M.S. in Counseling: Admission Information

In order to be considered for enrollment in a graduate program of Divine Mercy University, applicants must fulfill certain admission requirements. Below is a list of the requirements for the Master of Science in Counseling program within the School of Counseling (SOC).

Before you apply, please review below to ensure you qualify to apply to the M.S. in Counseling Program based on your location. Divine Mercy University (DMU) is obligated to comply with other states’ laws regarding the delivery of distance education to residents of other states. State laws regarding distance education vary state-by-state, and even program-by-program within a state.

For additional state and licensure disclaimers, please scroll to the bottom.

Application Deadlines

  • Last Application – Friday, April 19th, 2024
  • Last Group Interview – Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
  • Class begins – May 22, 2024
 
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Space is limited! Application prior to deadline is strongly encouraged! Personal interview required.

Admission Requirements

  • A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
  • Undergraduate cumulative GPA:
    • Minimum overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 GPA in the applicant’s major field of study, or a minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 credits in the applicant’s undergraduate degree.
    • In rare circumstances, applicants with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 may be considered for admission. An applicant with such circumstances should contact the Admissions Office directly before completing the application process.
  • Complete the application process which includes:
    • Completed Application for Admission document
    • One Recommendation Form from an Academic Reference – If you believe you may have trouble obtaining an academic reference, please contact the Admissions Office to discuss this requirement.
    • Submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions even if a degree was not awarded.
    • Submission of essays as noted in Application for Admission document
    • Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume
    • Official GRE general test scores (DMU school code 5639) within the past five years
    • $55 application fee, which the Admissions Office can choose to waive in extenuating circumstances
  • Availability for two video conference interviews after submission of all application materials.
    • Individual interview with admissions
    • Group interview with other applicants and SOC faculty
  • International applicants must have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s level degree. Applicants holding degrees from outside the United States must submit any international transcript(s) to a NACES approved evaluation service for a course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts. For more information, please visit the NACES website at: www.naces.org.
  • International Students whose first language is not English or who have not completed a degree in which English was the medium of instruction must have taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) within the past two years, and the scores must be submitted directly to DMU by the testing agency. TOEFL scores must be at least 100 on the Internet-based version (IBT), 250 on the computer-based version (CBT), and 600 on the paper-based version (PBT). Academic IELTS scores must fall into the overall band of at least 7.0, with no individual band scores below 6.0.

After all application materials have been completed and received by our Admissions office, the applicant will be invited to schedule a video conference interview with admissions. Pending the outcome of the individual meeting with admissions, a group video conference interview with other applicants and the SOC faculty members will follow. If you are seeking admission to a program after the Primary Application Deadline has passed, please contact Admissions for further assistance and to inquire if additional spaces may still be available. Note that seating is limited and cohorts may fill to capacity prior to published deadlines.

Please note that individuals seeking admission to multiple programs of study (i.e., M.S. Counseling and Psy.D. Clinical Psychology), must submit separate applications specific to each individual program.

Licensure Disclaimer

A license to practice is required by each state and/or jurisdiction where individuals might practice as a counselor.  It is the responsibility of each STUDENT to determine the license requirements for their respective state and to meet the requirements of their state for licensure.  License laws for each state may be found by visiting each state’s licensing board website, and through the American Counseling Association website: https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/licensure-requirements

Obtaining a license to practice as a professional, clinical mental health counselor often involves “layers” of licensing.  In some states, students can advance from one level of state licensure to the next level of licensure by meeting a higher criteria of educational and professional qualifications (for example, from Licensed Professional Counselor to Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Associate Counselor to Licensed Professional Counselor, etc.).  Students are responsible for determining the licensure requirements in the state for which they intend to practice, and for meeting the various requirements to apply for a mental health practitioner license at each licensure level as defined by state regulation.

Practicum/Internship Site Disclaimer

Students are responsible for finding their own “site”, under the supervision of their Director of Training and Internships, to complete their practicum and internship hours.  Please see the Program Handbook for details regarding the site approval process.  Prior to enrollment, potential students who live in remote or rural areas should consider whether or not a sufficient opportunity exists to complete their practicum and internship hours, and to do so with proper supervision.  In other words, if the nearest counseling center is 100 miles away, a student needs to carefully assess their ability to consistently complete the commute needed to complete their practicum and internship hours.  The completion of practicum and internship is mandatory for every student and cannot be waived.

