Program Overview

The Career Counseling program at Florida State University offers students and professionals an opportunity to gain advanced understanding and training in being a counselor as well as specialized knowledge in the realm of career. On the way to earning a career counseling degree, you’ll discover the interaction between theory, practice, and research.

As one of the premier career counseling programs, nationally accredited by the Council of Accredited Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) for over 25 years, you can look forward to exceptional instruction and mentorship. Florida State University’s program draws on the strength of a history of leaders in the field of Career Counseling while continuing to innovate and prepare students with modern techniques and knowledge. You’ll receive hands-on experience in the field through career advising, career counseling, college teaching, workshop and outreach presentations, and program development. Applicants are strong candidates for graduate assistantship roles in the FSU Career Center where they can receive a tuition waiver and designated scholarships/fellowships.

Upon completion of this program, graduates go on to work in career counseling, career placement, academic advising, and professional counseling. Including being licensure eligible in many states as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor - work with your advisor to ensure you meet licensure requirements. Thanks to the partnership with the FSU Career Center, our career counseling students know what it’s like to work in the field before they even graduate. Our graduates enter the workforce feeling prepared and confident in their abilities to help others find their path.

Career Opportunities

The Career Counseling program at Florida State will provide you with training beyond the minimum requirements for most counseling positions, which significantly increases the competitive employment advantage as an FSU graduate. Florida State’s program focuses first on training you as a mental health professional, then provides specialized training and experiences in the area of career. This means our graduates are adept at going on to work with primary mental health concerns of clients in addition to their career concerns.

Most graduates seek positions in

  • Colleges and universities as
    • Career counselors
    • Career placement professionals
    • Co-op/internship directors
    • Academic advisors
  • K-12 Education as
    • Career and college counselor
  • Community Organization
    • Workforce development professional
    • Professional counselor in community mental health centers and rehabilitation centers
  • Other opportunities
    • Training and staff development professionals in human resources
    • Career information specialists in libraries and information centers
    • Career development facilitators
    • Consultant and independent contractor with career information systems developers and publishers
    • Professional counselors in community organizations or private practice

All graduates are eligible for the following credentials

  • National Certified Counselor after graduation and passing the national test through the National Board of Certified Counselors
  • Certified Career Counselor after graduation through the National Career Development Association
    • Because of the program's accreditation, graduates are eligible for a fast track of this credential and do not have to complete additional testing or experience.

Graduates take many courses required for licensure as a Professional Counselor in most states. Talk to your advisor if you are interested in this credential to determine if any additional courses or requirements may need to be completed.

Counselor Education Information

The Career Counseling Program at Florida State University is one of its three counseling specialty tracks offered with:

Together our three programs create our Counselor Education degree program which share a common mission and objectives in training professional counselors.

COUNSELOR EDUCATION MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

The mission of the Counselor Education program at Florida State University is to prepare candidates to become professional counselors. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to (1) integrate current research with established theoretical foundations to serve pluralistic communities; (2) demonstrate awareness, reflection, and respect for the diverse populations that they serve, and finally (3) demonstrate professional dispositions of ethical practice, commitment to learning, and professional growth. Graduates serve as professional counselors who lead and advocate in their communities and their practice specialization: Career Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, or School Counseling.

  1. i. Counselor Education candidates will be grounded in counselor identity domains of wellness, development, prevention and early intervention, and empowerment.
  2. ii. Counselor Education candidates will successfully demonstrate professional dispositions:
    1. a. Ethical decision-making and professional boundaries
    2. b. Respect, humility, and openness for diverse cultural experiences and expressions
    3. c. Commitment to learning and professional growth
    4. d. Apply constructive feedback
    5. e. Appropriate interpersonal skills
    6. f. Professionalism
  3. iii. Counselor Education candidates will demonstrate knowledge of counseling theories, apply theories to implement evidence-based techniques, and utilize data-driven approaches to evaluate their counseling program and professional practices.
  4. iv. Counselor Education candidates will co-create goals and identify appropriate interventions in a holistic and integrated manner that is based on clients’ or students’ diverse experiences, development, and presenting needs.
  5. v. Counselor Education candidates will demonstrate knowledge of mental health, career development, individual and group interventions, crisis intervention, and the ecological systems that support people reaching their goals.

Specific Program Objectives for Career Counseling

  1. Career Counseling candidates will demonstrate knowledge of mental health, wellness, and career development that enables them to enhance clients’ overall wellbeing by using evidence-based approaches based on clients’ developmental needs and cultural expression.
  2. Career Counseling candidates will assess career development and needs of clients, identify co-occurring conditions impacting career development, and provide clients with appropriate resources, career coaching, consulting, or counseling services, as necessary.

