Completion of an advanced degree (M.A., M.S. or Ed.S) from an entry-level graduate counseling program with preference given to CACREP-accredited programs.
Completion of 60 credit hours of graduate counseling coursework necessary to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). If the advanced degree program involved only 48 credit hours, applicants need to complete 12 additional credit hours to meet licensure requirements. Candidates must submit official transcripts documenting the completion of both undergraduate and graduate degrees, including any supplementary courses to become an LPC.
A history of academic success. The graduate transcripts must demonstrate readiness to succeed in doctoral level coursework.
Resume. Candidates should submit a resume detailing their counseling-related training, work experiences, and scholarship.
Supportive references. Three individuals must complete and submit reference forms. At least one individual should be well acquainted with the candidate's academic potential. At least one person should be a supervisor or trainer who can discuss in detail the applicant's counseling skills.
Professional writing sample. Application materials must include an academic term paper, published article, conference paper, or manuscript related to the field of counseling. The sample should be at least 10 pages and written in APA format.
Personal statement. Candidates must offer a personal statement of at least 2,000 words describing themselves and their specific interests in counseling. They are encouraged to go beyond the grades, honors, and work record that they have already provided on the resume. Instead, they are invited to share the personal qualities and life experiences that have contributed to their potential to become successful doctoral students in counseling. Finally, they should describe the professional goals and scholarly interests they plan to pursue by completing doctoral training.
TOEFL or MELAB scores, if an international applicant. International candidates for whom English is not their primary language must submit official test scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of at least 550 on the written tests and 220 on the computer-based test. Applicants must have taken these tests within the past two years.