School Counseling, M.A.

Support Students. Shape Futures.

Step into a career where your guidance makes a lasting impact. Our CACREP-accredited School Counseling master degree program in Washington, DC prepares you to become a confident, compassionate advocate for students’ academic, emotional, and social success. With a curriculum grounded in national standards and real-world practice, you will be ready to lead in K–12 settings and pursue licensure/certification with confidence.

Guiding Students … Growing Futures … Changing Classrooms! 

What You’ll Learn

Our School Counseling program includes coursework and supervised experiences.  Some of what you will learn:

• Facilitating counseling and psychoeducational groups
• Using assessments to identify student needs
• Preparing students for postsecondary education or workforce
• Crisis intervention and trauma-informed practices
• Bullying prevention, behavior management, and suicide risk assessment

Additionally, the supervised field experience includes the following:

• Practicum (100 hours): Introductory fieldwork with direct student contact
• Internship (600 hours): Advanced supervised experience in a school setting

What does this mean?  Graduates of our program are typically:

• Eligible for state licensure or certification as a school counselor
• Prepared to implement a data-informed, equity-focused school counseling program
• Equipped to support all students’ academic, career, and personal/social growth

Why Study School Counseling in Washington DC at Trinity?

If you’re looking to make a difference beyond the desk, our program offers a clear path to a purposeful new profession. Designed for career changers, this program equips you with the skills, confidence, and credentials to support K–12 students.  

Diverse School Counseling Environments

Among colleges in D.C., Trinity Washington University provides counseling students with field experiences across exceptionally diverse educational settings. Washington DC’s schools represent varied socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic populations, allowing Trinity students to develop counseling competencies applicable to multiple environments.

Urban Education Expertise

Washington DC’s educational landscape presents unique challenges and opportunities for future school counselors at colleges in D.C. Trinity’s program addresses the complexities of urban school counseling. Students learn evidence-based interventions for supporting students facing challenges common in metropolitan settings—expertise increasingly valued by schools seeking counselors equipped to address the multifaceted needs of urban student populations.

Education Policy Perspective

As the center of educational policy development, Washington DC offers school counseling students direct exposure to how national initiatives shape counseling practices. Trinity’s curriculum examines the implementation of federal education policies and their implications for school counseling programs. Graduates enter the profession with sophisticated understanding of how policy contexts influence counseling service delivery across different school settings.

College and Career Readiness Focus

Washington DC’s proximity to government agencies, universities, and diverse industries creates unique career counseling opportunities for students at colleges in D.C. Trinity’s school counseling program emphasizes preparation, focusing on helping K-12 students navigate pathways to higher education and careers. This specialized focus prepares counselors to support students’ transitions to post-secondary opportunities abundant in the capital region.

Mental Health Systems Integration

The Washington DC metropolitan area features progressive initiatives integrating school-based and community mental health services. Trinity partners with local agencies implementing these collaborative models. School counseling students gain experience with coordinated care approaches—skills essential in today’s schools where counselors increasingly serve as bridges between educational and mental health systems.

Resources

MISSION OF THE COUNSELING PROGRAM
The Trinity Washington University Clinical Mental Health and School Counselor Programs’ mission is to prepare candidates to become Licensed Professional Counselors and Certified or Licensed School Counselors, who work in a myriad of settings including medical, community, educational, and private practice. Our program prepares candidates to engage in social justice policy, advocacy, and research as it affects and reflects the profession of Counseling and the well-being of the diverse clients, students, communities, families, and institutions that we serve.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES OF THE COUNSELING PROGRAM
The counselor education program prepares all graduates to:

1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for effective counseling practice across diverse settings.

2. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with diverse populations, respecting individual differences in culture, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic status.

3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in conceptualizing, diagnosing and implementing evidence-based treatment plans across diverse populations.

4. Develop ability to critically evaluate and apply research findings to improve counseling practice.

5. Ensure students meet academic and practical training requirements for state licensure and/or national certification as professional counselors.

6. Encourage ongoing self-reflection and personal growth to promote the student’s development and its’ importance as a professional counselor.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM is to prepare graduates who:

• Have a general knowledge of and experience with a range of systemic approaches appropriate for a broad range of students (PK-12), parents and programs in a school setting.
• Establish a professional identity as a school counselor.
• Interact effectively with the full spectrum of school personnel, administrators and community.
• Provide competent, socially-just and ethical professional service and leadership with the school-counseling field

Current Masters of Arts in School Counseling Programs Handbook (PDF)

CURRICULUM

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Standard Track
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Moderate Track
• School Counseling Standard Track
• School Counseling Moderate Track

Faculty