Counseling, MS

Program Description:

The Department of Human Services’ programs share a common curriculum of courses associated with five different counseling concentrations. Students may choose to obtain a M.S. degree in counseling with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling; business and organizational management counseling; and marriage and family counseling; or students may choose to obtain either a M.R.C. degree with a specialization in severe disabilities or chemical dependency, or a M.Ed. in school counseling.

Students entering the Human Services Department must complete a program of study that includes a general core curriculum and requirements specific for their area of concentration. Students plan their program of study in consultation with their faculty advisor, and elective courses may be chosen as appropriate.

Students must pass a comprehensive examination at the conclusion of their plan of study, in some cases a professional licensure test or certification may be used to fulfill this requirement.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has conferred specialty accreditation to the following program areas in the department: clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling (M.Ed.). The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) has accredited both rehabilitation counseling programs: severe disabilities and chemical dependency.

Admissions Requirements:

In addition to meeting requirements for admission established by the Graduate School, candidates for these degrees who do not meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 3.3 to waive the GRE or MAT, must submit satisfactory Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores, unless otherwise noted (see Waiver of GRE/MAT). The minimum GRE score for regular admission consideration is 291 on the sub-scales Verbal and Quantitative combined. The minimum score on the MAT for regular admission consideration is a scaled score of 403.

All students considering graduate-level courses in human services should do so with the understanding that graduate study differs in quality expectations from undergraduate study. Graduate study requires that students be increasingly self-directed and possess strong analytical skills. Students are not guaranteed a master’s degree by attending and completing courses. Exit requirements must be met in all programs.

Admission to the College of Education and Human Services is based on the candidate’s written statement of purpose, consideration of undergraduate and/or graduate cumulative grade point average, submission of satisfactory scores on either the MAT, GRE, or other required examination, letters of recommendation and a personal interview.

Waiver of GRE/MAT

Candidates to Human Services programs may not be required to submit passing GRE or MAT scores if their cumulative undergraduate GPA is a 3.3 or higher. Candidates already possessing a masters degree from an accredited university or college in the United States also do not have to submit GRE and or MAT scores.