You will experience the Gonzaga University School Counseling M.A. program alongside a close-knit cohort of other aspiring school counselors. You’ll move through the program with the same group of approximately 10 students, fostering a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and supportive learning environment. This cohort model allows students to grow together; teaching one another, learning from diverse perspectives, and offering consistent encouragement throughout the journey. Each cohort begins in the Fall and becomes a learning community where strong friendships and lasting professional networks naturally develop. The small cohort experience promotes deeper engagement in coursework, increased accountability, and opportunities for mentorship and leadership. Our graduates often describe the cohort model as one of the most rewarding aspects of the program, providing not only academic support but also emotional resilience and a sense of belonging that extends well beyond graduation.
Cohort Model
Leila, Class of '25
"The cohort model gives students the opportunity to learn alongside a group of people who think and feel similarly as well as different from them. It’s so important to have people who can help you process your experiences learning to be a counselor and learning to navigate school systems. I learned so much from my cohort, and I’m certain that we have only started learning from each other! I am so grateful that we will get to keep referencing one another as we start our careers. They are some of my favorite people, and they really made me feel less alone in the whole process of becoming a school counselor. I wouldn’t have wanted to do this without a cohort of people dedicated to learning in community, I think choosing a cohort model school is one of the best things I did for myself when I chose to become a school counselor."
Nick, Class of '25
"The cohort model exposed me to many different perspectives and values, helping me infuse them into my professional practice and worldview. I learned more about myself in 2 years than I had learned in the prior 10. So much of counseling education involves reflecting and considering alternative perspectives. The cohort model is truly a multiplier and catalyst for learning how to be a school counselor. I wouldn't have done it any other way."
