Frequently Asked Questions
For R&P Students
2. Can I become licensed at an additional grade level?
3. Where can I see a list of the educator licenses that are offered in Massachusetts?
4. What is the difference between Certification and Licensure?
5. How and when do I submit my application for a Massachusetts License?
6. How much is the fee to apply for licensure?
7. When will I receive my Massachusetts license?
8. How do I check the status of my licensure application?
9. How can I request a duplicate copy of my license?
10. How long is my license valid?
13. Can I become eligible for the Professional stage of licensure by completing a program at HGSE?
17. Where can I find out more information about the MTEL?
18. Does Harvard offer MTEL preparation workshops?
21. Who can I speak with at HGSE regarding my individual licensure concerns?
22. How can I obtain more information about the R&P Program?
1. What do I have to do to obtain a Guidance Counselor license? a School Adjustment Counselor license?
For information on how to obtain a Guidance Counselor license, please
see the section of our website on Risk
and Prevention Program (R&P) Licensure Requirements for School Guidance
Counselor. For information on how to obtain a School Adjustment Counselor
license, please see the section of our website on Risk
and Prevention Program (R&P) Licensure Requirements for School Social
Worker/School Adjustment Counselor.
2. Can I become licensed at an additional grade level?
Yes, for those seeking the School Guidance Counselor license, an Adolescent Development course (eg., H-236) meets the DOE requirement for additional licensure at the 5-12 level, and a Child Development course (eg., H-250) fulfills the DOE requirement for additional licensure at the PreK-8 level. For those seeking the School Adjustment Counselor license, you will not need to meet any additional requirements to obtain licenses at different grade levels.
3. Where can I see a list of the educator licenses that are offered in Massachusetts?
To see the licenses that are offered in Massachusetts, and to learn about the requirements for these licenses, please go to the MA DOE's Section 7.04 Types of Licenses, Requirements for Licensure, Licenses Issued, and Requirements for Field-Based Experience and Licensure Help On-line website.
4. What is the difference between Certification and Licensure?
They have essentially the same definition. "Certification" or "Certificate" were terms used in Massachusetts under the old regulations and "Licensure" or "License" are the terms now used under the new regulations.
5. How and when do I submit my application for a Massachusetts License?
Denise Bowman, Licensure Officer, will meet with the R&P Licensure Track cohort at the beginning of the fall semester to instruct you on how and when you should apply for your license. You should not submit your licensure application until you have received instructions from Denise Bowman.
6. How much is the fee to apply for licensure?
The first Massachusetts license that you apply for costs $100. Each additional license costs $25.
7. When will I receive my Massachusetts license?
Generally, you will receive your license from the MA DOE between the months of July and August. However, the DOE does not guarantee that licenses will be processed and sent out by that time.
8. How do I check the status of my licensure application?
Once you have applied for licensure, you can check the status of your application through the DOE's on-line system. To do this, go to the DOE's Licensure website and click on "Check Status."
9. How can I request a duplicate copy of my license?
You can request a duplicate copy of your license through the DOE's on-line system. To do this, go to the DOE's Licensure website and click on "Request Duplicate."
10. How long is my license valid?
Initial licenses are valid for five years of employment and are renewable once upon the Commissioner's approval. Professional licenses are valid for five calendar years and are to be renewed every five years.
11. How does employment out-of-state or out of the country affect the validity of my Initial Massachusetts license?
The Initial license is valid for five years of employment in Massachusetts. If you work out-of-state or out of the country while holding the Initial license, that experience does not count against the five years of validity that are allotted.
12. I will be obtaining an Initial Massachusetts license through the R&P Program. What will I need to do to meet requirements for the Professional license?
Requirements for the Guidance Counselor License at the Professional stage:
- Possess an Initial Guidance Counselor license.
- Complete 3 years of employment as a School Guidance Counselor.
- Complete 60 graduate level credits appropriate to the license, OR obtain certification by the National Board of Certified Counselors or or National Board for School Counseling. (Please see the following question for more information regarding the 60 graduate level credits.)
Requirements for the School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor License at the Professional stage:
- Possess an Initial license as a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor.
- Complete 3 years of employment as a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor.
- Complete 60 graduate level credits appropriate to the license, OR obtain one of the following licenses: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor (LRC) through the Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health Professionals, or Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) through the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Work. (Please see the following question for more information regarding the 60 graduate level credits.)
13. Can I become eligible for the Professional stage of licensure by completing a program at HGSE?
No. There is not currently a program at HGSE that is state-approved for the Professional stage of licensure. However, the R&P licensure programs are tailored to support obtaining Professional licenses as a School Guidance Counselor and a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor. To be eligible for Professional licensure, you must be employed under your Initial license for three full years. In addition, you must complete 60 graduate level credits appropriate to the license (you may use the 64 HGSE credits earned to obtain your Initial license if you carefully choose your electives) OR obtain certification through an organization (as addressed in the previous question). See Section 7.11 for more information. To find programs that are state-approved for Professional licensure, please see the DOE's Educator Preparation Programs Directory.
