| Viterbo University

Empower the Next Generation With a Master’s in School Counseling

Are you passionate about the well-being of school-aged children?

School counselors play a crucial role in helping students navigate challenges and reach their full potential. Viterbo University’s 60-credit-hour master’s in school counseling degree prepares you to provide academic, career, social, and emotional support for K–12 students in the classroom, in small groups, and in individual services.

Our direct-entry program meets state requirements for licensure as a school counselor in Wisconsin and has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission. Our school counselor degree program also aligns with the American School Counseling Association’s educational guidelines.

Full- and part-time options are available. Depending on the course load you choose, the master’s in school counseling degree can be completed in approximately three years.

A School Counseling Certificate is also available. This program is designed to meet the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requirements for school counselors.

Master’s in School Counseling Degree Highlights

At Viterbo, we are committed to your success. A program faculty advisor is assigned to work with you throughout the program, and we offer professional development throughout the academic year, including day-long conferences and workshops. Student organizations provide social activities, philanthropic opportunities, and community-based advocacy.

Additional school counselor degree highlights include:

Hands-on learning. Experiential learning allows you to develop the skills necessary to work with K–12 students. Counseling skills labs are an essential part of the learning experience.
Real experiences. Course highlights include working with students in schools during your practicum and internship and creating projects targeted at counseling interventions.
Faculty. Our fully licensed, clinically experienced faculty are professionally active and engaged—many have specialty certifications in play therapy, for example.
Learning environment. Our supportive, caring learning environment is supported by small class sizes that allow you to form professional relationships with faculty and peers.

Master’s in School Counseling Degree Career Outlook

Viterbo’s master’s in school counseling leads to licensure and allows you to work as a K–12 school counselor in Wisconsin.
The state is currently experiencing a shortage of school counselors, and many of our students are offered positions within schools prior to graduation. Depending on the school district, salaries range from $40,000 to $81,000 per year. Nationwide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects careers in this field to increase 5%, which is faster than average.

Financial Aid for the Master’s in School Counseling Degree

You will be eligible for federal financial aid as a graduate student. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see what you are eligible for. Email our graduate financial aid counselor or call 608-796-3900 with any questions.

Master's in School Counseling Courses

Our school counselor degree curriculum focuses on professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, and evidence-based counseling, prevention, and intervention skills. You will gain the knowledge, skills, and professional disposition necessary to become an effective K–12 school counselor.

Master’s in school counseling degree courses provide experiential learning opportunities like:

Skills labs: Many courses use the skills labs to record and observe practice sessions. Faculty provide supervision and feedback to ensure growth and development.
Role plays: You will engage in counseling role plays with your peers throughout the program to learn skills and develop rapport.
Group counseling class: Weekly mock group counseling sessions teach the basics of group counseling skills and knowledge.
Practicum: In your first field-based experiential course, you will be placed in a K–12 school and work with students under the direction of a licensed school counselor. The course is completed over a semester and involves at least 100 hours of contact work.
Internship in elementary school counseling: Work with elementary students under the direction of a licensed school counselor for a total of 300 hours.
Internship in secondary school counseling: Work within a high school setting with students under the direction of a licensed school counselor for a total of 300 hours.

Our master’s in school counseling classes are offered on Wednesday and Thursday evenings as well as weekends (Friday and Saturday) to help working adults navigate their various personal and professional responsibilities.

View Full Course Descriptions

Related Programs at Viterbo University

You may also be interested in these other counselor education graduate programs.

Put Your Passion to Work With Your Bachelor of Science Degree in Ethics, Culture, and Society

In our ethics, culture, and society program, you have the freedom to chart your own course of study as you participate in:

Service learning
Internships
Research
Study abroad
Cultural immersion experiences

What can you do with a BS in ethics, culture, and society?

Our program’s focus on critical thinking, communication skills, and concern for collaborative, real-world problem-solving will help you solve the increasingly complicated challenges of the global society we live in.

Through interdisciplinary studies, you will develop a robust package of transferable skills that employers in a variety of fields express interest in when seeking new employees. These skills can be applied in careers in:

Law
Public relations
Writing
Human resources
Media

Explore Viterbo’s Interdisciplinary Programs in Ethics, Culture, and Society

Ethics, Culture, and Society (BS)

Viterbo’s interdisciplinary program combines courses from at least two academic disciplines, including history, philosophy, and art. Our program emphasizes collaborative problem-solving and community engagement.

