Non-Degree School Counselor Endorsement

The Department of Counselor Education offers a Non-Degree School Counselor Endorsement program designed for individuals who have completed a graduate degree in counseling or a closely related field and are seeking to meet the academic and clinical requirements to be eligible for endorsement as a school counselor in the state of Illinois.

Admission Information

The program admits students for fall only.

Application Requirements

To be considered for admission, the applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and can apply to the program through Northeastern's online application system. An application is reviewed only if all application materials are received by the deadline date for the semester applied for.

The online application requires the following:

Application form
Application fee
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
Current resume
Two recommenders - consider employers, professors, supervisors or other professional references
Signed Informed Consent
Statement of Goals and Objectives Essay: In 500-700 words, please respond to the following prompts:
- What interests you about a career in school counseling?
- What do you hope to accomplish with the completion of the non-degree school counselor endorsement program?
- How might you be a strong fit for NEIUs Counselor Education program and mission?
- Please note: Upload your Statement of Goals and Objectives Essay to the Statement of Goals and Objectives section of the Graduate Application.
Applicants who hold a Professional Educator License (PEL) should attach a copy of their PEL to their application.
Successful completion of coursework in the following areas: counseling theories and interviewing, human growth and development; assessment and evaluation; individual and group counseling; career development; family counseling; and multicultural counseling. Those who have not successfully completed the necessary coursework may fulfill them during the course of their studies toward earning the Endorsement.

Contact Counselor Education at (773) 442-5550 or counsedu@neiu.edu for further questions or if the links are not working.

Curriculum in the Non-Degree School Counselor Endorsement Program

The courses required to complete the Non-Degree School Counselor Endorsement program are listed below. All courses are graduate courses:

21 credit hours

COUN 410 Seminar in School Counseling (3 cr)
COUN 411 Post-Secondary College & Career Counseling (3 cr)
COUN 412 Topics in School Counseling (3 cr)
COUN 415 Children & Youth in School & Family Systems (3 cr)
COUN 442 Practicum: Group Supervision in School Counseling (3 cr)
COUN 462 Internship I: School Counseling (3 cr)
COUN 472 Internship II: School Counseling (3 cr)

A passing score on the #235 School Content Test is required before beginning Practicum.