This is a two-year program. Applications to the program are accepted in spring of even years only (with start of classes being Fall of even years). Students admitted will start and complete the program together over the course of two years.

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.

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.

Acceptance letters will be sent beginning in April of each year that admissions are accepted.

12 students will be admitted to the program. This is due to licensure requirements for the group supervision course being a 1:12 ratio of faculty to students. We only admit students who begin in the fall semester (even years).

No. 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. See the list of courses below that provide a strong foundation for the Mental Health Counseling Program.

Along with your GPA, the Admissions Committee will review the undergraduate psychology courses in your program of study. You must complete basic undergraduate courses in Psychology. 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.

Your application file will consist of the graduate application, application fee, all official college transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and 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.

The Admissions Committee requires that you submit three strong positive recommendations from your professors or other professionals for whom you have worked. Only letters that are academic or professional in nature will be considered. At least one recommendation must be from a professor you had for at least one course. We recommend, though, that two of your letters be from professors. The Admissions Committee considers recommendations from Psychology professors to be especially important in evaluating your application.

If you have been out of school for several years and are unable to obtain an academic reference, you must contact the Program Director for guidance in identifying individuals who can provide suitable recommendations. It is important to choose individuals who know your academic ability, research skills, or clinical work well.

To begin the application process, complete the online application. Please note that the online application requires that you upload several items, including:

• Three names of those you wish to write letters of recommendation: Once you submit the names, an electronic request will be sent.
• Personal statement
• Official transcripts

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended are required. Please have the transcripts sent to:

Beth Trammell, Ph.D., HSPP
2325 Chester Blvd
Tom Raper Hall 246
Richmond, IN 47374

A $40 graduate application fee is assessed when applying to the program. Your application is considered complete once all materials have been received and the application fee is paid.

The Masters in Mental Health Counseling is a cohort program. As such, students are only admitted into a cohort in the fall semester, every other year. Complete applications received by March 15th will be given top priority. Applications received after March 15th will be considered on a rolling basis, given available space.

If you have any questions about your application or the admissions process, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Beth Trammell at batramme@iue.edu.

Classes are not offered on weekends. Approximately half of the courses in the program will be offered online.

Yes. This program is designed to include summer sessions.

No. Due to class size limits, the program does not allow students to enroll as a non-degree or non-matriculated student.

Face-to-face classes will be limited to students in the cohort (max 12 students).  Online classes may include as many as 30 students.