Professional School Counselor Licensure

The Utah State Board of Education sets the licensure requirements for professional school counselors.

Applicants for a Professional Educator License in School Counseling for the state of Utah who have attended an institution in-state and who are not licensed in school counseling must meet the following requirements:

  • Earn a minimum of a master's degree in school counseling from an accredited institution in Utah
  • A passing score on the Professional School Counselor Praxis exam.
    • Students who take Praxis Exam 5421 between January 1, 2023, and August 31, 2023, must score a 164 or higher. Students who take Praxis Exam 5422 between January 1, 2023, and August 31, 2023, must score a 153 or higher. Before September 1, 2023, students may choose to take either exam. Beginning September 1, 2023, all students are required to take Praxis Exam 5422 and score 153 or higher to successfully complete the program and be recommended for licensure in the state of Utah.
  • Receive a recommendation for licensure from the university in which the program was completed. A recommendation from an in-state program qualifies candidates to receive the College and Career Readiness Certificate upon licensure based on adherence to R277-921-3: Incorporation of College and Career Readiness Certificate Program Standards Document

Disclosure of Educational Requirements for Licensure by State

USU’s MEd program in Professional School Counseling adheres to the training standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).  Given the varied and changing requirements across jurisdictions, we have not determined and cannot assure that graduates will meet all requirements for licensure in all states or territories.  You are encouraged to become familiar with relevant state licensing laws and discuss your curricular plan with the program director and advisors.     
This program meets requirements in Utah. 
USU has not determined if the program meets requirements in other states and territories: AK, AL, AR, AS, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, GU, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MP, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UM, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY.