Counseling and Psychology Admission Policy

In addition to meeting graduate school admissions requirements, the student is required to have the following:

1. Three specified reference forms/letters to include one from the applicant’s undergraduate adviser, department chair or dean, most recent employer, and a person chosen by the applicant. If the applicant is unable to obtain references regarding educational or employment history, selected individuals may be approved by the Graduate Counseling Admissions Committee. These references must attest to the applicant’s potential in forming effective interpersonal relationships, aptitude for graduate study, appropriate vocational goals relevant to the program, and personal and professional self-development as well as other relevant information to be determined by the program faculty.
2. A résumé that includes personal information and professional portfolio regarding topics such as, but not limited to, educational and work history, personal and professional goals, professional affiliations, awards, articles, and references.
3. Individual and/or group interviews conducted by members of the program faculty to assess the following topics: appropriateness of academic history, work history, potential success in forming effective interpersonal relationships in individual and group contexts, vocational goals and objectives and their relevance to the program, each applicant’s openness to self-examination, personal and professional self-development, and other factors deemed relevant by the program faculty regarding successful performance as a graduate student and as a counselor.
4. Evidence of academic skills deemed essential by the program faculty to include, but not limited to, written and oral communication, comprehension and critical analysis of professional literature, basic use of the library, Internet, and other information systems, and competence in statistics and relevant mathematics.
5. Approval of the Graduate Counseling Admissions Committee for the department within the parameters established by the College of Education and the Graduate Council.

For conditionally admitted students, a Plan for Proving Graduate Status (PPGS) shall be developed during the student’s first semester/term of enrollment. The PPGS may include

• specific undergraduate or graduate courses as prerequisites,
• retaking entrance exams, and
• proficiency examinations and/or work samples, papers, projects or other measures of performance.

The required level of performance for the PPGS shall be communicated to the student in writing with a designated completion deadline. Students who are conditionally admitted may take for graduate credit only courses that are approved in the PPGS. Conditionally admitted students must complete all requirements specified in the PPGS and maintain a grade of “B” or better on each course attempted within the first nine hours of graduate work.

Those students who do not meet the requirements described in item four above (evidence of academic skills) but who meet all other requirements for unconditional or conditional admission shall also develop a PPGS. These students may be admitted conditionally subject to the requirements and time period specified in the PPGS. Such students must also complete all requirements specified in the PPGS and maintain a 3.0 (4.0) scale grade point average within the first nine hours of graduate work.

Students must complete all admission requirements prior to registering for any graduate courses. However, those students who are required to develop a PPGS due to deficiencies in academic skills may have additional time as specified in the PPGS to remediate those deficiencies. If the student fails to meet all admission requirements within the time specified in the PPGS, the student will be withdrawn from classes with no credit.

Counseling and Psychology Program Guidelines

1. Required Hours
   Students enrolled in programs in Counseling and Psychology must complete 60% of required hours (excluding intership and/or practicum) at the site where internship and/or practicum are completed. (Required hours to be completed at internship/practicum location 60 hour program—10 courses; 48 hour programs-8 courses; 36 hour program-7 courses) Students should see their academic adviser for specific requirements.
2. Internships/Practicum
   Students are required to complete supervised internship and practicum courses at the same campus.
3. Comprehensive Examination
   Students must pass a written comprehensive examination for completion of counseling and psychology programs.