In America, today’s school counselors do a lot more than their predecessors. It may be hard to tell from the outside looking in, but they help teachers and staff handle various issues, counsel parents, and sometimes play a crucial part in shaping education policy. They are a pivotal part of the student success equation, and they help schools create supportive and safe environments for students.

Want to become a school counselor in the United States, but want to know how? Don’t worry; the Edvocate has your back. Check out this guide that we created explaining how to become a school counselor in Oklahoma.

Traditional Licensure: Master’s degree in school counseling program and a satisfactory score on all required assessments.

Alternative Licensure: Master’s degree in a relevant field that contains: 

• 30 or more counseling relevant credit hours OR 15 or more counseling-related credit hours plus one year of counseling-related work experience OR 3 or years of counseling-related work experience
• Passing score on required examinations – Oklahoma General Education Test, Oklahoma Professional Teaching Exam, Oklahoma Subject Area Test in School Counseling
• Participants in the Alternative Certification program must finish a college course addressing classroom management and a college course addressing general or subject-specific pedagogical principles or sanctioned equivalents within 3 years of certification.

Is an Institutional Recommendation Needed? Yes, required for certification

Licensure: PreK-12

Licensure Reciprocity: Yes

Criminal Background Investigation: No; however, districts have the option of requiring a background check.

Oklahoma Department of Education