School Counseling Master of Science

The School Counseling MS degree requires at least 60 semester hours, including completion of all MS requirements and a passing score on the comprehensive examination (written, oral or both) administered during student enrollment in internship COUN 5720 or COUN 5721.  School counseling is set up in a cohort model with all courses planned by the program coordinator.  Students must earn grades of A or B on all degree plan course work. Students must file a degree plan during their first term/semester of graduate study. The school counseling master’s degree program requires off-site practicum (COUN 5690) and internships (COUN 5720 & COUN 5721) in lieu of a thesis. Placement for the practicum and internship sites are selected in cooperation with the supervisor/program coordinator and must be approved by the program. 

The K-12 school counseling track meets the educational requirements for certification as a public-school counselor in Texas. In addition, for the School Counseling Certification, the State of Texas requires a passing grade on the TExES Counselor Exam. This program also meets the educational requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas.   

All program areas are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Summer courses held at the Denton campus. Fall and Spring courses held at the Frisco campus.

Thank you for your interest in the UNT Counseling Program.  Our CACREP accredited Program has consistently ranked #1 in Texas and has frequently ranked among the top 20 Counseling programs in the nation.  Based on that standing, the program has highly competitive entrance requirements. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade-point average (overall OR for the last sixty hours) of a 3.0 on a four-point scale.  Counseling courses at both the Master’s and Doctoral level require in-person attendance.   

 

Apply to the University of North Texas 

To allow for Transcript Processing time, applicants are strongly encouraged to initiate this process at least one month before the Program Application Deadline.  Waiting to submit transcripts too close to the deadline could result in the application missing the deadline and not being considered for admission. For more information on the application process, please visit  Graduate Admissions | University of North Texas (unt.edu) . For any enrollment-related questions, please visit https://scrappysays.unt.edu/s/ for assistance. 

 Program Application Deadline 

March 15- for admission to the Frisco Cohort starting in the Summer Semester 

 

Apply with the UNT GradCAS (Centralized Application System).   Go to the Graduate Admissions Webpage for links, instructions, and guidance.   Graduate Admissions | University of North Texas (unt.edu)    You will submit program related material listed below through the GradCAS portal. 

 

Three Reference Evaluations. These should be completed by current or recent professor(s), employer(s), colleagues, or other individuals who are professionally acquainted with your work. 

• When completing the Online Application, please have the names and email addresses of the three references available before starting the application.  

A one-page typewritten writing sample addressing the following: 

1. Your aspirations related to the field of counseling; 
2. One or more significant life events that contributed to the development of these aspirations; 
3. The single greatest personal asset that will serve you in realizing your aspirations; 
4. The one personal characteristic or quality that you most need to modify, improve, or change in order to realize these aspirations; 
5. Activities demonstrating your commitment to the field of counseling; 
6. Evidence if you have fluency in both English and another language; and 
7. (optional) Any other information that you think would be helpful in evaluating your potential for success in the program and as a counselor. 

• You may change the line spacing, margins, and font but do not exceed one page. 

• Writing samples that exceed one page will not be considered. 

INTERVIEW 

Applicants invited to the interview are required to attend a group interview held a couple weeks after the application deadline on the Frisco Campus. You must contact the Counseling Program Main Office upon receiving the invitation and confirm your intention to attend. Persons needing ADA assistance should so indicate at that time. 

Following the interview, you will receive notification granting or denying provisional admission to the Graduate Program in Counseling. Students granted provisional admission will receive additional guidance for completing a background check and first semester registration.

CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK 

Individuals granted provisional admission must complete a Criminal History Background Check.  Information on background checks will be provided in your provisional admissions notification.  Provisional admission is pending until receipt of a satisfactory background check.

Required courses

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• COUN 5290 - Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• COUN 5460 - Program Development, Leadership and Ethics in School Counseling
• COUN 5470 - Career Development and Information Resources
• COUN 5480 - Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Counseling
• COUN 5610 - Addiction Counseling
• COUN 5660 - Advanced Counseling Skills
• COUN 5670 - Developmental Processes and Strategies
• COUN 5680 - Essential Skills in Counseling
• COUN 5690 - Practicum in Counseling
• COUN 5710 - Counseling Theories
• COUN 5720 - Internship in Counseling I
• COUN 5721 - Internship in Counseling II
• COUN 5740 - Group Counseling Theories and Procedures
• COUN 5760 - Appraisal in Child and Adolescent Counseling
• COUN 5770 - Professional School Counseling
• COUN 5790 - Counseling Culturally Diverse Clients
• EPSY 5050 - Foundations of Educational Research Methodology
• COUN 5200 – Counseling Adolescents
• COUN 5640 – Play-based Group and Family Counseling
• COUN 5700- Introduction to Play Therapy

 

• COUN 5490 – Abnormal Behavior: Effects on Trauma, and Crisis Intervention**

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** COUN 5490 will not be on the degree plan and is not required to graduate.  However, if students wish to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) they must take this course before graduating.

Estimate tuition and fees by using the Tuition Calculators. For more information about tuition plan options, fees, and tuition, see Student Financial Services.

Financial Aid

UNT offers a variety of options to help finance your education. Visit financialaid.unt.edu to find out more about the application and award process.

UNT has been named one of America's 100 Best College Buys© for 25 consecutive years and offers the quality of a private university at an affordable cost.

Applying for financial aid

1. Apply for financial aid online at fafsa.gov. The application is required for all types of financial aid, including Pell and other federal grants, state grants and loans. The FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA are available annually.
2. You must enroll in 6 hours (over one or two online sessions) in order to be eligible for financial aid.
3. Financial aid awards will be disbursed 10 days prior to the first day of class. Awards will not disburse if you are enrolled in only 3 credit hours.
4. Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 940-565-2302 or by visiting online at financialaid.unt.edu