Change Lives with an EdM in Counseling
With a counseling psychology master’s, you can help people overcome mental challenges and work through complex issues. In this Master of Education (EdM) in Counseling program, you’ll choose from three concentrations to build the focused expertise you’d get from a master’s in school counseling, a sport psychology master’s degree, or a child and adolescent counseling master’s.
Whichever you choose, you’ll be equipped to support communities you care about on completion of this intensive two-year program.
Program Concentrations and Field Experiences
This counseling psychology master’s (EdM in Counseling) program has a strong mental health focus and provides you with both classroom and fieldwork experiences. This prepares you to work with individuals from all walks of life with a wide range of mental health issues.
I chose BU Wheelock because I knew the program would prepare me for licensure and future counseling work. Additionally, the program empathizes culturally responsive counseling and a commitment to social justice and equity.
Schools need counselors with mental health training. Be part of the solution. This concentration provides the deep expertise you’d build in a master’s in school counseling program. Help guide children and adolescents on their educational path, help them navigate challenges, and be a critical part of their support system. Students in the school counseling concentration complete a clinical practicum and internship.
Success in athletics is part physical, part mental. With a sport psychology concentration, you’ll help athletes develop motivation, mental resilience, and focus. This concentration provides the specialized skills you’d build in a sport psychology master’s degree. Prepare to support athletes, performers, teams, and coaches, or work within youth sports. You’ll complete a clinical practicum and internship, as well as a sport psychology practicum.
Mental health during formative years is very important. With a child and adolescent mental health counseling concentration, you’ll help impact young lives. This concentration is similar to a child and adolescent counseling master’s. You will prepare for a career providing guidance to children, adolescents, and young adults in community-based settings. You’ll complete a clinical practicum and internship, too.
Through my internships, I connected deeply with people from all walks of life, and the impact I was able to have reminded me why I started this journey at 46 years old—because I love helping others.
Career Outcomes for an EdM in Counseling
Become a skilled counselor ready to offer guidance, support, and understanding. When you complete a counseling psychology master’s (EdM in Counseling) from BU Wheelock, you’ll have the skills to:
- Demonstrate evidence-based practice, awareness, and abilities
- Work effectively with children through emerging adult populations as a professional counselor
- Maintain sensitivity to individual differences
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior as required in the profession’s code of conduct
All specializations in this counseling psychology master’s (EdM in Counseling) meet the academic requirements for licensure eligibility in Massachusetts.
Students pursuing the sport psychology concentration (comparable to a sport psychology master’s degree) may be eligible to become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC)® through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
Join Alumni in a Rewarding Career or Doctoral Program
Graduates of the EdM in Counseling are in demand by employers as well as American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited doctoral programs. Our alumni have gone on to work as counselors in numerous settings, including schools, hospitals, and sports academies.
Employers of BU Wheelock alumni:
- Behavioral health agencies
- Private and group psychotherapy practices
- University counseling centers
- Public and independent schools
- Hospitals
- Residential treatment facilities
- University athletic departments
- Sports academies
- Performance enhancement consulting firms
My experience at BU Wheelock taught me that I’m more capable and resilient than I ever realized. It also confirmed for me that I’m on the right path—that working in mental health is not just something I want to do but something I’m truly meant for.
Featured Faculty
The faculty of the EdM in Counseling at BU Wheelock include researchers who are experts in their area of study and clinicians with deep knowledge of the best practices in the field.
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Carly Block
Lecturer
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Bobby Hiep Bui
Program Director, EdM in Counseling
Senior Lecturer -
Hardin Coleman
Dean Emeritus & Professor Emeritus
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Maria Teresa Coutinho
Clinical Associate Professor
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Edson Filho
Associate Professor
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Amie Grills
Associate Provost, Undergraduate Affairs
Professor -
Petra Hesse
Clinical Associate Professor Emerita
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Melissa K. Holt
Director, Kilachand Honors College
Arvind and Chandan Nandlal Kilachand Professor
Professor, Counseling Psychology -
Kimberly A. S. Howard
Professor
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Grace S. Kim
Chair, Counseling Psychology & Applied Human Development
Clinical Professor -
John McCarthy
Clinical Associate Professor
Director, Institute for Athletic Coach Education -
Johanna Milord
Lecturer
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V. Scott Solberg
Professor
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Anna Ward
Lecturer
Dr. Edson Filho is an associate professor of sport, exercise, and performance psychology. His research centers on performance optimization in individual and team settings. He has worked as a consultant for professional, collegiate, and amateur athletes. His work on performance optimization has been funded by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and been featured in media outlets including BBC Latin America, the Boston Globe, Nature Lindau, and Scientific American.
Counseling Psychology Courses
Core courses in the counseling psychology master’s (EdM in Counseling) program cover childhood development, ecological considerations in psychology, and strengths-based theory to understand an individual’s attributes and adaptations. In addition to those courses, you’ll take classes in your concentration of choice on topics like:
- Guiding the College Admissions Process
- Classroom and Behavior Management
This concentration mirrors a master’s in school counseling, providing specialized courses, a clinical practicum, and an internship to help you master the field.
- Psychology of Coaching Teams
- Mindfulness and Performance
The specialized courses, clinical practicum, internship, and sport psychology practicum combine to parallel the experience of a sport psychology master’s degree program.
- Psychodynamics of Marriage and Family
- Evidence-Based Practice for Children and Adolescents
The combination of these specialized courses, a clinical practicum, and an internship delivers a deep level of expertise that parallels a child and adolescent counseling master’s.
Scholarships Available
Ready to begin your counseling psychology master’s (EdM in Counseling)? Don’t let questions of funding hold you back. At Boston University, merit-based scholarships are available to graduate students.
Admissions & Dates
Fall 2025
Aug 15, 2024
Application Opens
Fall 2025
Jan 15, 2025
Deadline to Receive Priority Scholarship Consideration
Fall 2025
Feb 1, 2025
Application Deadline for Sport Psychology
Fall 2025
March 15, 2025
Application Deadline for Mental Health & School Counseling
Connect with BU Wheelock to learn more about the Master of Education (EdM) in Counseling program. Learn about application requirements and deadlines, sign up for an information session, or start your application today.
Licensing Disclosure
Boston University offers a number of programs that lead to a professional license or certification. The Master of Education in Counseling Licensing Disclosure page provides state-specific licensure information regarding Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development’s Master of Education in Counseling program. Individuals pursuing the School Counseling specialization should review the information provided on the BU Wheelock Educator Preparation Programs Licensing Disclosure page.
Background Checks
Students who are admitted into BU Wheelock routinely participate in field experiences as a part of their respective program curriculum and requirements. Most field sites require criminal background checks to determine students’ eligibility for participation. History of a criminal background may disqualify students from participating in these required experiences, which in turn may impede the successful completion of one’s degree program.