines from CACREP.

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CNS 765 Addiction Counseling / 3 Credits
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This course is an entry level introduction to substance abuse counseling, based on theory, research and application. Thus, it is structured to provide the student with a broad array of information drawn from theoretical formulations, research findings and practical/clinical application. The goal for this class is to facilitate your learning by introducing you to such concepts as pharmacological issues and terminology, models of addiction, theories on etiology, diagnosis and assessment, and numerous evidence-based treatment strategies.

The emphasis of the course will also be on clinical application, exploring interventions such as motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, developmental models of addiction, experiential activities, family-based interventions and 12-step self-help groups. Clinical application will be taught via small lecture, case studies, video and role play. Usually, for any given topic, conceptual and theoretical information will be presented first, followed by application via case studies, video and triadic practice. I encourage students to be actively engaged in the learning process, and participation in mutual help groups, triads, abstinence contracts, video analysis, etc. is expected.

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CNS 780 Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues in Counseling / 2 Credits
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This course highlights pertinent topics in the law and ethics related to the practice of counseling. You will be introduced to an overview and relevant guidelines in these areas. Hopefully your study will inspire you to take an active role in developing and monitoring your competence as a counselor, and demystify some of the legal and ethical issues that can feel most intimidating to counselors. The overarching goal is to help you to be a knowledgeable, careful counselor who always protects the clients or students with whom you work. In this course you will continue to build upon and grapple with some of the issues that you have learned about regarding competent, ethical and legal practice in your previous coursework.

You will have the opportunity to examine client rights and responsibilities as well as your role and duties in that area. We will explore a variety of topics including but not limited to: professional boundaries, record-keeping and documentation, confidentiality and its limits, responding to subpoenas, malpractice and negligence, informed consent and counselor competence.

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CNS 790 Professional Identity Capstone Course / 2 Credits
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CNS 790 is a review and application of counseling skills, settings, practice parameters and other current issues necessary to integrate students into the profession of counseling. P-CNS 744
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Transfer Credits

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Students can transfer up to six credits, subject to approval by department faculty. Evaluations are completed upon acceptance into the program by the Wake Forest University Office of Admissions. Additionally, students must submit a syllabus for the course(s) they want to transfer in. Official transcripts are required prior to registration. Courses can be submitted for transfer credit consideration only if the student received a grade of B or higher.

Please be aware that taking fewer than 4.5 hours in a semester (which is what happens when you receive transfer credit for one of the scheduled courses) may lower your eligibility for financial aid.

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Admission Requirements

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To qualify for the Master of Arts in Counseling program, applicants must meet the following Wake Forest University graduate admissions qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Cumulative undergraduate grade point average: GPA > 3.0
  • A current resume or CV
  • Personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Application fee of $80
  • Virtual Interview with enrollment advisor
  • Background check
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Disability Policy and Procedures

Wake Forest will consider the application of any qualified student regardless of disability on the basis of the selection criteria established by the university, which include personal and academic merit. In addition, the university endeavors to provide facilities which are in compliance with all laws and regulations regarding access for individuals with disabilities.

Accommodations in compliance with all laws and regulations are provided for students with disabilities through the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS).

Additionally, documentation of a disability and a request for accommodations can be sent to:

Learning Assistance Center & Disability Services.
Wake Forest University
P.O. Box 7283
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
Ph. 336-758-5929
Fax. 336-758-1991

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Learn from a Nationally Recognized Faculty of Thought Leaders

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Wake Forest counseling professors have a passion to serve humanity that goes beyond the curriculum they teach. In fact, some of these renowned thought leaders are the authors of the standard academic texts used by most school counseling graduate programs across the nation.
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Tuition and Fees*

For the online graduate counseling programs in the 2024-2025 academic year, the tuition rate will be $1,700 per credit hour, for a total tuition of $102,000 (60 credits x $1,700) for the Master of Arts in Counseling program. Tuition increases are typically between 3% and 6%.

To confirm enrollment to Wake Forest University’s Online Counseling program, admitted students must pay a deposit of $250. All admission deposits are nonrefundable and must be submitted when the student accepts their offer of admission in their admissions portal. The applicable deposit is credited to the student’s charges for the semester for which the student has been accepted.

For more information about how to pay for your degree, please visit here.

*Costs are subject to change.

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