Personal choice will drive your pathway, with interdisciplinary studies focused on perspectives and creativity applied to real-world issues in the La Crosse community and beyond. Course-embedded assignments are connected to the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethical Leadership series of speakers and annual conference.

Art Emphasis

Art is a timeless means of communicating human experiences. Artistic, creative abilities help move our civilization forward.

When you choose the art emphasis at Viterbo, you will learn what it means to recognize and create sound works of art and to understand the art forms of cultures throughout history.

You will be provided with meaningful study and practice in artistic methods, techniques, and media, embedded with intellectual inquiry and critical analysis. Explore questions such as:

How do I generate ideas and discern their strength?
How do I turn my ideas into strong, original art forms?
How do I craft them with my hands?
How might I use art and my creative abilities to serve my community?

The art emphasis consists of courses in studio art and art history. Studio courses are offered in:

Painting
Drawing
Sculpture
Ceramics
Printmaking
Photography
Graphic design

History Emphasis

Our history emphasis will prepare you with a wealth of knowledge—both past and present—and encourage curiosity and mindfulness of the events that have shaped civilization around the world.

You will learn to connect ideas across cultures, which will serve you well in your education and career. Studying history grants you a unique opportunity to supplement your skills in written and oral communication, while also learning to be an informed citizen of the world.

Philosophy Emphasis

Philosophy is being recognized more and more as one of the strongest and most versatile fields of study. In fact, we live in an age where employers want employees to be more than just knowledgeable in their chosen field; employers want critical thinkers, clear communicators, and ethical decision-makers. These skills are central to the study of philosophy. This emphasis is a great supplement for those going into the business world, law, or public policy.

Pre-Law Track

Students interested in a law career are individually counseled by the pre-law advisor, who suggests a program of study and provides information on law school application. Keep in mind that maintenance of a relatively high undergraduate grade point average is very important for successful law school admission. Recommended undergraduate fields of study include:

Accounting
Criminal justice
English
Management
Psychology
Ethics, culture, and society

Legal Studies Minor

In our legal studies minor, you will explore legal issues in a variety of ways.

This minor is perfect if you want to apply to law school upon graduation and wish to gain an intellectual base in legal studies at the undergraduate level. Legal studies is also relevant if you have an interest in the law and pursue the minor in order to complement your major—generally one in the humanities.

The minor includes courses in business law, philosophy, and criminal justice courses and consists of 18 credit hours.

Art Minor

The art minor consists of an 18-credit sequence of courses in studio art and art history. You will take two foundations courses, one course in art history, and nine credits in studio electives. Studio courses are offered in painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, and graphic design.

Philosophy Minor

Gain the critical thinking, communication, and ethical decision-making skills that employers seek. The ethics, culture, and society philosophy minor generally requires 15–25 credits for completion. Course transfers, waivers, and/or substitutions could modify these credit totals.

Ethics Minor

The minor in ethics recognizes both the interdisciplinary nature of many moral problems as well as the value of ethical reasoning and ethical theory.

Employers state that moral decision-making is one of the most important skills they seek, yet this area is rarely recognized as a specific area of competency.

Given the importance of ethics and moral reasoning for students’ own personal development, as well as its value for recognizing and resolving moral problems both in and out of the workplace, having a minor in ethics is a great way to prepare to deal with the complexity of the real world.

Political Science Minor

Our political science minor deepens your knowledge on how governments, institutions, public policy, and political behavior work in the modern world. This minor is perfect if you plan to enter a career in government service, public policy, journalism, or a related profession. Political science can also help you prepare for law school and other graduate programs.

History Minor

Supplement your skills in written and oral communication, while also learning to be an informed citizen of the world. The history minor generally requires between 15–25 credits for completion. Course transfers, waivers, and/or substitutions could modify these credit totals.

Servant Leadership Minor

Develop and deepen your vocation to engage in competent, creative, and faithful leadership that works for the common good. Choose the servant leadership minor if you plan on serving as a leader in ministry, nonprofit organizations, or business. Completing a total of 15 credits in the minor is required.

