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How to Become a Tennessee School Counselor
The work school counselors are doing across the state of Tennessee can be nothing short of life-changing for students who are struggling. It’s an attractive career path for those who wish to make a difference in the lives of people in need, as well as those who wish to plot a career that will deeply connect them to a larger community.
The requirements to become a guidance counselor in Tennessee aren’t too complicated, but it’s important to understand them in full as you embark on your journey to a credential.
This will ensure that you are checking every box on the road to meeting qualifications for guidance counselor certification in Tennessee.
- Top Picks
Featured Universities with School Counseling Programs
#1
Walden University
MS in School Counseling - General Program. Click here to contact Walden University and request information about their programs.
#2
Campbellsville University
Online Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling Click here to contact Campbellsville University and request information about their programs.
#3
University of West Alabama
Master of Education: School Counseling & Education Specialist: School Counseling Click here to contact University of West Alabama and request information about their programs.
#4
Grand Canyon University
M. Ed in School Counseling (leads to initial Licensure) Click here to contact Grand Canyon University and request information about their programs.
#5
Sacred Heart University
Online Master of Arts in School Counseling Click here to contact Sacred Heart University and request information about their programs.
In fact, your path to a school counselor career will depend on the level of schooling you have already completed. Where are you on your quest to become a Tennessee School Counselor?
Explore the information below and learn how you can become a school counselor in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee Department of Education licensing department at (615) 532-4885.
I’m a High School Graduate…
If you have recently graduated from high school – or if you graduated high school some time ago but don’t yet hold a bachelor’s degree – you will need to complete some preliminary work (namely, your undergraduate education) before you are able to meet the qualifications for guidance counselor master’s programs.
Below are recommended steps that will help you learn how to advance your current level of education as well as learn more about whether a career as a Tennessee school counselor is right for you.
Step One: Attend Undergraduate College
You can obtain a bachelor’s degree in any subject on the way to a school counseling master’s program – there are no specific undergraduate degree requirements in order to qualify, other than that you have one at all. That said, if you are interested in becoming a school counselor, you will likely enjoy coursework in fields such as Education or Psychology, which are related to the career you wish to pursue in the long run. These can help you get a sense if working in the school counseling profession will appeal to you as a career path.
Step Two: Test the Waters of Working in Schools through Volunteer Opportunities
As an undergraduate, it will be several years before you are able to pursue your formal guidance counselor education, but there are ways you can begin to explore this work now. 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 Tennessee:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee (Nashville)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee (Knoxville & Kingsport)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Clarksville, Tennessee
- Tennessee list of school and school district websites
Finally, don’t be nervous to jump into the role of a volunteer or mentor. In order to learn about careers in education, you will need to learn how to take on responsibility and work with others. Working in an educational or counseling environment is difficult, but can be highly rewarding when developing lasting relationships and seeing those you help thrive. So get out there, start volunteering or working in a school environment and find out if the Tennessee school counselor career is right for you.
School Counselor or School Psychologist? How to Decide
When you think of the work of a school counselor, it’s likely you imagine days having one-on-one conversations with students facing hardships. This is certainly part of a school counselor’s job description, but it isn’t the only one: school counselors are also involved in campus life as a whole, taking stock of the overall needs of the school community and designing initiatives to engage and uplift everyone.
In fact, this expansive role defines the difference between school counseling vs. school psychology, which largely comes down to your training. While school counselors are certainly equipped to support students facing mental health challenges, they are not necessarily specialists in the subject, and their work will involve many responsibilities outside of that role. A school psychologist, meanwhile, is an expert in student mental health, and is unlikely to be involved in larger-scale initiatives on campus. It’s worth giving these two roles your consideration and reflecting on your own personal goals as you determine which on-campus job is right for you.
I have already earned a college degree…
Those who already hold bachelor’s degrees are ready to pursue a master’s degree (and in turn, guidance counselor credentials) head-on. The following are the steps necessary for earning your school counseling certification in Tennessee:
Step One: Earn a Master’s Degree
Tennessee has a slightly wider breadth than most states of educational options for master’s students who are aiming to meet requirements to become a guidance counselor. This is great news for Tennessee-based students, offering them more choices of degree programs than most other places.
- Earn a Master’s degree in School Counseling
- Or find school counseling programs in Tennessee here.
- Or, hold a Master’s degree in community counseling or mental health counseling, be enrolled in a school counseling program with at least 30 hours of the program completed, and be prepared to be supervised by a licensed Tennessee school counselor for at least one hour a week. The following are a few universities offering master’s programs in counseling fields:
Step Two: Complete Your Field Internship
Though listed as a second step, this will actually be concurrent with your master’s coursework, as it is part of your guidance counselor schooling. You will need to fulfill certification experience requirements by completing a one semester supervised internship through your school counseling preparation program. You will also need to complete a one semester orientation as a part of your preparation program as well. This is a critically important part of your education, supplementing the material from your guidance counselor classes with focused skill-building that will provide rigorous training for your intended career path.
Step Three: Pass Your Certification Exams
After graduate school, one of the most important requirements to become a guidance counselor is passage of your certification exams. These will cover material covered in your guidance counselor classes, as well as evaluating your on-the-ground knowledge of protocols and procedures. In Tennessee, school counselors must complete the Praxis II: School Guidance and Counseling examination.
You can find information about test locations, dates and particulars on the ETS website.
I’m a certified counselor from another state…
If you already hold guidance counselor credentials in another state, good news: it shouldn’t be hard for you to obtain your Tennessee certification. Tennessee offers licensure through reciprocity agreements. You must have a current, valid school counseling certification.
Your credentials will be evaluated and if you have not completed all the Tennessee requirements for school counseling certification, you will be issued an Interim License. You will then need to complete all lacking requirements for proper certification.
You can see an Out of State checklist here.
FAQs
What degree do I need to be a counselor in Tennessee?
Tennessee residents have a range of programs to choose from to meet qualifications for guidance counselor education. These include straightforward Master of School Counseling degrees, as well as specialization tracks in degree programs like a Master of Community Counseling or a Master of Mental Health Counseling. Whatever program you choose, make sure before you enroll that it is expressly intended to meet credentialing requirements.
How much do guidance counselors make an hour in Tennessee?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school counselors in the state of Tennessee earn a mean hourly wage of $26.77. As a mean annual salary, this amounts to $55,690 per year. School counselors can invest in their careers by gaining additional certifications, which can qualify them for specialized roles on school teams, with higher compensation to match.
How long does it take to be a guidance counselor in Tennessee?
If you already have a bachelor’s degree in any subject, the process of completing your master’s program – including guidance counselor classes and your field practicum – will typically take 2.5 to three years to complete on a full-time schedule.
Does Tennessee offer license reciprocity for those who have credentials in other states?
Yes. You may need to complete additional requirements through continuing education courses, but if you already hold valid, active guidance counselor credentials elsewhere, you should be able to acquire your Tennessee school counselor certification with ease.