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Nov 22, 2024
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Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.
Counseling, Mental Health Counseling Concentration, MEd
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This 60-credit program is for those seeking licensure as a mental health counselor in Massachusetts by the Board of Registration. Program requirements have been designed to meet current state licensing requirements (CMR 262).
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Admission Requirements
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the last two years of undergraduate study. (If the candidate already holds a master’s degree, a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 is required.)*
- A minimum composite score of 290 on the quantitative and verbal parts of the GRE General Test if taken on or after August 1, 2011 or a minimum composite score of 900 on the quantitative and verbal parts of the GRE General Test if taken before August 1, 2011.
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals or educators outside of the BSU Department of Counselor Education
- A completed counselor education admission application, including a 500-word personal statement related to the intended counseling program option
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work completed outside of Bridgewater State University
- Candidates for education programs leading to initial licensure (School Counseling and Mental Health-Dual License) must also provide passing qualifying scores on the Communication and Literacy Skills portions of the Massachusetts Tests of Educator Licensure® (MTEL).
*Candidates who already hold a master’s degree are not required to take the GRE, but may be asked to do so by the Department of Counselor Education if their graduate GPA does not meet the minimum requirement.
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. Grade Requirement
Students must receive a grade of “B-” or higher in each graduate course or fieldwork experience; students who receive a grade lower than a “B-” must repeat the course. In addition, students who receive a grade of “F” in any course will be placed on academic probation by the department. Any student who receives a second grade of “F” will be dismissed from the program. Lastly, students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or will be placed on academic probation as outlined in the graduate student handbook.
Required courses (39 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.
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:
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
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