Latin American and Latino/a Studies Minor

The Spanish language is ever-growing in popularity, and now almost 15% of Americans speak it.

Having an enriched knowledge of Latin culture and the Spanish language is a valuable trait in modern America. The Latin American and Latino/a studies minor can help you enrich a skill set that is valuable in:

Health care
Education
Business
Social work
Communication fields

This minor also promotes two significant outcomes:

Raise awareness of social justice issues related to Latin American populations and Latinos in the United States
Encourage local, national, and international engagement and advocacy toward social justice issues in Latin America and Latinos in the United States

Experiential Learning and Study Abroad in Ethics, Culture, and Society

Viterbo’s ethics, culture, and society program is led by senior faculty with a strong and diverse record of research, publications, grants, and study abroad experience .

Professor Matthew Bersagel-Braley was a contributing author to the Wabash Center’s project on Teaching for Social Justice and Civic Engagement. Professor Bersagel-Braley also leads the study abroad trip to South Africa.

Other faculty involved in study abroad opportunities include Jesus Jambrina, who co-led a trip to Spain and Portugal, and Keith Knutson, who has been involved with student exchanges in Luxembourg.

Our Ethics, Culture, and Society program has also developed a relationship with the Washington Community Scholars’ Center in Washington, D.C., through a partnership with Eastern Mennonite University.

Viterbo is piloting a work-based learning opportunity to put students in touch with organizations doing work that might coincide with their studies and interests. For example, Ethics, Culture, and Society student David Novak is working with Encampment for Citizenship, a nonprofit based in California. David is interested in restorative justice and has been working with the organization on related themes, as well as researching potential funding sources that may be present in the Midwest.

I knew I wanted to stay at Viterbo because I love it here. I really like the small campus, the friends and connections I've made, and how everyone is made to feel welcome. So, I looked for a major that best fit my career path."

—Stephanie Sesvold ’22, ECAS major

Ethics, Culture, and Society Interdisciplinary Studies Course Highlights

ECAS 100 – Truth, Beauty, and Goodness: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies

With a focus on collaborative, interdisciplinary problem-solving for the common good, this course uses a case study approach to explore historical and contemporary social issues. Rooted in a commitment to “scholarship for social change,” you will learn how to make use of perspectives from history, philosophy, art, and other disciplines in order to creatively engage with complex, often contentious issues in an imperfect world.

ECAS 305 – Resistance and Reconciliation in South Africa

South Africa stands as a witness to the power of social movements to not only imagine but also bring into being a more just and compassionate world. Learn how South Africans draw on religion, music, and global justice movements to resist and rise from the violence of Apartheid, the AIDS and COVID epidemics, climate change, and persistent economic inequities.

ECAS 310 – Applied Collaborative Problem-Solving

This course includes team-based transdisciplinary problem-solving addressing current issues in the La Crosse community and beyond. The community issue addressed will change from year to year, in connection with the theme of the D.B. Reinhart Ethics Institute Conference and/or in response to emerging community needs and current events. You will apply knowledge from studies in your two declared disciplines to the problem.

ECAS 311 – Applied Collaborative Problem-Solving: Philosophical Considerations

This course focuses on team-based transdisciplinary problem-solving addressing a variety of issues, from those in the local community to national and global challenges. The course seeks to address the many stakeholders, assumptions, and values that shape how we evaluate and resolve disagreements, showing students the positive value philosophy brings in supporting transdisciplinary problem-solving. The community issues addressed will change from year to year, in connection with the theme of the D.B. Reinhart Ethics Institute Conference and/or in response to emerging community needs and current events. You will apply knowledge from studies in your two declared disciplines to the problem.

ECAS-400 Ethics, Culture, and Society Capstone

Develop an interdisciplinary capstone proposal, research, project, and presentation over the course of two semesters with faculty mentoring and guidance. Our unique, student-driven capstone project allows seniors to conceive and implement an interdisciplinary project of their own design that connects to the local community. For one example, Stephanie Sesvold (’22) completed a capstone in the form of a podcast on women in labor unions, based on her semester of study in Washington, D.C., where she interviewed women in local unions.

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