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School Counseling, M.A.

60 Credits  |   Main Campus

Become a school counselor or a counselor to urban youth in settings outside of school.

Do you want to become a school counselor or a counselor to urban youth in settings outside of the schools?

Our Master of Arts (M.A.) graduate program in school counseling will provide you with the specialized study and supervised field training that will prepare you for a career as a professional counselor of children and youth.

The program consists of two tracks:

School Counselor Track

The first option will prepare you for a career as a counselor in elementary and secondary schools.

Urban Youth Track

The second option is a specialization in counseling urban students, where students learn how they can positively impact individuals, families, agencies, school systems, and/or communities.

This track will prepare you for work as a counselor outside of schools, such as in foster care or nonprofit youth programs. This option also allows you to attain licensure requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.) examination.

What You’ll Learn

The Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling is a 60-credit CACREP- accredited program. Most courses are offered in the evening to accommodate students who work full-time, with some courses offered in a hybrid and/or on-line component. There is a 700-hour practicum and internship requirement. Our program is well-known and respected because of students’ preparation and their ability to effectively work in a variety of settings as professional counselors

Clinical Partners

  • DC Public School System
  • PG County Public School System
  • Montgomery County Public School System
  • Alexandria County Public School System
  • Anne Arundel County Public School System
  • Howard County Public School System

Global Careers

  • Clinical Mental Health Counselor
  • Addictions Counselor
  • Child and Adolescent Counselor
  • School Counselor

Contact Your Recruiter

Request Info

Applying to the School Counseling, M.A. Program

Applying to Trinity is free, and Trinity reviews each application as soon as it is complete: you’ll get our decision right away.

We’re here to help at 202-884-9400 or admissions@trinitydc.edu.

Apply Now

Admissions Requirements

Entrance Requirements

Candidates for admission must possess a bachelor’s degree from any appropriately accredited institution of higher learning with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Associations recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEA) confer appropriate accreditation; these associations include but are not limited to regional accreditors.

Students who do not meet the standard admission requirements but who demonstrate potential may be provisionally admitted and may take up to six (6) credits during their first semester. A student must receive a minimum grade of “B” in each of these courses in order to be fully admitted to a graduate program.

Application Procedure

Candidates for admission to the School of Nursing and Health Professions Master of Arts in Counseling must submit the following documents to the Office of Admissions:

  • Complete the online application for admission.
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended at the undergraduate and graduate level. Students should request that the transcripts be sent directly to the Office of Admissions. Transcripts submitted by students must be in the original sealed envelope.
  • Two letters of recommendation in support of the application testifying to the applicant’s aptitude for graduate education and potential for professional growth and development. Letters from college instructors and current or recent employers are appropriate.
  • A 500-word personal reflective essay, describing your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in counseling, why you believe you will be a good fit for Trinity’s program, and how this degree will help you pursue your academic and personal goals.
  • Completion of an interview with Counseling faculty.
  • A current résumé or curriculum vitae.

All supporting materials should be sent to:

Trinity Office of Admissions
125 Michigan Avenue, N.E.
Washington, DC 20017

All materials received by Trinity from applicants or third parties (high schools, undergraduate institutions, graduate institutions, recommenders, etc.) will become the property of Trinity. Trinity does not return or release materials submitted to the admissions office to applicants or to third parties.

Interviews

Trinity Washington has a welcoming campus environment and prospective students are encouraged to visit. For entrance into the counseling program an interview is required. Dates for the interview will be provided once all admission materials have been received.

Application Deadline

Applications are received for Fall and Spring semesters.

In some instances, students may be permitted to register for up to six (6) credits prior to the receipt of all admission materials. Such students will be assigned non-degree status for no more than one (1) semester. In such cases permission to register should not be construed as conferring admission to the degree program. Students from whom complete admission files have not been received by the end of the first semester will be dismissed and must reapply for admission.

Transfer Credits for Graduate Degrees

Students enrolled in a graduate degree program may transfer a maximum of six (6) credits from appropriately accredited institutions of higher learning toward a degree at Trinity. Associations recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEA) confer appropriate accreditation; these associations include but are not limited to regional accreditors. For specific rules governing transfer credits, see the Graduate Academic Policies section.

Accreditation and Annual Reports

The Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and meet state certification requirements for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The program prepares students to take the licensure examination to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or a Licensed/Certified School Counselor.

Counseling Program Annual Reports

The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The Counseling Programs offers 3 Master of Arts in Counseling Programs:  Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), School Counseling, and School Counseling Urban Track Specialization. The School Counseling program was created to meet the American Counseling Association 2020 Vision.  This revised program is a generalist program, and the Urban Student Track Specialization will continue to be offered for applicants who are interested in school counseling with an urban and culturally diverse youth specialization. As required by CACREP accreditation, information on demographics of students, enrollment numbers, retention numbers, completion rates, number of graduates, pass rates on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE; required exam for CMHC students), pass rates on the Praxis (required exam for SC students), job placement information, and a summary of program evaluation results and subsequent program modifications is presented in the Annual Report.