Counseling and Guidance

Admission Requirements

• The items listed below should be submitted directly to the School of Education Office of the Dean, unless otherwise noted:

• Completion of the Graduate Division application form, submitted directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.

• Two official copies of transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0; or a 3.05 GPA in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate course work taken or a 3.0 GPA in at least 9 semester hours of graduate level coursework is required. An appeal may be filed through the Exceptions process.

• International applicants must submit a minimum score of 100 for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) or a minimum score of 7 for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in order to be considered for admission.

• A letter of application (intent) to the Academic Program Director in which the following questions are addressed:

a. Why the applicant wants to be a counselor;

b. The characteristics the applicant possesses that he or she thinks will make him/her an effective counselor;

c. In what specific ways does the LMU Counseling Program help the applicant achieve his/her professional goals;

d. the applicant\xc2\x92s commitment towards preparing himself/herself to be an effective counselor (e.g., devote the required time to an internship; become active in related professional organizations); and

e. a summary of experience with individuals from diverse backgrounds (e.g., culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and social class).

6. Two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should come from professors or instructors who can comment substantively on the applicant\xc2\x92s academic ability and potential to do graduate level work. Letters of recommendation from friends, relatives, or co-workers are not acceptable. Forms may be accessed in the online application.

• Interview and approval by Academic Program Director or Assistant Director.Certificate of Clearance (COC): Completion of fingerprint clearance (Livescan) process through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI must occur prior to enrollment in first semester classes. Fingerprint applications are available on the School of Education website.

• After steps 1-8 above have been completed, the candidate\xc2\x92s file will be reviewed for provisional or controlled admission. Under these designations, candidates are able to enroll in their first semester of coursework.

• Completion of the CBEST no later than the end of the first semester of enrollment. The CBEST is not required for those students pursuing the Master degree without the PPS credential. Intern candidates must pass CBEST prior to beginning the internship program.

• Signed Candidate Disposition Forms from two faculty members in the School of Education with whom the candidate has had courses are required before a candidate is granted Formal Admission.

• All entering candidates should first enroll in EDSS 6391 Foundations of Counseling. Candidates will be reviewed for formal acceptance upon completion of this course and steps 1-11 above. The course list provided in the Counseling Handbook (see Counseling Program webpage) is the preferred order of courses. The first two courses completed in the program are EDSS 6362 Counseling Theories and Techniques and EDSS 6391 Foundations of Counseling. It is best to take EDSS 6394 Helping Skills the next semester after completing EDSS 6362. Helping Skills is the first practice course that relates to the content learned in Theories. EDSS 6386 Practicum in Culturally Responsive Counseling is the second practice course and must be completed after the prerequisite course, Helping Skills. These courses cannot be taken concurrently.

• Basic Computer Skills: All applicants must verify that they have basic computer skills that are necessary for success in the School of Education. Applicants may either verify their skills by signing a self-verification form provided by the School of Education or take EDUX 846, Basic Computer Skills of Educators, during their first year.

• Prior to beginning fieldwork, candidates must verify 100 clock hours in a \xc2\x93practica\xc2\x94 experience (e.g., shadowing a counselor, observing classroom instruction, attending school-based meetings, peer counseling, personal or group counseling experiences). Eighty of these hours are accumulated in the required course work.

• Comprehensive Examination (CE): Candidates are required to enroll in and receive credit for EDSS 6995 Comprehensive Examination as a requirement for program completion. There is a fee charged for this zero-semester-hour course. The Comprehensive Examination examines a candidate\xc2\x92s content learning and ability to apply acquired knowledge and experiences to a set of practical problems.

International Students:

• Application for Admission: including the application fee ($50.00)

• Two copies of Official Transcripts: From all schools attended since high school.

• Transcript Evaluation: International applicants who have completed their postsecondary education from an institution outside the U.S. must hold a degree from a university recognized by the Ministry of Education as a degree granting institution. Transcripts from an international institution must be translated and evaluated by a U.S. transcript evaluation service before the application is considered for admission.

• Additional Materials: Most programs require additional materials, including standardized test scores, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Please see our programs page for admissions requirements for your program of interest.

• TOEFL/IELTS: Please check individual program pages in the University Bulletin for IELTS requirements. All applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless they received a high school diploma or a bachelor\'s degree in the United States. Exceptions to this rule may be made for students from countries where English is one of several official languages, as well as at the discretion of the program director.

• SEVIS I-20 Request Form: Along with your application, you need to complete the SEVIS I-20 Request Form and include official documents verifying funds to cover tuition and living expenses for your entire enrollment period at LMU. This verification document should be from either a United States bank or agency or an international bank. The Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility will not be issued by the University until such documentation is on file in the Graduate Admission Office.

• Visa Requirements: Applicants must obtain an international student visa (F-1) from the U.S. Embassy in order to enter the United States. The I-20 Certificate of Eligibility cannot be issued until the SEVIS I-20 Request Form (please see above) is received by the Graduate Admissions Office. Upon the applicant\'s acceptance into the University, an I-20 Certificate will be issued to the student as soon as all the required documents have been received by the LMU Office for International Students & Scholars (OISS, see more information below). OISS will provide detailed information and facilitate in obtaining your student visa from the U.S. Embassy.