M.S. in Counseling: Program Requirements

The Master of Science in Counseling program requires 66 credit hours for graduation.

A practicum experience of 100 hours with a minimum of 40 hours of direct services and an internship of 600 hours with a minimum of 240 hours of direct service are required as part of the 66 course credits.

M.S. in Counseling Program Goals (Aspirational)

Graduates of the M.S. in Counseling degree program will be able to:

  1. Exhibit a vibrant professional counselor identity with the foundational knowledge and skills of the profession.
  2. Enter the client’s life narrative with compassion and respect.
  3. Develop person-centered, comprehensive case conceptualization for effective treatment planning.
  4. Employ basic social and behavioral sciences, a habit of evidential reasoning, and the multiple roles of professional counseling to promote human flourishing.
  5. Embody a vision of the flourishing person that inspires them, as professional counselors, and their clients to have courage to trust, hope and love.

Information about additional Student Learning Outcomes can be found in the Academic Catalog.

Completion Requirements

Students must satisfy the following academic and clinical requirements in order to graduate:

1. Complete all practicum, and internship requirements.
2. Complete all required hours of specified coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and no grade lower than a “B” (86%).
3. Fulfill the course requirements of COUN 500 Counseling Advisement each semester.
4. Take and pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) with a minimum raw score of 88 (65% Correct) to graduate from the program.
5. Submit proof of attendance of a live, in-person counseling association conference at the state, regional, national, or international level during their enrollment.
6. Receive a satisfactory faculty recommendation based upon the final Professional Performance Review. See the Program Handbook for information on the Professional Performance Review process.

Time Limitation

  1. Students typically complete the program over a three-year period
  2. The time limit for completion of all requirements is seven (7) years, measured from the date a student begins coursework in the M.S. in Counseling program