Degree Requirements

This 60-hour, hybrid, cohort program represents a two-year commitment each candidate is making to his/her/their education and cohort colleagues. Once admitted to the clinical cohort, all candidates are expected to meet all program requirements including but not limited to:

• Class attendance, participation, and timeliness
• Homework, in-class work, and group projects
• Practicum and internship demands
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) with no more than two grades of C throughout their coursework

Additionally, candidates are expected to meet professional dispositions, which include but are not limited to:

• Putting forth time and effort into this program
• Being punctual and dependable
• Willingness to accept feedback and differing opinions
• Personal and professional reflection
• Sensitivity to and acceptance of diversity
• Professional attire and communication with professors, peers, and other school professionals
• Other professional behaviors and attitude

Students must also demonstrate professional and ethical behavior consistent with the counseling profession when in practicum and internship. Any student who fails to maintain the appropriate level of professionalism can be immediately dismissed from the program, even if in good academic standing.

Program Requirements

License Eligibility

Licensure is important for professional practice as a mental health professional and the Mental Health Counseling Program is designed to prepare graduates to meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in Indiana and most other states. For students who are interested in applying for licensure in other states, the faculty will provide assistance in locating and understanding the licensing regulations for those states. The faculty also will provide assistance in developing an educational plan of study that will allow students to compile a portfolio that can be submitted to the licensing board in other states. Indiana University East cannot guarantee licensure and students are responsible for monitoring licensing requirements.

Licensure: Compliance: Indiana University (iu.edu)

Admissions

We are seeking candidates who possess strong interpersonal skills and strong academic credentials. The Admissions Committee will consider several factors when evaluating your application. Grade point average (GPA), strength of psychology preparation, letters of recommendation, and your personal statement are important.

GPA

Although no minimum GPA has been set for admission to this program, your GPA is one important consideration as it provides information about your past success in completing college courses. Ideally, a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher, both overall and in psychology courses, would be recommended for admission to the program. However, the Admissions Committee may recommend admission if your GPA is below 3.0, especially if your GPA for the last two years is at least 3.0 and your performance in psychology courses at least 3.25. If you believe you have evidence of extenuating circumstances that explains a weak overall GPA, you should contact the Program Director regarding your application.

Prior Psychology Courses

Along with your GPA, the Admissions Committee will review the undergraduate psychology courses in your program of study. Admission to the program does not require having completed your undergraduate degree as a Psychology major. However, completion of basic psychology courses at the undergraduate level will be considered by the Admissions Committee. Preference will be given to applicants who have taken the following undergraduate courses:

• General (or Introductory) Psychology
• Psychology of Personality
• Abnormal Psychology

In addition to these courses, preference will be given to applicants who have completed at least two courses that emphasize the research foundations of psychology. Examples of these courses are:

• Social Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychology of Learning
• Cognitive Psychology
• Sensation and Perception
• Physiological Psychology
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Statistics

Because the program requires students to have a broad knowledge of psychology when they enter the program, we can teach our foundation-level courses at an advanced level. That allows our faculty to bring students to a sophisticated level of understanding of how these concepts are implemented in counseling activities or settings.

How to Apply

This is a two-year program. Applications to the program are accepted every other even year (2024, 2026, 2028) in Spring. We begin reviewing applications on March 15 and continue until the cohort is filled. Acceptance letters will be sent beginning in April.

Applicants are evaluated on their own academic merits and ability to complete our programs successfully. Once all the necessary documentation is received, your application materials are reviewed and a decision is made. You will be notified of the decision in writing.

