This credential prepares you to work as a counselor in K-12 schools, providing comprehensive guidance and counseling services to students.

The Pupil Personnel Services Credential can only be earned concurrently with the Master of Arts in School Counseling degree.

Student Profile

Angie Winkler: Changing Lives as a Counselor

PLNU graduate student Angie Winkler shares how God led her to the calling of school counseling — and to go back to school to get her M.A. in Education and a Counseling and Guidance, Pupil Personnel Services Credential — in an unconventional way ... a trip "down under" to Gold Coast, Australia.

Read More

Are you ready to take the next step and apply?

We're here to make the entire process a simple one. We'll walk you through the application process, answer your questions, and get you one step closer to earning your degree.

Program Start Date(s):

• Summer 2023 Quad II - July 3, 2023

• Fall 2023 Quad I - August 28, 2023

• Fall 2023 Quad II - October 23, 2023

• Spring 2024 Quad I — January 8, 2024

Application Deadline(s):

• Summer 2023 Quad II - June 14, 2023

• Fall 2023 Quad I - August 9, 2023

• Fall 2023 Quad II - October 4, 2023

• Spring 2024 Quad I — December 13, 2023

Start Application

The Selection Process

The educational context at PLNU will challenge you to live a full life that integrates the pursuit of knowledge with beliefs, values, and actions. While honoring diverse perspectives and beliefs, Christian values and principles are woven into the educational experience. We understand your application is not only a reflection of you as a student; it reflects you as a person. At PLNU, we holistically evaluate your academic history, work and life experience, background, and circumstances to determine admission into a graduate program. Your undergraduate GPA is an important piece of your application, but if you do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of a 3.0, you may still be eligible for admission based on your application package as well as the exceptions policy per your particular program.* Therefore, we strongly encourage you to contact your enrollment counselor, who will advise you regarding your qualifications and provide specific information about the admission under exceptions process.

To be admitted into PLNU's Master of Arts in School Counseling program, you must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, as evidenced by an official transcript.

If you have any questions about your qualifications or the program in general, we encourage you to contact your enrollment counselor.

Application Checklist

Note: The application is completed entirely online with the exception of transcripts, which can be submitted electronically or directly to PLNU, and test scores, which should be submitted electronically.

1. Submit an online application for admissions (including $50 non-refundable application fee, which is waived for PLNU alums, current or former military and their dependents, and PLNU employees).
2. Submit official transcripts with proof of earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.* (If you are a PLNU alumnus, please notify your counselor to have your transcripts retrieved. You do not need to request transcripts from the PLNU Office of Records.)
   
   Official transcripts must be sent to:
   Point Loma Nazarene University
   Office of Graduate Admissions
   3900 Lomaland Dr.
   San Diego, CA 92106
   
   Official electronic transcripts must be emailed to:
   gradprocessing@pointloma.edu
   
   *Please note, official transcripts must be sent directly from the regionally accredited institution.
3. Submit a personal essay, 2-3 pages in length and double spaced, that addresses the following topics:
   • Describe your professional career goals for the next five years.
   • Describe the variety of experiences that helped you determine these goals.
   • Explain what motivates you to work in California’s diverse schools.
   • Explain why you are applying to PLNU, a private Christian university.
4. Provide two professional recommendations. You will be asked to register your recommenders by providing their names, titles, and email addresses.
5. Basic Skills Exam: CBEST OR Equivalent*

   • Test scores should be emailed to gradprocessing@pointloma.edu

   • Please note: PLNU does not receive scores sent from testing centers
     
     *Options for meeting the Basic Skills Requirement:

     • Pass the CSET: Multiple Subjects Plus Writing Skills Examination

     • Pass the CSU Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement Examinations

     • Achieve qualifying score on the SAT or ACT

Start Application

*Exceptions Policy: If you have below a 3.0 GPA in your baccalaureate degree, you will need to speak with your enrollment counselor for more information on the exceptions materials needed for your particular program.

Professional Licensure or Certification

This program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and meets the requirements for educator certification in the state of California, where Point Loma Nazarene University is physically located. PLNU cannot confirm whether or not specific programs meet out-of-state requirements for Professional Licensure or Certification. Information about out-of-state requirements in teacher credentialing is available on this website. 

The Master of Arts in School Counseling is designed to help you advance your career in counseling.

The program is ideal for:

• Elementary School Counselors
• Middle or High School Counselors
• College Counselors
• Career Counselors

For information about the courses required for the Pupil Personnel Services Credential program, view the PLNU Catalog. 

Course Information