If you like working with children in the school atmosphere and you have a teaching certificate or would like to get one, Guidance counseling could be the job for you. Guidance counseling certification requirements vary for different states. Each state has its own criteria and should be checked out individually. State requirements are often updated so the following should be used as a general guideline and is not an official list. You should also check with the state department of education for an up to date list of requirements. Most public school systems require at least a Master’s degree and course work that includes:

• Theories

• Testing/Appraisal

• Human Growth and Development

• Individual Counseling

• Group Counseling

• Social and Cultural Foundations

• Career Development

• Research and Program Evaluation

• Professional Orientation

• Supervised Practicum

• Supervised Internship

Mississippi’s education requirements have 4 options.

• Have a standard teaching license and a master’s degree in guidance counseling

• Have a Master’s degree in another area and also complete an approved program for guidance counseling with a year internship in school counseling and pass the Praxis II

• Complete an approved master’s degree program for guidance counseling with a year internship

• Have National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credentials by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)

If you do not already have a MS teachers certificate, you must complete a full-year internship. You may have to pass the Praxis I and/or Praxis II: School Guidance Counseling depending on which option you choose. For further information go to http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ed_licensure/pdf/2004_Licensure_Guidelines.pdf

Other State links are listed below:

Alabama http://www.alsde.edu/html/sections/section_detail.asp?section=66&menu=sections&footer=sections ftp://ftp.alsde.edu/documents/66/Code051105SB.doc

Alaska http://www.eed.state.ak.us/teachercertification/Certification.html#typeC

Arizona http://www.ade.state.az.us/certification/requirements/Professional/GuidanceCounselor-R2.pdf

Arkansas http://arkedu.state.ar.us/teachers/pdf/sch_counseling031705.pdf

California http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl606.html

Colorado http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/sspinfo.htm

Connecticut http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2613&q=321308

Delaware

Elementary http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/1500/1522.shtml#TopOfPageSecSecondary http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/1500/1545.shtml#TopOfPage

District of Columbia http://www.k12.dc.us/dcsea/certification/licensing/serviceproviders/schcounselor.html

Florida http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/rules/6A-4-0181.asp

Georgia http://www.gapsc.com/TeacherCertification/Documents/Cert_Rules_12_03/505-2-.202.pdf

Hawaii http://www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/States/states.asp?Name=Hawaii

Idaho http://www.sde.state.id.us/TeacherCertification/docs/Manual/SectionXXII.pdf

Illinois http://www.isbe.state.il.us/certification/pdf/cert_guide.pdf

Indiana http://www.doe.state.in.us/octe/goldstar/licensing.html

Iowa http://www.state.ia.us/boee/addition.html#c

Kansas http://www.ksde.org/cert/Requirements%20for%20Counselor.doc

Kentucky http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/016/003/060.htm

Louisiana https://www.teachlouisiana.net/Certification/Checklist/COUNSELORK12.pdf

Maine http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/05/071/071c1152.doc

Maryland http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/13a/13a.12.03.02.htm

Massachusetts http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr7.html?section=11

Michigan http://www.michigan.gov/documents/2005-086_ED_-_School_counselor_rules__12-21-05__strike_bol_148683_7.pdf

Minnesota http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8710/6400.html

Missouri http://www.dese.mo.gov/divteachqual/teachcert/studserv.html

Montana http://www.opi.mt.gov/PDF/Cert/Class6Qual.pdf

Nebraska http://www.nde.state.ne.us/LEGAL/RULE24.HTML

Nevada http://www.doe.nv.gov/licensing/endorsements/specialend/counselor.attachment/attachment/schoolcounselor.pdf

New Hampshire http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/ed500.html

New Jersey http://www.nj.gov/njded/code/current/title6a/chap9.pdf

New Mexico http://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/nmac/parts/title06/06.063.0006.htm

New York http://eservices.nysed.gov/teach/certhelp/CertRequirementHelp.do#cfocus

North Carolina http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/employment/license/index.html

North Dakota http://www.legis.nd.gov/information/acdata/pdf/67-11-05.pdf

Ohio http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3301-24-05

Oklahoma www.sde.state.ok.us

Oregon http://www.tspc.state.or.us/pub.asp?op=0&id=57

Pennsylvania

Elementary http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/lib/teaching/Specialist_CounselorElem.rtf

Secondary http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/lib/teaching/Specialist_CounselorSec.rtf

Rhode Island http://www.ride.ri.gov/educatorquality/docs/certification/requirements/iplanguid.pdf

South Carolina http://www.scteachers.org/cert/Certpdf/TeacherCertificationManual.pdf

South Dakota http://legis.state.sd.us/rules/DisplayRule.aspx?Rule=24:16:10:01

Tennessee http://state.tn.us/education/lic/doc/accttchlicstds.pdf

Texas http://www.tea.state.tx.us/guidance/councert.html

Utah http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r277/r277-502.htm#T6

Vermont

http://www.state.vt.us/educ/new/pdfdoc/board/rules/5440_endorsements/subj_school_counselor.pdf

Virginia http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Compliance/TeacherED/nulicvr.pdf

Washington http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=181-79A-221

West Virginia http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/p5202.pdf

Wisconsin http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/pi34.html#initialeducatorlicense3431

Wyoming http://ptsb.state.wy.us/