Please review this document for answers to your frequently asked questions regarding the ASCA U Specialist courses. If you still have questions, contact asca@schoolcounselor.org.
NOTE: Over the last few months, ASCA has transitioned all courses to a new learning management system (LMS), ASCA University. The switchover was done in phases, but now all courses are offered in ASCA University. Depending on the date of purchase, you may need instructions for both systems. Please find those instructions below.
Q: How do I access/complete my Specialist trainings that were purchased prior to the switch to the new LMS? (If you purchased your course prior to September 2024, these instructions apply)
You can always reference your confirmation email sent upon registering for the course or follow the instructions below. The confirmation email will always contain the proper instructions to complete the specific course you registered for.
To access your exams for the course, log in to the ASCA website in the top right corner at schoolcounselor.org and click on “My Profile.” Then click on My Profile again if needed. From your My Profile page, click on the “Purchases” tab at the top, then click on “Exams” on the left. Your ASCA U Specialist Course and its affiliated exams will be listed in the center of your screen. To access the materials for that exam, click on the “Details” button to the right of each exam. Materials for the exam are listed under the documents section of this page. Once you’re ready to take the exam, click on the “Take Quiz” button (See screenshots).
Once you successfully pass all course exams by correctly answering every question, you can view and download a record of your education credits by going to your “Account” tab at the top of your profile and clicking on the “Education Credits” on the left.
The following access instructions apply for Specialist trainings purchased starting around mid-September 2024–present, depending on when that specific course transitioned to the new system.
Note: If you purchased the course prior to September 2024, there’s a chance the course was still being offered in the old system. Follow the steps above to access courses in the old system. The confirmation email you received upon registering for the course always contains the proper instructions to complete the specific course you registered for, so that’s also a good point of reference.
Course Instructions
Complete all required course modules by reviewing the required course assignments and passing corresponding exams with a 100%. To access your modules, log in to ASCA University using your ASCA login information.
- Find your course under the Course Overview section in your Dashboard OR under your My Courses in the left-hand navigation.
- Once in your course, work your way through the course modules by completing the required assignments and passing all module exams with a 100%. Course registration includes access to all webinars, podcasts, and journal and magazine articles. Books must be purchased separately. You have unlimited attempts to pass your exams with 100%.
- Once you successfully complete the course, you can view and download a record of your education credits (CEUs and Contact Hours) by going to your “Profile” in the top right-corner dropdown menu, then selecting Achievements. You can also access this from your Dashboard.
Q: I completed my Specialist training in the old system. Will that data be migrated over to the new LMS, ASCA University?
Yes, we upload completion data from the old system into the new system every couple of weeks, so it will eventually make its way to the new system, but there will be a slight delay.
Q: What’s included in the $99 member rate and $249 nonmember rate when you purchase the course?
All required articles, podcasts, webinars and quizzes are included in the purchase price. However, any required books are an additional cost. You can find links to purchase the required books from within the course itself.
Q: How long do I have to complete the training?
You have one year following purchase to complete the Specialist training course.
Q: How can I purchase an ASCA U course using a purchase order?
You can submit your purchase order to asca@schoolcounselor.org. Please include who the course is for and which course(s) you’d like to register for.
Q: How long does it take to complete a Specialist training?
On average, the courses take about 50 hours to complete.
Q: Is there any particular order that I need to complete the exams?
In most cases, no. ASCA U courses are self-paced and designed to be completed in whatever order you wish. However, there are a few exceptions where due to course content, it makes sense to complete the exams in a specific order. In those cases, it is clear in the LMS the order you need to follow to complete the course. Once you successfully pass all course exams by correctly answering every question you’ve completed the course.
Q: Which Specialist Training courses are approved for graduate credit?
All ASCA U courses are approved for graduate credit. Click here for complete instructions on how to earn graduate credit for the courses. Click here for a FAQS regarding earning graduate credit.
Q: How do I earn graduate credit for approved Specialist courses?
First, you must register for and complete the course through ASCA. ASCA U Specialist trainings are worth three graduate credits. ASCA will submit grades to Lindenwood University’s coordinator at the end of each month. The standard A, B, C, D or F grading system will be utilized. If you complete the course, your grade will be reported as an A since you must complete all exams with a 100% (A) in order to pass the course. Click here for complete instructions. Please note, the onus is on the individual to determine if graduate credit is approved and/or necessary in your state or district to meet continuing education requirements and goals.
Q:When will my grade be reported to Lindenwood if I’m pursuing graduate credit?
ASCA will submit grades to Lindenwood University’s coordinator. You do not need to upload or provide a certificate of completion or ASCA transcript to ASCA or Lindenwood for your grade to be submitted. ASCA reports grades automatically once you register for the course at Lindenwood, as long as the course is completed through ASCA. Grades are processed at the end of each month upon completion of the course and Lindenwood enrollment. Grade reports are available the middle of the following month. Find more information about graduate credit process through Lindenwood here.
Q:Are my graduate credits earned through Lindenwood for the completion of ASCA U courses suitable for transfer credit or academic requirements for state licensure or certification?
Any graduate credit hours earned through these classes will not be suitable for transfer into any graduate degree program in counselor education, nor is it intended to satisfy the academic requirements for state licensure or certification. However, they may be applied, in most cases, to satisfy continuing education or professional development to meet licensure requirements or renewal. Graduate credits are nonrefundable, so participants are strongly encouraged to verify with their own state education boards, human resource/professional development coordinator or academic institution to determine if this graduate credit is applicable.
Q: Where can I find record of my CEUs/Contact Hours earned?
In the old system: You can find this by logging into your ASCA account and clicking on your Account tab/Education (see screenshot below).
