Educational Specialist (EdS) in
Counselor Education (School Counselor Certification)

Admission to the Educational Specialist in Counselor Education (School Counseling) degree program requires the following:

• A master’s degree in School Counseling from a regionally accredited institution
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• A valid master’s level professional educator certificate in school counseling
• At least two years of full-time acceptable professional educational work experience in a P-12 school system, verified on the notarized Supplement EXP form*
• A 3.0 GPA or higher in a completed graduate degree program
• Statement of purpose
• Completed UA Graduate School application
• Completed requirements for fingerprinting/background clearance
• An academic writing sample
• Three letters of recommendation
  • Recommendation letters must be from current and former professors and/or supervisory personnel knowledgeable of the applicant’s academic and professional capabilities for all College of Education programs that lead to professional certification

Applications are accepted each semester. Students may begin the program in the fall, spring or summer semester.

Application Deadlines

• February 15 for summer and fall admission
• October 15 for spring admission

This program leads to eligibility to be recommended for Alabama Class AA certification as a school counselor. If you reside or intend to seek professional licensure outside of the state of Alabama, please review the requirements for that state prior to applying to this program.

The programs listed in the current UA Graduate Catalog that lead to Alabama Class A and Class AA professional certificates may be altered to meet certification standards adopted by the Alabama State Board of Education.

*Experience must be verified on the notarized Supplement EXP form. The original form should be mailed to:

The University of Alabama College of Education
ATTN: Dawn Bryant
Box 870231
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0231

Section III and V should be completed by your current and/or previous school system(s) (usually the HR department). Section IV is not required.

Questions related to acceptable experience or certification should be directed to Dawn Bryant, Graduate Admissions and Certification Coordinator, at debryant@ua.edu.