INFORMATION FOR SITE SUPERVISORS

Giving Back

We invite alumni and friends of Florida State University to support more to become “Unconquered" graduates for professional positions in career counseling, vocational psychology, and human resources through career advisor scholarships. These scholarships support career advisors working in The Career Center and recognizes students who have made a commitment to career counseling/vocational psychology, have outstanding academic records and work histories, and have the potential to provide leadership in career development and human resources.

The Career Center has awarded over $250,000 in over 150 scholarships to more than 100 different students since 1995. Support any of our nine endowed scholarships with your tax-deductible gift today, or contact us to create the tenth endowed scholarship and provide ongoing support to FSU students in perpetuity.

  • Alyce B. Bobkin Scholarship
  • Career Advisor Alumni Scholarship
  • Gary W. Peterson Endowed Scholarship
  • Herb and Josie Rand Endowed Scholarship
  • Robert C. Reardon Scholarship   
  • Joel Ross Driver Memorial Scholarship
  • James P. Sampson, Jr. and Sandra M. Sampson Endowed Fellowship
  • Dr. Janet G. Lenz Endowed Scholarship
  • Dr. Andrew P. Daire Endowed Dissertation Fellowship

 You can give online at give.fsu.edu/education and entering the name of one of the above funds.

Core Faculty

Admission Requirements

Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University, and the academic department, program, or college determines admissibility to the degree program. University graduate admissions requirements are found at https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions.

In order to meet minimum Admission requirements, an applicant must have:

  • A bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA – An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree.
  • GRE test scores* – Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the official report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report. The FSU Institution Code is 5219.
    • Target Scores: Verbal – 145 or above, Analytical – 3.5 or above
    • *NOTE: The GRE admission requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
  • Language proficiency test (international students only)– FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
  • Transcripts – Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended. Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically at graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or via mail in a sealed envelope:
    • Florida State University
      Office of Graduate Admissions
      314 Westcott Building
      P.O. Box 3061410
      Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
    • Applicants who studied at International Institutes: Florida State University requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for all applicants that have degrees from a non-U.S. institution. International and domestic applicants with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through a NACES approved evaluator for transcripts from a non-U.S. institution. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. See the “Transcript Requirement” section on The Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions, for detailed information on University transcript requirements for graduate admission.

For this program, the following supporting documents must be uploaded to the Admissions Application Portal:

  • Personal Statement (1 required) – The personal statement should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications, and long-term career goals and should be no more than 3 pages in length.
  • Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
    • Letters of recommendation should be written by persons who are in a position to comment on the likelihood of your success within the department.
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae (1 required)
Application Deadlines

The counseling programs admit students in the Fall only. Applications open at the beginning of the Fall semester for the next academic year.

Only applicants that are complete by the deadline will be reviewed for admissions. A complete application includes items sent by people outside of the applicant (i.e., Letter of Recommendation, Official Transcript, & SpanTran Review of Transcript).

Application Deadline:

  • Priority International Student Deadline: January 15th
  • Final Deadline March 1st

Program faculty will review applications and invite applicants with strong applications to be interviewed.

How to Apply

Apply Now

Apply Now- International Students

Course/Degree Requirements

The 61-hour program includes two years of academic coursework and field experience. Academic course work is designed with increase your knowledge base and research skills as well as experiential activities to apply knowledge in your journey to become a mental health professional. The program requires a total of 700 hours across 3 semesters in Practicum and two semesters of internship where you will complete a total of 280 hours working directly with clients and students. These field experiences are overseen by tenured professionals who work with you on site as well as faculty who provide group supervision on a weekly basis throughout the semester. Program faculty will support student selection of field experience sites based on student’s career goals. So at the end of the program, students will have the foundational knowledge and formative experiences to be a strong candidate for many positions. A popular option for Career Counseling Students is to be trained and complete supervised work experience in the nationally recognized, full-service FSU Career Center. 

Students may also apply to join the research being done by the FSU Career Center’s Career Development & Technology Research Team.

Program Documents:

Handbook: Counselor Education Student Handbook 2024-2025

Course Sequencing: Career Counseling Plan of Study

Fall 2023 Counselor Education Program Outcomes Report

Field Experience Documents:

Student Field Experience Guide: 2023-2024 Counselor Education Practicum and Internship Manual

Guide for Students’ Supervisors: 2023-2024 Counselor Education Site Supervisor Manual

Tuition & Aid

The Career Counseling Program has been fortunate to have students successfully apply and receive graduate assistantships at the FSU Career Center as well as several endowed scholarships. The Career Center has awarded over $350,000 in over 200 scholarships to over 125 different students since 1995. While award of assistantship or scholarship cannot be guaranteed, program faculty work closely with partners at FSU Career Center and support incoming students in the application process.

Information about tuition and fees at Florida State is available here.

You can learn more about the scholarship and aid opportunities available from across the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences students here. 

Click here for information about our Career Counseling scholarships.

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