Applicant Screening Process

Students who meet all admission requirements as outlined above will be invited to an admission interview.

Candidates who meet the following criteria will receive a conditional invitation to an admission interview:

• A composite GRE score of 700-899 (or a comparable composite score on the new grading scale) and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; or
• A composite GRE score that exceeds 900 (or a comparable composite score on the new grading scale) and a 2.5-2.79 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
• If a candidate already holds a master’s degree, a composite GRE score that exceeds 1000 and a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0-3.4.

Admission Interviews

All applicants with a completed application package who meet the admission requirements outlined above will be required to participate in the on-campus Admissions Day interview process. The Admissions Day interview is an opportunity for faculty to assess the applicant’s potential for employment as a professional counselor. Admissions Day is held on the third Friday of March and the third Friday of November each year.

Required courses (39 credits)

• *  CNMH 528 - Counseling Theories and Techniques for Mental Health Counseling
• *  CNGC 529 - Multicultural Counseling
• *  CNGC 500 - Research and Evaluation
• CNGC 538 - Group I: Theory and Process of Group Interaction
• and  CNGC 520 - Group Experience (non-credit; graded on a (P) Pass/(N) No Pass basis)
• CNGC 539 - Introduction to Career Counseling
• CNGC 563 - Psychopharmacology for Nonmedical Professionals
• CNMH 532 - Psychological Assessment
• CNMH 534 - The Professional Counselor: Standards, Ethics and Legal Issues
• CNMH 535 - Applied Counseling: Adolescent-Adult
• CNMH 536 - Applied Counseling: Pre-Adolescent
• CNMH 540 - Substance Abuse and Dependency
• CNMH 564 - Theories of Psychological Development
• CNMH 568 - Psychopathology
• CNMH 569 - Crisis/Disaster Counseling

•  

  *To be taken within first 15 credits

Electives (6 credits)

Complete six credits of counseling electives (CNGC, CNMH, CNSA, CNSC) at the 500-level or above.

Fieldwork requirements (15 credits)

Students will meet with their advisor to plan their fieldwork experience. Students seeking licensure as a mental health counselor (LMHC) must complete a minimum of 600 hours of fieldwork at a mental health site. Students may work 10‑40 hours per 15-week semester and will register for three credits for each 150 hours of field work they will complete that semester: 10 hours per week/150 total hours = three credits; 20 hours per week/300 total hours = six credits; 30 hours per week/450 total hours = nine credits; 40 hours per week/600 total hours = 12 credits. Students must attend a clinical seminar each semester they are involved in field experience and must attend a minimum of two total seminars.

• CNMH 570 - Advanced Applied Counseling: Mental Health Counselor (100 hours; 3 credits)
• CNMH 571 - Internship: Mental Health Counselor (total of 600 hours; 12 credits)

Exit requirement: Culminating Experience

As part of the graduation requirement in the department, students are expected to complete a culminating experience which is overseen by members of the Department of Counselor Education faculty. The culminating experience focuses on students’ ability to integrate counseling and development theory into direct practice. Through the culminating experience, students will demonstrate the counseling competencies that align with current CACREP standards (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs), as well as standards that align within respective programs of study.

Candidates will complete the culminating experience with the successful completion of one of the following options:

• CNGC 502 - Research  (6 credits)
• CNGC 585 - Capstone in Counseling – Portfolio  
• CNGC 586 - Capstone in Counseling – Project Paper  
• Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE)

Students completing a master’s thesis must follow the guidelines established by the College of Graduate Studies. Students who are considering pursuing future doctoral studies are especially encouraged to select the master’s thesis option.

Please see the Graduate Academic Policies  section of this catalog for additional information regarding comprehensive examinations.

Total minimum credits: 60