Admission Requirements:

EMU will admit a maximum of 20 students per year to this post-master’s certificate program. Applicants will be considered on a competitive basis, with the following criteria representing minimum requirements for admission. All Admission materials, both graduate school and certificate program, are submitted through the Graduate Admissions Office. To be considered for admission, candidates must provide evidence of each of the following criteria:

1. Applicants must have graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a master’s degree in counseling within the past 15 years. The degree must have included practicum (not field placement).
2. Evidence of academic aptitude for continued graduate-level study as evidenced by a GPA of 3.3 on their previously completed advanced degree.
3. International students must meet one or more of the following additional criteria:
   • A score of 550 (total) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a score of 230 on the Test of Spoken English (TWE) and a rating of 4.0 on the Test of Written English (TWE). (Additional course work in composition may be required.)
   • A score of 77 on the Michigan English Language Ability Battery (MELAB) and a rating of at least 3.0 on the oral interview portion of the MELAB. (Additional course work in composition may be required).
4. Personal Statement: a one-page statement focusing on the applicant’s motivation and rationale for seeking admission to the program as well as his or her background and goals related to professional studies.
5. Résumé: a focused summary of program-relevant, educational, career and/or life experiences.
6. Experience: A minimum of two (2) years of documented work experience, the majority of which involves working with school-aged children or adolescents (ages 5-18). This experience may consist of paid, professional roles or structured volunteer experiences in organized work settings and should be focused on improving the mental health, behavior, academic success or social skills of the children. Activities such as parenting, babysitting and day care do not qualify.
7. Three recommendations: These must be completed on recommendation forms available from the department. They should be completed by professionals with knowledge of the applicant’s suitability for graduate work and suitability to the profession of school counseling (e.g., supervisors, undergraduate professors).

For additional information regarding the licensure please visit the following link: www.emich.edu/coe/lc/docs/admissions/app_for_llpc_license.pdf

Each applicant will receive a rating on the following criteria: academic potential based on grade-point average; the quality, extensiveness and relevance of career/life/educational experiences to the field of school counseling; professional goals/objectives; and recommendations. Based on these ratings, applicants may move to the second phase of the process.

Applicants admitted to the second phase of the selection process may be invited to campus to participate in a personal interview. They will also receive information about programs of study and faculty expectations. Applicants may be asked to submit additional materials at this time. Based on evaluation of all materials and the interviews, admissions decisions will be made.

Program advisors will be assigned after students have been admitted to the School Counseling Certificate Program. The advisor will assist the student in developing the program of study that is required for full admission to the post-master’s certificate program for school counselor licensure. All courses and subsequent changes must be approved by the advis0r. Transfer credit can be used toward graduation only if it has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor and is within Graduate School guidelines. The certificate program must be completed within a three-year period.

Department Information:

Leadership & Counseling - College of Education

Advisor Information:

Degree Requirements: 12-30 hours

Notes:

* For candidates who have already completed a 600-hour internship as part of their previous master’s degree, only 300 hours of internship in a school setting will be required.

Changes in the student’s official program and substitution of courses must be approved by the advisor prior to registration.

Additional Program Information:

For more information about the program, admissions, etc., contact the department head or visit www.emich.edu/coe/lc