How to Become a Mississippi School Counselor

Where are you on your quest to become a Mississippi School Counselor?

• I’m a High School Graduate…
• I have already earned a college degree…
• I’m a certified counselor from another state…

Explore the information below and learn how you can become a school counselor in Mississippi. Some of the information below may be subject to change. In order to make sure you have the most current information, please feel free to contact your school counseling education program advisor or contact the Mississippi Department of Education licensing department at (601) 359-3483.

I’m a High School Graduate…

As a high school graduate researching the Mississippi school counseling career, you are way ahead of the game! Many individuals who throw themselves into career paths without doing the research often find themselves disheartened with what certain careers actually offer.

However, don’t stop here! The recommended steps below offer great ways to learn more about what it’s like to work with student-aged pupils as well as learn more about beginning to earn your associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Step One:

Gather information from schools offering associate degree programs or bachelor degree programs in psychology, counseling or any type of program you are currently interested in. It is not imperative you enroll in a counseling program at this point. The only necessity is that you begin earning your associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree.

Step Two:

A great way to find out if you are interested in a social service type of career, like school counseling, is to find volunteering organizations who work with children or young adults. The following are links to organizations who can place you in volunteering positions across the state of Mississippi:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley
• List of Mississippi School District Websites and Contact Info
  • Use this link to find schools near you as well as each school’s contact information. Contact these schools to find out if there are any volunteer programs you may participate in.

We strongly encourage you to jump in with both feet and start volunteering at one of the previously mentioned Mississippi organizations or find work within the public school system. In addition, your early interest in Mississippi school counseling is certainly fantastic, but no doors will be open to you if you do not beginning earning your associate’s or bachelor’s degree. So, get out there and begin earning you post-secondary education.

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I have already earned a college degree…

The following are the steps necessary for earning your school counseling certification in Mississippi:

Step One:

Fulfill educational requirements through one of the following avenues:

1. 1. Earn a Master’s degree in School Counseling
      
      
   2. Or find more school counseling programs in Mississippi here.

1. Earn a Master’s in any other field and then separately, complete a school counseling program from a Mississippi Department of Education approved educational institution.

Step Two:

You will need to complete a full year supervised school counseling internship. This is done through your school counselor preparation program.

Step Three:

You will need to complete both the Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) and the Praxis II Specialty Area Test for Guidance Counselors.

You will find information on testing dates, locations and specifics for the specialty area examinations on the ETS website.

Step Four:

You can find out more about the application for certification process by downloading the licensure application and a checklist here. On this webpage, you will find the application procedure information as well as the address where your completed application will need to be sent.

For more information, call the Mississippi Department of Education Licensing division at the following number: (601) 359-3483

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I’m a certified counselor from another state…

Mississippi does in fact recognize reciprocity agreements. However, you will still need to complete an application and have the Mississippi Department of Education review your credentials.

You will find information on Mississippi school counseling licensure application procedures as well as a link to download an application and checklist on this webpage.

We recommended you contact the Mississippi Department of Education in order to make sure you have all of your materials aligned correctly and that you have satisfied all Mississippi school counselor certification requirements. Use the following number to contact the MDE: (601) 359-3483

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