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University of Southern California Master of Education in School Counseling online

Study toward a master’s in school counseling (MSC) online from the USC Rossier School of Education, gain the skills you need to pursue licensure, and become an impactful K-12 school counselor. Learn to support the social, emotional, and academic development of K-12 students, uplift their well-being, and help find solutions to many of the challenges our children and their schools are facing today.

About the program

  • Earn credentials: The SC online program is an official credentialing program that prepares learners for recommendation for a Pupil Personnel Services: School Counseling (PPS-SC) Credential that is valid in California.

Holding California credentials can be a competitive factor when applying for reciprocity in another state. The MSC program is a national program, where learners prepare to meet the needs of the whole child while coordinating school counseling goals.


About the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education

For more than 100 years, the USC Rossier School of Education has been helping learners to transform into exceptional educational leaders who believe in upholding accountability and human relationships. The SC online program at USC Rossier focuses on policy, research, and practice, and on marginalized groups in urban settings. As such, learners are prepared for a wide range of educational settings, and are ready to play a critical role in ensuring that students have safe, enriching experiences inside and outside the classroom; and to meet their individual needs to prepare for college or career success. The same faculty members who teach on-campus teach online programs, allowing graduate level learners to have a wider range of programs.

Tuition and fees

Tuition and fees are subject to change and may increase each academic year. Tuition does not include student fees, technology platform licensing, or support services. Learners are also responsible for travel and accommodation costs related to any in-person immersions or residentials.

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Featured courses

The SC online curriculum provides learners with the hands-on and theoretical knowledge they need to become a school counselor. The curriculum is shaped by research in community psychology, counseling, education, philosophy, sociology, and counselor education; and modeled after the standards and professional competencies from the American School Counselor Association’s National Model for School Counseling. While earning your Master of Education in School Counseling, you will focus on:

  • College and career readiness: gain the knowledge necessary to support K-12 students, and learn to take into account socioeconomic, cultural, and emotional factors that may affect their future success.
  • Restorative justice: assist K-12 students in overcoming the obstacles they face through institutional oppression such as racism or poverty, or through personal circumstances such as domestic violence, community barriers, or mental illness.
  • Trauma-informed practice: recognize trauma and adapt your learning, interacting, and teaching to address the toll that trauma, both physical and emotional, takes on the lives of adults and children.
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Admissions

Online and on-campus learners are held to the same high regard at USC Rossier School of Education. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution, and be ready to take part in a rigorous program. To complete an application, you will need to submit:

  • Résumé or CV

  • Statement of purpose

  • Letters of recommendation

  • Official transcripts

  • Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) 

  • Short Answer Essays


Real-world training

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The USC SC online is a rigorous, hands-on, collaborative program where learners form meaningful relationships with peers and educators, building confidence along the way.

Real-world training is a crucial and necessary step in any school counselor’s education. SC online learners complete fieldwork in or near their community — in real-life situations with school administration, K-12 students, and families — and learn to apply what they’ve learned in class to real-life situations.

Over the course of the program, SC online learners also complete both a 700-hour required internship and a 100-hour practicum.

Learners become part of USC’s global alumni network, as well as receive professional support through USC Rossier.

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