M.A. Concentration in Counseling Psychology (Non-Licensure)

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

The Master of Arts, Concentration in Counseling Psychology - Non-Licensure track provides a theoretical understanding of the issues related to the helping profession. Students receive a strong foundation in psychology and in current theories, data, and research related to counseling approaches. Note: This 40-credit hour program does not prepare the student to work as a counselor or lead to licensure.

Our mission is to provide students with opportunities to pursue graduate studies in the area of Counseling Psychology. Students engage in a curriculum that promotes the development of a skill set that includes critical and scientific thinking, ethical reasoning, clinical decision making, and forming and maintaining collaborative professional relationships with clients, community members and other professionals in the field. In addition, special emphasis will be placed on self-awareness and the ability to self-monitor as critical components of the counseling process. Our graduates will be prepared to become lifelong learners engaging in professional development and contributing as informed socially responsible citizens of Massachusetts, the United States, and the greater diverse world.

Program Requirements

This program requires successful completion of 10 course-credits (40 semester hours). Completion of this degree does NOT lead to licensure as a Mental Health Counselor.

Core Requirements (7):

Three (3) electives to be chosen from the following:

Note: Course substitutions may only be made with approval from the Program Coordinator and Advisor.

 

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is a competitive process. Individuals possessing a baccalaureate degree in any major from a regionally accredited institution are eligible to apply for admission. Admissions are accepted only for enrollment for the fall semester. Students wishing to enroll in courses prior to matriculation to the program must obtain permission from the Program Coordinator, Dr. Deborah McMakin (dmcmakin@framingham.edu) and are restricted to enrollment in the following two courses and must have completed all undergraduate prerequisites:

CPSY 901 Theories of Psychotherapy and Counseling
CPSY 911 Orientation to Counseling Practice

Applicants are evaluated based on numerous factors including previous college course work; Graduate Record Examinations scores or Miller Analogies score; letter of recommendation; and a personal statement. The personal statement describes the applicant’s goals and reasons for applying to the graduate program.

The admissions committee will begin review of applicant materials upon receipt of all required documents.

Requirements

  1. Completed online graduate admission application
  2. $50.00 application fee
  3. Office copies of undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts, including those that list the prerequisites listed below (#8).
  4. Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
  5. Applicants are required to possess an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.80 on a 4.00 scale, with a 3.00 grade point average in undergraduate psychology courses.
  6. Applicants must obtain a combined, total score of 290 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or a minimum of 450 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants who possess a graduate degree and/or possess an overall undergraduate grade point average of a least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale are exempt from submitting GRE or MAT scores.
  7. Applicants must submit a 500-word minimum personal statement indicating why they want to enter the field of mental health counseling.
  8. Applicants must also submit three (3) letters of recommendation, which describe the recommender’s relationship to the applicant and how the applicant responds to guidance and/or constructive feedback. One letter from a faculty member (who has taught the candidate at the collegiate level), one letter from a supervisor and a third letter from a supervisor or faculty member are required, if the candidate attended classes in the last five years. If is it not possible to obtain a letter from a faculty member, then three letters should be from employers or supervisors as described above. Personal letters of recommendation, including non-supervisory co-workers, family or friends will not be accepted.
  9. The following undergraduate psychology courses must have been completed with the last ten years prior to matriculation: General (Introductory) Psychology, Psychology of Personality, Abnormal Psychology, and a course in Developmental Psychology (e.g., child, adolescent, adulthood and aging, lifespan). Students with a satisfactory score on an Introductory General Psychology and/or Developmental Psychology CLEP exams may waive respective undergraduate prerequisites.
  10. Applicants may be invited for a personal interview as part of the admissions requirement.

Prospective applicants who wish to have an advising session prior to applying can schedule an appointment with an advisor between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; on campus or over the phone. View available times and make an appointment online or by calling 508-626-4540.

Professional Growth and Suitability Evaluation

Due to the sensitive nature of the duties and responsibilities a mental health counselor must perform, applicants are also periodically screened and evaluated for their professional suitability and growth. The University and the faculty associated with the Counseling Psychology program assume responsibility for ensuring that graduates of the program possess both the academic knowledge and the personal attributes required of all persons who aspire to be licensed professional counselors.

Therefore, students will be evaluated on suitability for continuation in the program throughout their program of study. At the conclusion of each course, the instructor will evaluate students on both academic competence and professional suitability. These evaluations may be used for one of the following:

  1. Admission criteria for the Counseling Psychology Program
  2. Continuation of matriculated status in the program

Students will be evaluated in content courses and application courses (i.e., practicum and internship experiences). At any time, a matriculated student who is judged to be in question for continuation in the program will be apprised of the specific deficiencies noted by the Professional Review Committee and may be allowed to continue in the program on a probationary basis. A second continuation evaluation will be conducted. If the student is still deemed to be deficient, the student will be disallowed from continuation in the Counseling Psychology program. Students who complete the initial two-year sequence of courses but are terminated from the licensure program may apply to the non-licensure track.

 

Effective as of the 2022-2023 Graduate Catalog