Program Overview

Introduction to the School Counselor Institute

The School Counselor Institute (SCI) is a non-credit program designed to prepare individuals for a career as a school counselor. The program is offered by the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for the SCI, applicants must:

• Have completed a master's degree in counseling or a related clinical area by the semester before the SCI.
• Have completed both an internship experience and a practicum experience to meet state requirements.
• If a practicum was not completed, applicants must complete one before starting the internship.
• Transcripts confirming a practicum enrollment must be submitted.
• Some work-related/licensure activities may allow the practicum to be waived.

Program Details

• The SCI is a completely online and mostly asynchronous intensive program completed across 22 weeks.
• The program includes five synchronous 1-hour online program meetings scheduled on designated Fridays.
• The program fee for the SCI is $4,200, which covers the equivalent content of five 16-week, 3-credit hour graduate courses.
• Participants may receive graduate course credit by paying tuition for the credit and registering for workshop in counseling course hours.

Additional Coursework

• During the admission process, transcript audits are completed to determine if participants need additional classes to be eligible for ISBE licensure.
• If a participant is deficient in required coursework, they will be contacted and receive a request to complete additional coursework that will not be covered in the SCI.

School Counseling Internship

• The school counseling internship is completed after the SCI and requires a minimum of 400 clock-hours (240 as direct services) and registration for 4 credit hours.
• Participants must find and arrange for their own school internship site, with NIU counseling faculty available to provide recommendations and site ideas.
• The site supervisor must be endorsed as a Professional School Counselor and have at least two years of experience.

Certification and Licensure

• The SCI prepares participants for licensure as a school counselor in the state of Illinois.
• Participants who complete the SCI and all requirements will be eligible to apply for and take the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) examination to be eligible for PEL School Counselor endorsement.
• Each state has its own requirements to become a licensed/certified school counselor, but completing the SCI will make it easier to practice in another state.

Completion Requirements

• Written application to the counseling program
• Invitation to and attendance at the Pre-Admissions Workshop/Interview
• Completion of all state-required tests (Content 181 or 235 exam)
• Completion of counseling practicum
• Completion of 400 clock hours of school counseling internship in a K-12 school (240 of which is direct service hours)
• Completion of NIU CAHE department internal PEL application
• Payment to ISBE after all NIU endorsement processes are completed

Passing Scores for Required Tests

• A minimum score of 240 on all areas of the Content 181 or 235 exams is considered passing.
• Participants must have taken this test prior to being accepted into internship.

Program Outcome

• Completing the SCI program will allow participants to become licensed and certified in Illinois as a school counselor.
• The program will also make it easier for participants to practice in another state, as each state has its own requirements to become a licensed/certified school counselor.