To be admitted to the program, the following are required:

• Apply to IU East as a Graduate Student
• $40 Application Fee
• Three (3) Recommendations: It is recommended that at least two of the letters be from professors who have a good knowledge of the candidate’s academic performance and potential. Only letters that are academic or professional in nature will be considered. Please note that the application form provides you space to list those who will be writing letters of recommendation; a form will automatically be sent to those individuals.
• Official Transcript(s): A bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a suggested minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the student’s undergraduate major, is expected. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may still be considered if other admission criteria warrant their consideration. Applicants should have a degree in Psychology or a related field such as Education, Communication, or Humanities. Admission also is considered for those who otherwise demonstrate the competency necessary to succeed in graduate work in Mental Health Counseling. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended are required. Please have the transcripts sent to Dr. Beth Trammell, Ph.D., HSPP, 2325 Chester Blvd, Tom Raper Hall 246, Richmond, IN 47374.
• Personal Statement: The personal statement should clearly explain the candidate’s relevant educational background and the reasons the candidate wishes to pursue the degree.

Advice for your Personal Statement

The Admissions Committee will consider the match between your professional interests and our program offerings. We recommend that you give considerable thought to the content of your essay as it is an important part of the evaluation process. Success in the counseling program and in the field requires high levels of responsibility, integrity, and interpersonal skill, as well as mastery of theory and research methodology. We are seeking candidates who have thought deeply about their place within the field of counseling. We encourage you to reflect this thought and to describe your preparation thoroughly in the essay you submit. Your personal statement should be approximately 600 words that answer each of the following questions:

1. Describe the academic preparation and skills that you have that you believe qualify you for the rigorous training involved in our master's program in Mental Health Counseling. Discuss experiential and field-based experiences that you believe prepare you for our counseling program.
2. Describe what you hope to accomplish academically during your graduate program and the career goals you have for yourself. Focusing on the actual job you would like to have five years after completing your graduate study will bring specificity to your essay.
3. Describe the qualities that you see as essential for an effective counselor and then assess yourself in terms of these characteristics.

Courses

The State of Indiana Licensing Board has set guidelines for coursework to be completed by graduates of master’s programs in counseling-related fields. This program consists of 60 credit hours of courses (49 hours of didactic, and 11 hours of clinical courses). The 11 hours of clinical courses will include both 100 supervised hours of clinical practicum and 700 supervised hours of internship, as dictated by the State of Indiana for licensure. The program involves both classroom instruction and experiential learning consistent with CACREP educational guidelines for accredited counseling programs. All coursework is required of all students, as the program is designed to match licensure guidelines.

Hybrid Program Design: This program has been designed as a multi-campus, collaborative hybrid degree program. This means approximately half of the degree credits will be offered in an online format, and half will be offered in face-to-face (F2F) courses.

Year One

Fall (12 credit hours)

• PSY-G 563 Foundations of Mental Health Counseling (3 cr)
• PSY-P 540 Principles of Psychological Assessment and Prediction (3 cr)
• PSY-P 511 Seminar in Professional Skills, Legal Issues, and Ethics - online (3 cr)
• PSY-G 522 Counseling Theories (3 cr)

Spring (12 credit hours)

• PSY-P 624 Principles of Psychopathology (3 cr)
• PSY-I 501 Multicultural Counseling (3 cr)
• PSY-P 632 Introduction to Clinical Interventions (3 cr)
• PSY-P 690 Practicum in Clinical Psychology (3 cr)

Summer (9 credit hours)

• PSY-P 502 Developmental Psychology (3 cr)
• PSY-G 550 Internship in Counseling (3 cr)
• PSY-P 535 Introduction to Addictions Counseling (3 cr)

Year Two

Fall (12 credit hours)

• PSY-P 736 Child Psychopathology (3 cr)
• PSY-P 657 Topical Seminar: Abuse (3 cr)
• PSY-G 532 Introduction to Group Counseling (3 cr)
• PSY-G 550 Internship in Counseling (3 cr)

Spring (15 credit hours)

• PSY-P 537 Program Evaluation (3 cr)
• PSY-G 552 Career Counseling and Development (3 cr)
• PSY-I 669 Psychological Assessment in Rehabilitation II (3 cr)
• PSY-G 550 Internship in Counseling (3 cr)
• PSY-P 657 Topical Seminar (3 cr)