As stated above, you may use the the 64 credits earned through HGSE toward meeting Professional licensure requirements if you choose your elective courses carefully. The DOE offers the following guidance for selecting elective courses: The courses should clearly address the topics listed under the subject-matter knowledge category for guidance or adjustment counselors in Section 7.11 of the DOE regulations. To be absolutely safe, assume that any course that does not directly and clearly address these topics will not be accepted for the purpose of fulfilling the 60-credit requirement. Syllabi, reading lists and assignments for each elective course taken at HGSE should be saved, as the DOE will ask for these materials at the time of the Professional licensure application.
14. What do I have to do to renew my Guidance Counselor or School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor license?
The Initial License is renewable once for an additional five years of employment upon approval of the Commissioner. To be eligible, five years of experience are required and you will need to indicate how you plan to fulfill the requirements for Professional licensure. (see Section 7.14 General Provisions/Renewal of an Initial License for explicit eligibility requirements). The Professional License is to be renewed every five years by accumulating 150 professional development points. (see Recertification for detailed information).
15. Can I obtain both the School Guidance Counselor and School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor licenses?
It is not possible to complete both state-approved programs concurrently while at HGSE. To obtain both licenses you will need to either complete state-approved programs in both of the areas OR complete one of the state-approved programs and seek licensure in the other area through the MA DOE Panel Review Process. Please see the R&P section of this website for information about the state-approved programs at HGSE and the MA DOE Panel Review Process for information regarding obtaining licensure through the Review Process.
16. Do I need to be a United States citizen or to have received a bachelor's degree from a United States postsecondary institution in order to be eligible for licensure in Massachusetts?
Citizens of all countries are eligible for school counseling licensure in Massachusetts. However, all applicants for Massachusetts licensure must have a bachelor's degree from a United States institution of higher learning, or its equivalent. Students interested in licensure who do not have a United States bachelor's degree should seek determination of their eligibility by submitting their undergraduate transcripts for equivalency assessment to one of several agencies. Please visit the DOE website for complete information on agencies that offer this service. For example, students can contact the Center for Educational Evaluation at (617) 338-7171 or access the Center's user-friendly website for specifics regarding how to get their transcripts assessed. Students affected by this regulation should seek equivalency assessment early in their first semester of study.
Once the determination of equivalency is made, the assessment documents will become part of the student's permanent file and the student will follow the same process to Initial licensure as those with United States bachelor's degrees. This requirement of a United States bachelor's degree equivalency is a Massachusetts DOE regulation and cannot be waived. The English language proficiency of all applicants is tested via the required Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL exam.
17. Where can I find out more information about the MTEL?
Please visit our MTEL page or the official MTEL website for explicit information and to download free Study Guides. You are always welcome to drop by 025 Longfellow Hall to pick up a registration bulletin and to peruse and photocopy our test-prep materials.
18. Does Harvard offer MTEL preparation workshops?
We offer MTEL preparation workshops at various times throughout the year for members of the HGSE community. The schedule is forwarded to current students via e-mail. HGSE alumni who are interested in attending a workshop should contact Kim Nguyen at kim_nguyen@gse.harvard.edu.
19. Where can I find information on licensure requirements and procedures for states other than Massachusetts (Reciprocity)?
Massachusetts has reciprocity with 24 states for Support Personnel licensure. Please see our Reciprocity and Links to State Licensure Offices web page and the NASDTEC web page for the specific states and other details. Books on licensure requirements in other states are available for you to review and photocopy in the Career Services Office - Licensure Unit, 025 Longfellow Hall. Please see Kim Nguyen, Licensure Staff Assistant for access to these books.
20. Where can I find preparation materials for tests required in other states (e.g., PRAXIS, CBEST, CSET, NYSTCE)?
Registration information flyers and test preparation materials are available in 025 Longfellow Hall. You may stop by and pick up a registration information flyer or access the registration bulletins online for the PRAXIS, CBEST, CSET, or NYSTCE exams. Test preparation materials for teacher tests are available for you to peruse and photocopy in 025 Longfellow Hall. Additionally, you can download preparation and registration materials from the PRAXIS website, the CBEST website, the CSET website, and the NYSTCE website.
21. Who can I speak with at HGSE regarding my individual licensure concerns?
To speak with someone in the Licensure Unit at HGSE, please contact Kim Nguyen at kim_nguyen@gse.harvard.edu or see our HGSE Licensure Contact page for additional names and contact information.
22. How can I obtain more information about the R&P Program?
Please visit the Risk and Prevention website or e-mail rp@gse.harvard.edu to obtain more information about the R&P Program.
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