Master of Science in Counseling

National Louis University's Master of Science in Counseling program is designed for students who are interested in working as a school counselor or community counselor.

Consider getting your Master of Science in Counseling at National Louis University (NLU) if you:

• Are interested in working in a school setting or pursuing your Type 73 School Service Personnel Certificate
• Want to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in a community agency setting
• Are interested in working with diverse populations
• Want to learn from faculty that have both academic and professional counseling experience
• Would like to have a group of fellow students with whom you can build relationships during your course of study
• Are looking for a program that’s accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Why NLU for Counseling

Since 1886, National Louis University has been preparing students for success in serving the needs of others. NLU provides a foundation for those who desire to contribute to the needs of their local and global communities through personal attention and coursework that’s both practical and proven. Today, with its founders' community activism at its roots, NLU continues to carry out this legacy by educating students to help individuals and groups through counseling. Both community and school options in this program are CACREP accredited.

A Convenient, Supportive Environment

NLU recognizes many students are balancing work and family while in school, so courses are scheduled to accommodate those important commitments. Graduate classes meet just one day or evening per week. Plus, NLU students begin the program with a group of colleagues that remains together throughout the course of study. This group offers a network of support and camaraderie from day one until graduation and beyond.

What You Will Learn

• The many facets of being a professional counselor, including the importance of advocating for clients, and adhering to ethical and legal guidelines
• A breadth of different counseling theories and skills including technological competencies
• An appreciation of and opportunities to deepen self-awareness
• How to understand people from a developmental perspective with consideration for client context, culture and diversity

In this program, students also complete 600 hours of internship work and 100 hours of practicum that provides opportunities to apply classroom-based knowledge in a real-world setting.

Career Outlook

Employment of counselors is expected to grow by 18 percent between 2008 and 2018—faster than the average for all other occupations. Numerous job openings will occur as many counselors retire or leave the profession, and more individuals are willing to seek help. School counselors will see an expansion of their responsibilities, including preventive counseling and crisis management, that will also likely to lead to increases in their employment opportunities. Mental health counselors will also see an expanded job market as insurance companies increasingly approve reimbursement to counselors as a less costly alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists.[1]

Professional Licensure

Completion of the Master of Science program fulfills the educational requirements to be eligible to sit for the National Counselor Examination for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) license. It also fulfills the educational requirements along with two or more years of full-time supervised work experience in a clinical setting to apply to take the upper-level examination for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) license. To qualify for the LCPC license, you must have two years work experience (3360 hours) in addition to the Master of Science in Counseling degree.

Admission Requirements

All applicants must meet NLU's general admission requirements. Refer to the appropriate application checklist available online at www.nl.edu/applyonline.

In addition to NLU standard admission requirements, students enrolling in the Master of Science in Counseling program are required to satisfy the following additional steps:

1. All School Counseling applicants must pass the Illinois Basic Skills test (scores may not be older than 10 years)
2. School Counseling: non-teachers are required to pass the Illinois Basic Skills test (scores may not be older than five years) as well as complete three education courses in order to sit for Type 73 certification
3. Submit three official sealed letters of recommendation
4. Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal scores
5. Faculty Interview (once application file is complete)
6. Must be fully admitted 6-8 weeks prior to start date (depending on term)
7. Submit a Human Service essay
8. Written Statement of academic and professional goals

[1] Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.