This program meets educational requirements for school counselor certification in NJ. As part of an interstate agreement with PA, individuals that are certified as a school counselor in NJ can subsequently attain school counselor certification in PA. (For PA school counselor certification, a PA praxis exam is also required. Applicants are advised to contact PA for all additional requirements.).
We do not monitor school counseling certification regulations in states other than NJ and PA, as our counseling program is on-campus. We have not determined if our program meets school counseling certification requirements in states other than NJ or PA.
Please see information here from the American School Counselor Association about reciprocity agreements certain states may have related to school counselor certification.
Depending on the elective options a student takes in this program, coursework in the program also meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Students should consult with their faculty advisor on appropriate course selection to meet educational requirements for LPC licensure in NJ or PA. Please see the Counseling Program Handbook for additional course selection guidance for students interested in pursuing the LPC in NJ and PA.
We do not monitor licensure regulations in states other than NJ and PA, as our counseling program is on-campus. We have not determined if our program meets licensure requirements in states other than NJ or PA.
Our program is CACREP-accredited and many states’ educational requirements follow the CACREP curriculum, although some states require additional courses and/or other requirements.
New Jersey is a part of the Counseling Compact. Via this compact, individuals who reside in and attain their LPC in NJ can qualify for a permit to practice in states that are a part of this compact. The Counseling Compact Commission has indicated that a privilege to practice is “equivalent to a license to practice counseling in another state.” Individuals must be a resident of NJ and attain independent LPC licensure in NJ, which usually takes about 3 years post-graduation from Rider’s MA Counseling Services program, as NJ requires 4500 hours of supervised clinical practice for the LPC. After attaining the LPC in NJ, individuals can apply for a permit to practice in another compact state. Some states may have other requirements, such as requiring that an individual pass a state jurisprudence exam to attain a permit to practice in their state. The American Counseling Association has indicated that the Counseling Compact will also allow counselors who reside in a compact state to “access an expedited pathway to licensure when the counselor moves to another compact state.”
It is estimated that applications for a permit to practice via the compact will open in 2025, but this projected date may change, so refer to the Counseling Compact website for updates on the estimated timeline. Please visit the Counseling Compact website for the most updated and accurate information on the Counseling Compact, including when individuals are expected to be able to start applying and states that are part of the compact. More information on the compact is also available from the American Counseling Association.
If you have questions about this disclosure, please reach out to your program faculty advisor or program director.