Eligibility Criteria
Applicants to the Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
- Provide a current resume or curriculum vitae outlining relevant education, work experience, and volunteer activities.
- Submit an essay on how your lived expertise integrates into your desire to be a mental health counselor, including your aspirations for creating meaningful change in individual lives and communities.
- Provide two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources who can attest to the applicant’s readiness for graduate study and potential for success in the counseling profession.
- Complete a group admissions interview conducted by program faculty.
Application Process
The admissions process is rolling, so applicants may submit their materials anytime. Applicants must submit all required application materials through the online application portal, and incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.
Selection Process
The selection of candidates for admission to the Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is based on a holistic review of each applicant’s qualifications, experiences, and potential for success in graduate study and the counseling profession. The admissions committee evaluates each application based on the following criteria:
- Lived expertise in navigating and surmounting systemic discrimination and barriers to access.
- Undergraduate transcripts that demonstrate academic potential or explanations for transcripts that are the result of systemic injustices and barriers
- Professional experience, including relevant work, volunteer, or internship experiences in counseling or related fields.
- Letters of recommendation highlight the applicant’s character, interpersonal skills, and readiness for graduate study.
- Alignment of the applicant’s personal and professional goals with the mission and values of the counseling profession.
- Performance in the admissions interview, including counseling dispositions.
- Priority admission and tuition reduction are allocated for people working in nonclinical roles in the behavioral health workforce and those who have graduated from a historically Black college or university (HBCU).
Notification of Admission Decision
Applicants will be notified of the admission decision via email within one week of completing their admissions interview. Admitted students will receive additional information regarding enrollment procedures, including deadlines for accepting the offer of admission and submitting enrollment deposits.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program adheres to a non-discrimination policy. It provides equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.