Disclaimer for USA Territories and Countries outside of the USA

The Divine Mercy University Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is not designed to meet licensure or certification standards for USA territories or any country foreign to the USA.  By virtue of alignment with USA industry standards for the counseling program curriculum, the CMHC program may meet the educational requirements for USA territories or foreign countries; however, students are responsible for determining the licensure or certification requirements for any USA territory or foreign country in which they intend to practice.

Disclaimer for Arkansas

In Arkansas, counseling students must complete a Technology Assisted Counseling course (1 Graduate Credit Hour Minimum) for licensure. DMU meets this requirement through 45 hours of course work in telemental health in the Clinical Placement Orientation course.

Disclaimer for California

In California, counseling students must complete a course in Psychopharmacology in order to meet the educational requirements for licensure.  To meet this requirement, DMU counseling students in the state of California are required to complete an additional course: COUN 730 (Psychopharmacology) for a total of 69 credits.

In California, several post-graduate continuing education units are required to be completed as a condition of licensure.  Please review the information from the following link from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for specific information regarding the topics and hours required:

Additional Coursework Requirements for LPCC Applicants with Out-of-State Education

Please note: The post-graduate continuing education units are typically taken during the two (2) year supervised work experience after graduation and through a number of educational avenues, including an approved continuing education (CE) provider.

Disclaimer for Florida 

Counseling students in Florida are also required to complete a course in Human Sexuality in order to meet the educational requirements for licensure. To meet this requirement, the University counseling students in the state of Florida are required to complete an additional course: COUN 720 (Human Sexuality). 

In Florida, several continuing education units are required to be completed as a condition of licensure.  Please review the information from the following link from the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling for specific information regarding the topics and hours required: https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/licensed-mental-health-counselor/

Disclaimer for Hawaii

In Hawaii, counseling students must complete 300 hours of client contact with a licensed supervisor in practicum/internship. The University standard curriculum requires 40 hours of direct service for practicum and 240 hours for internship = 280 hours. To meet this requirement, the University counseling students in the state of Hawaii need to complete an additional 20 hours of direct service/ client contact.

Disclaimer for Idaho

In Idaho, counseling students are required to complete 1,000 clock hours of experience in a counseling setting that includes 400 hours of direct client contact for Professional Counselor Licensure.  To meet this requirement, the University counseling students in the state of Idaho are required to complete an additional internship course: COUN 693 (Advanced Internship) for a total of 69 credits.

Disclaimer for Indiana

In Indiana, counseling students must complete a course in Contextual Dimensions in order to meet the educational requirements for licensure.  To meet this requirement, DMU counseling students in the state of Indiana are required to complete an additional course: COUN 710 (Clinical Supervision and Consultation for Community Mental Health) for a total of 69 credits.

In Indiana, counseling students need at least one fourth (1/4) of the hours (10 out of 40) to be completed in group work for COUN 690 Counseling Practicum.

Disclaimer for Maine

In Maine, counseling students are required to complete a 900-hour internship in order to meet the educational requirements for the LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) credential.  To meet this requirement, DMU counseling students in the state of Maine are required to complete an additional internship course: COUN 693 (Advanced Internship) for a total of 69 credits.

Disclaimer for Missouri

In Missouri, counseling students required to complete two hours of suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management training. DMU meets this requirement through Course: COUN 640 Crisis & Trauma — Prevention and Treatment (est. 20 hours) Text: James, R. K. & Gilliland, B. E. (2017). Crisis intervention strategies (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Disclaimer for Ohio

In Ohio, counseling students must complete a course in Evaluation of Mental & Emotional Disorders in order to meet the educational requirements for licensure.  To meet this requirement, DMU counseling students in the state of Ohio are required to complete an additional course: COUN 750 (Advanced Evaluation of Mental and Emotional Disorders) for a total of 69 credits.