Teaching and Counseling Partnership Programs

a montage of images of children in classroom settings
 

Teaching and Counseling Partnership Programs

(BS/MS, BS/MEd, BS/MST)

Considering a career as a teacher, school counselor, or mental health counselor? Skilled teachers and counselors are in demand.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job growth and demand for teachers and counselors is projected to grow through 2031. 

Whether your goal is to go into early childhood or elementary education, become a secondary education teacher with a content area specialty at the middle or high school level, or work in the higher education or counseling fields, the RIT culture of innovation can help you prepare to be an educator or counselor who is skilled at applying technology and resources to help your students excel. 

Additionally, for future school and mental health counselors, RIT's researched-focused programs in psychology; sociology and anthropology; and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies can build a strong foundation allowing you to tap into resources for research and career development found only at RIT.

Save Time and Costs, Plus Take Advantage of Additional Support

RIT’s partnership programs with local universities provide a guided—and sometimes accelerated and reduced cost—pathway to a career in teaching, higher education, or counseling with a bachelor’s degree from RIT and a master’s degree from a partner institution. 

Even while you are still a student at RIT, partnership programs allow you to:

  • Save time and money on the total costs of your education thanks to tuition scholarships at the partnering university.
  • Sample the curriculum and coursework by taking up to six credits at the partner university. 
  • Explore the career option to see if it’s the right fit for you. 

Education: Early Childhood, Adolescent, Special Education, Higher Education

4+1 Program with the University of Rochester Warner School of Education

For RIT majors in:  

Leading to master’s degrees at the University of Rochester Warner School of Education in*:

  • Early Childhood MS
  • Elementary Education MS 
  • Grades 7-12 (English Language Arts, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies) MS 
  • All ages (Disabilities and Inclusion, Reading and Literacy, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) MS 
  • Higher Education (Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs Administration, Student Affairs Administration, and Academic and Career Advising) MS

* prerequisites may apply. 

  • Deadline to apply: March 15 of the year you wish to enroll. Apply for free with the University of Rochester Warner School application fee waiver.
     
  • RIT GPA requirement: 3.25
     
  • RIT credit requirements: 120. Transfer credits, whether from an Advanced Placement program or from another institute of higher education, may qualify towards total credit requirements on a case-by-case basis, and grades from transfer credits from institutions other than RIT will not count towards the minimum GPA requirement. 
     
  • Character and fitness evaluation: Gaining and maintaining full admission to Warner is further conditioned upon satisfactory performance on Warner’s character and fitness evaluation and a continued record of good citizenship and character, as conducted through a faculty interview. 

Students who do not meet these requirements may still apply to the program, but may have additional requirements as identified by the Warner School of Education admission department.

  • Academic Years 1 – 4, RIT Tuition and Aid: While attending RIT, RIT’s standard tuition rates apply and you will be eligible for all standard scholarships, grants, and loan programs offered through RIT. 
     
  • Academic Year 4: Eligible students will receive a 50% tuition waiver for University of Rochester Warner School of Education tuition. Students must apply for a UR tuition waiver, and a minimum 3.25 GPA is required before pursuing the first three-credit course. Successful completion of the first course with a final grade of “B” or better makes a student eligible to receive a second tuition waiver for an additional three-credit graduate course in the Warner School of Education.
     
  • Academic Year 5, University of Rochester Tuition and Aid: Pay reduced—50%— University of Rochester tuition rates. Additional scholarship opportunities through UR may be considered, and all scholarships and financial aid will be processed by UR.

Learn more at University of Rochester Warner School of Education >

4+1 Options with Roberts Wesleyan University:

  • Early Childhood and Special Education M.Ed.
  • Childhood and Special Education M.Ed.
  • Adolescence and Special Education M.Ed.

Learn more at Roberts Wesleyan University >

Art Education

RIT College of Art and Design

  • All Grades (Visual Arts - Art Education) MST

Learn more at RIT College of Art and Design >

Secondary Education: Deaf or Hard of Hearing

RIT National Technical Institute for the Deaf

  • Secondary Education of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing MS

Learn more at RIT NTID >

Counseling: School and Mental Health

3+2 Program with the University of Rochester Warner School of Education

For RIT majors in:  

Leading to master’s degrees in counseling at the University of Rochester Warner School of Education:  

  • Mental Health Counseling MS
  • School Counseling MS

In three years (six semesters), complete 96 credits at RIT* toward your BS undergraduate degree. An additional 24 credits will be earned toward your bachelor’s degree at the University of Rochester Warner School of Education. In total, you will complete 120 credits to earn your bachelor’s degree. 
 * or other approved undergraduate institutions as evaluated on a case by case basis.

  • Deadline to apply: March 15 of the year you wish to enroll. Apply for free with UR Warner School of Education’s application fee waiver.
     
  • RIT GPA requirement: 3.25
     
  • RIT credit requirements: 96. Transfer credits, whether from an Advanced Placement program or from another institute of higher education, may qualify towards total credit requirements on a case-by-case basis, and grades from transfer credits from institutions other than RIT will not count towards the minimum GPA requirement.
     
  • Character and fitness evaluation: Gaining and maintaining full admission to Warner is further conditioned upon satisfactory performance on Warner’s character and fitness evaluation and a continued record of good citizenship and character, as conducted through a faculty interview.

Students who do not meet these requirements may still apply to the program, but may have additional requirements as identified by the Warner School of Education admission department.

  • Academic years one through three, RIT Tuition and Aid: While attending RIT, RIT’s standard tuition rates apply and you will be eligible for all standard scholarships, grants, and loan programs offered through RIT. 
     
  • Academic years four and five, University of Rochester Tuition and Aid: Pay reduced tuition rates at University of Rochester, 40% of the standard tuition rate for UR School Counseling and 25% of the standard tuition rate for UR Mental Health Counseling. Additional scholarship opportunities through UR may be considered, and all scholarships and financial aid will be processed by UR.

Learn more at University of Rochester Warner School of Education >

Ready to begin? Let's meet to discuss options.

Contact the College of Liberal Arts Pre-Professional Studies Coordinator and Academic Advisor Jennifer Gaylord, J.D., to schedule a meeting to discuss your goals and review the options available to you at RIT.