Master of Arts in Counselor Education

Florida School Counselor Certification

Requirements for Florida School Counselor Certification

To be eligible for Florida State Certification in School Counseling, specific courses and experiences are required. Unless the student has met the requirements in another way, these courses and experiences are included in the student's planned program.

In addition, requirements for certification include:

  1. At least one internship in School Counseling that must be completed in a public or private elementary or secondary school setting to total at least six (6) semester credit hours.
  2. Pass the Florida State Certification Examination for School Counselors. 
  3. Students in the School Counseling program, who are not certified as a teacher in the State of Florida, must also pass the following examinations:
    1. CLAST Basic Proficiency Exam (if not completed as an undergraduate)
    2. Florida Teacher Certification Professional Skills Exam

  4. Plan One. A master’s or higher degree with a graduate major in guidance and counseling or school counseling that includes a minimum of six-hundred (600) clock hours of supervised internship serving school-aged students in a prekindergarten, an elementary or a secondary school setting; or 

  5. Plan Two. A master’s or higher degree with a graduate major in counseling other than guidance and counseling or school counseling as specified in subsection (1) of this rule that includes a minimum of six-hundred (600) clock hours of supervised internship with school-aged children and their families with at least nine (9) semester hours of graduate credit to include the following areas: 
    a. Student appraisal and evaluation methods in prekindergarten, elementary and secondary schools including interpretation and analysis of standardized tests and other assessment results that assist students in career exploration, academic skills and personal and social skill development;
    b. College and career planning for prekindergarten, elementary and secondary school students including college and career exploration and knowledge of financial aid and financing of postsecondary education options; 
    c. Principles, philosophy, organization and administration of a comprehensive school counseling program in prekindergarten, elementary and secondary schools; and
    d. Consultation skills and techniques for conferring with groups such as agencies, teachers and parents. 

  6. Applicants using Plan Two shall submit verification from the employing school district to attest that a school counselor with a state-issued professional certificate as specified in Rule 6A-4.004, F.A.C., will be assigned as the applicant’s mentor during the first two (2) years of employment as a school counselor.

Student Responsibilities

In order to be a practicing school counselor in Florida, the student must become certified by the State of Florida Department of Education (DOE) Division of Certification. Certification by the state is distinctly different from licensure by the state and from national certifications. Academic and experiential requirements for DOE certification in school counseling are established by the Florida DOE. 

Students planning to achieve DOE certification in school counseling should: (a) be enrolled in the appropriate program plan, (b) inform their faculty advisor when discussing their program plan, and (c) obtain the appropriate informational materials at the earliest possible time in the students' program. It is essential that students plan their programs carefully in order to be eligible for DOE certification.

Students should know that it is their responsibility to ensure that they have fulfilled the DOE requirements in order to be eligible for DOE certification. The department faculty will make every possible attempt to assist in planning programs appropriately. However, neither the department nor the College of Education can act on behalf of the Florida DOE Division of Certification. Therefore, students with concerns about whether the courses and experiences they plan to take are acceptable to the DOE should contact the Florida DOE Division of Certification directly and ask for clarification.

Students should also know that DOE certification is NOT "automatic" upon graduation from the school counseling program and that the department does NOT apply for certification on students' behalf. Students must complete direct application to the Florida DOE Division of Certification and request the certification they are seeking then apply to take the exam.