How to Become a Wyoming School Counselor

Where are you on your quest to become a Wyoming 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 Wyoming. 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 Wyoming Department of Education licensing department at (307) 777-7291.

I’m a High School Graduate…

As a high school graduate researching the Wyoming school counseling career, you are showing a level of maturity that will serve you well throughout your life. So, don’t stop here!

Below are recommended steps that will help you learn how to begin advancing your current level of education as well as learn more about whether the Wyoming school counselor career is right for you.

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 Wyoming:

• BBBS home organization, here you can find organizations near where you live
• List of Wyoming school districts and their websites
  • 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.

And finally, don’t be afraid to make use of the information listed above. Your research is only as valuable as what you do with it. So, get out there and learn whether a career as a Wyoming school counselor is right for you.

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I have already earned a college degree…

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

Step One:

Fulfill educational requirements through one of the following avenues:

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

1. Or, earn a Master’s degree in Counseling or a related field, and complete a school counseling program separately. You can find campus-based preparatory programs by contacting the Wyoming Department of Education, (307) 777-7291. The following are schools offering Master’s level programs in counseling:

Step Two:

You will need to complete experience requirements for Wyoming school counselor certification in one of the following ways:

• Complete an approved year-long internship as a school counselor. This is the most traveled path to fulfilling experience requirements for those who have never held an educator’s certification before.
• Or, complete two years of full-time teaching experience.
• Or, complete two years of at least half-time experience as a school counselor (the path used for those who are seeking certification coming from out-of-state)
• Or, complete three years of work experience in a comparable human services arena.

Step Three:

You download the Wyoming initial certification application on the Wyoming Department of Education website.

Secondly, it is recommended you follow the application procedural steps listed on the Wyoming Department of Education website as well.

The previous link will also walk you through the procedures for completing your fingerprint cards and completing the process of the required criminal background check.

Step Four:

Contact the Wyoming Department of Education at (307) 777-7291 to make sure you are fulfilling all the requirements for certification. There’s not much worse than completing an application and realizing you have not successfully completed all the necessary steps to be qualified for Wyoming school counselor certification.

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I’m a certified counselor from another state…

Wyoming does offer certification through reciprocity agreements. However, you will still need to complete an application for certification as well as have your credentials evaluated.

You will also need to have completed three years of educator experience as a school counselor within the last 6 years. And, in addition, you will need to have satisfied the examination requirements for the school counseling endorsement.

For more information, explore the Wyoming Department of Education website and download an application for certification.

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