In the new system: You can find a record of your CEUs/Contact Hours, awarded badges and certificates by going to your Profile in the top right corner, then clicking on your Achievement tab (screenshots below)
Q: What’s the difference between CEUs and Contact Hours
District/state terminology and conversions vary, which is why ASCA offers two types of continuing education: CEUs and contact hours. Industry standard usually states that 1 CEU is equal to 10 hours of educational content, while 1 Contact Hour equals 1 hour of educational content. Specialist courses usually take about 50 hours to complete, so they are worth 50 Contact Hours or 5 CEUs.
Q: Can taking classes with ASCA count toward state recertification requirements?
All states/districts have different requirements as far as continuing education and recertification. Check out this page to see a state-by-state listing of certification requirement websites. While we do try to keep this information updated, states do periodically change website links. You can always do a Google search for your state department of education and search on school counseling requirements from there. Most states accept ASCA professional development offerings without issue. However, if you experience issues, know that most, if not all, states accept graduate credit for license renewal and all of our Specialist courses and the ASCA Annual Conference offer graduate credit options.
Q: I passed an exam, but my score isn’t updating (in the old system).
Exam scores should update almost immediately, but sometimes there’s a system hang-up preventing this from happening. Once you’ve successfully passed an exam, please do not retake it. If it doesn’t update overnight then please let us know, and we will look into it for you.
Q: How can I download a transcript of the courses I completed through ASCA U?
In the old system, you can download a transcript from your MyASCA portal under the Account tab/Education after completing the course. Additionally, you will receive a certificate in the mail suitable for framing that most districts accept.
In the new system, you can download a transcript by logging into ASCA University and clicking on your Profile from the top right drop down. From there, click on your Achievement tab. In the bottom right quadrant of the page, click on “Download user data.” This will download a compressed file onto your computer containing various reports, one of which should work for your different needs.
Q: How do I download a certificate of the courses I completed through ASCA U?
In the old system: Our old platform does not allow for printing of digital certificates. You can download a transcript from your MyASCA portal under the Account tab/Education Credits after completing the course. (See screenshot in above question). Additionally, you will receive a certificate in the mail suitable for framing that most districts accept.
In the new system: You can download a transcript by logging into ASCA University and clicking on your Profile from the top right drop down. From there, click on your Achievement tab. From there, you’ll see a section “User Certificates” where you can print your digital certificate (see screenshot below).
Q: Are the ASCA U Specialist courses available for NBCC credit?
ASCA is not an approved continuing education provider (ACEP) for NBCC. However, some of the Specialist trainings may be accepted by NBCC if an NCC turned them in for recertification purposes, per https://www.nbcc.org/resources/nccs/earnce which states:
NBCC does not consider the School Counseling Leadership or the School Counseling Association Leadership courses to be relevant to school counseling for their purposes, so those are unlikely to be approved.
State-Specific FAQs
Q: I’m a school counselor in Washington state. How do I receive Clock Hours for ASCA U Specialist trainings?
The state of Washington has different requirements that most states and only accept Washington Clock Hours. ASCA is an approved Clock Hour Provider. You simply need to complete this form. Please note this form no longer requires ASCA’s signature.
Q: I am a school counselor in Pennsylvania. How do I receive ACT48 Hours for ASCA U Specialist trainings?
The Pennsylvania School Counselor Association (ASCA’s state affiliate) will assist in CEU conversion to ACT48 hours. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.
Q: I am a school counselor in Michigan. How do I receive SCECHs for ASCA U Specialist trainings?
The Michigan Department of Education has approved ASCA U Specialist courses to earn SCECHs; however, you will need to work through the Michigan School Counselor Association to earn SCECHs. You must be a member of the Michigan School Counselor Association, and there is a $15 fee associated with the reporting of the SCECHs. Instructions here.
Q: I am a school counselor in Mississippi. How can I receive CEU credit for my ASCA U Specialist trainings?
Register for and complete the course through ASCA first. To receive CEU credit, upon completion of the course visit https://rcu.gosignmeup.com/ and search for the course name. If you do not already have an account, you will be prompted to create one. Follow the steps as prompted to log in and purchase the CEUs for the course(s) you completed. If your school will be paying with a PO, you will need that PO number PRIOR to purchasing. CEUs will be awarded within two weeks of receiving final report of completers from ASCA. For questions or tech support, contact helpdesk@rcu.msstate.edu.
Q: I am a school counselor in Illinois. How can I receive CEU credit for my ASCA U Specialist trainings?
Unfortunately the state of Illinois no longer accepts ASCA U Specialist trainings for their continuing education requirements as ASCA is not an approved provider. Due to the state-specific requirements in Illinois, ASCA is unable to become an approved provider as ASCA is not located within the state of Illinois. As of now, the Illinois State Board of Education is accepting the ASCA U Specialist trainings when individuals go through the graduate credit pathway, although we always recommend that you check with your district prior to going down this path, as this does involve an extra fee paid to Lindenwood University. More information on that is above.
Q: I am a school counselor in Montana. How can I receive CEU credit for my ASCA U Specialist trainings?
ASCA is approved to provide professional development unit activities to Montana educators. To receive the official OPI Professional Development Unit Certificate required to receive professional development units for licensure, complete the ASCA U Specialist training then reach out to Jen Walsh to request your Montana-specific certificate. ASCA will confirm completion and then issue your certificate. You will upload the official OPI certificate to your TeachMT account, entering the information EXACTLY as it is printed on your certificate (Example: If your certificate names the provider as American School Counselor Association and you try and look under ASCA, you will not be able to find the event).
Have suggestions for future Specialist courses?
Send them to Jen Walsh .