Counseling

Marymount offers the M.A. in counseling with three specialization options: clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling.

The clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling specializations are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The school counseling specialization, all teacher licensure programs (elementary, secondary, and special education), and the M.Ed. in administration and supervision program are accredited by the Division of Teacher Education and Licensure of the Virginia Department of Education, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Marymount also offers a forensic and legal psychology option for students in the clinical mental health counseling program. This is a unique opportunity to earn both a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and a master’s degree in forensic and legal psychology, then complete the post-master's clinical supervisory requirements needed to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Admission Policies: Students admitted to other Marymount graduate programs must reapply to the university and meet the counseling program's admissions requirements before they will be admitted into a counseling program.

Nondegree Students: Students who have been denied admissions to any of the counseling programs will need to be approved by the department. Nondegree students may only register for the following courses with permission from the department chairperson and if space permits after registration ends for fully admitted students: CE 500, CE 501, CE 502, CE 503, CE 505, CE 520, CE 529, CE 532, CE 540, CE 541, CE 542, CE 549, and CE 551.

Admission Requirements for Master's Degree Programs: In addition to the university's graduate admission requirements, the following are required:

• acceptable GPA (An undergraduate major in psychology is preferred; however, candidates from other fields will be considered.)
• satisfactory scores on the GRE (including the Analytical Writing score), as determined by the department
• two letters of recommendation that speak directly to the applicant’s academic and interpersonal skills
• personal statement describing the applicant’s background and motivation for entering the field of study

Clinical mental health counseling and pastoral clinical mental health counseling specializations: Students are admitted for the fall semester only. Completed applications must be received by the January 15 priority deadline or March 1 final deadline. Applications received after these deadlines will be considered for a future admission date. If space permits, students may be admitted for the spring semester. Contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services for information.

School counseling specialization: Students are admitted for the summer or fall only. Students are expected to begin in the summer or fall immediately after their admission to the program. Completed applications must be received by the January 15 priority deadline or by the final deadline of March 11. Applications received after these deadlines will be considered for the summer, space permitting.

Process: After the initial review of applicants' preliminary materials, they may be invited to participate in an on-campus interview process with the faculty. The process includes group and individual interviews and a mandatory orientation to the program. All application materials must be received in order to be considered for an interview. The Office of Graduate Enrollment Services will contact those applicants selected for an interview with the date.

Following the interview process, the counseling faculty will review the entire application and render a final decision based on an assessment of both academic and interpersonal appropriateness for the program and the counseling profession. Applicants will be notified of their status by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services and should not contact the counseling department directly.

Academic Progression: The counseling faculty will review the academic, clinical, and professional development of students in all graduate programs each semester. Students must demonstrate appropriate academic, clinical, professional, and interpersonal skills in order to progress in the program and to be placed into a practicum and internship. Details of the review process and procedures can be found in the graduate program handbook.

Academic Probation: Students may only be on nonconsecutive probation once during their graduate studies. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 for a second time, the student will be dismissed. Students who wish to appeal their dismissal should refer to the Academic Dismissal section of this catalog for the proper procedure.

Legal Limitations of Practice: The practice of counseling is regulated by state laws. Questions concerning licensure in a specific state should be directed to that state’s board of professional counselors. Before clinical mental health counseling and pastoral clinical mental health counseling students are placed in a practicum or internship site, agencies may require them to undergo a national criminal background check. Students are responsible for the cost of the investigation. Students are required to obtain and present proof of liability insurance prior to the start of a practicum or internship experience and carry the insurance until graduation.

Maximum Credits: Students enrolled in the M.A. programs in counseling are limited to registering for a maximum of 12 credits per semester.

Minimum Grade Requirements: For the clinical mental health counseling and pastoral clinical mental health counseling M.A. specializations, a minimum grade of B is required in the following courses to advance in the program: CE 501, CE 502, CE 508, CE 520, CE 522C, CE 523C, CE 597C, and CE 599C.

For the school counseling M.A. specialization, a minimum grade of B is required in the following courses to advance in the program: CE 508, CE 520, CE 522S, CE 523S, CE 560, CE 561, CE 597S, and CE 599S.

Practicum and Internship Prerequisites: For the clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling M.A. specializations, in order to be admitted to a practicum or an internship, students must have completed the practicum and internship application process, which includes attendance at a mandatory meeting one semester prior to the placement, attainment of a satisfactory review of student academic progress, completion of the appropriate paperwork, submission of documentation of student professional liability insurance, and permission of the faculty.

Students must complete all prerequisites and 24 credits prior to registering for CE 597C or CE 597S Practicum. The practicum and 30 credit hours of the program must be completed prior to being admitted to CE 599C or CE 599S Internship.

Research Requirement: All students in the clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling specializations are required to log a minimum of 20 hours of research assistance under the guidance of one or more members of the counseling faculty or another approved faculty member. See the specific programs in the Counseling Student Handbook for details. Pastoral counseling students are also required to fulfill 30 service hours. See "Service Requirements" below.

Residency Requirement for M.A. Students: Clinical courses (CE 522C or CE 522S; CE 523C or CE 523S; CE 597C or CE 597S; CE 599C or CE 599S) must be taken at Marymount.

Scheduling of Courses: Courses are not offered every semester. Students should consult their program advisor for guidance on course rotations and scheduling. Students in any of the counseling programs may enroll in a maximum of 12 credits per semester.

Service Requirements: All graduate students in any pastoral counseling program are required to log a minimum of 30 hours of service to Marymount or the community. See the Pastoral Counseling Student Handbook for details.

Transfer Policies: For the clinical mental health counseling, pastoral clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling M.A. specializations, students requesting course substitutions or course transfer from other institutions must submit paperwork for the required courses to the counseling department’s Course Review Committee. Upon approval by the department, students may transfer a maximum of 12 credits. After admission into a program, students may transfer a maximum of six (6) credits. Students must gain approval from the counseling department's Course Review Committee prior to enrolling in a course outside of Marymount. No online classes can be transferred into the counseling program. No online classes are permitted to be taken while in the program.