M.A. in Counseling Requirements

Requirements

• Completed online application form
• A non-refundable application fee of $75
• A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a four-point scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate study. (Occasionally, applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted conditionally upon the recommendation of the program. Please contact the program director for more information.)
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate study, including evidence of having received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. The transcript must show at least 6 credits in psychology or other human behavior coursework.
• Official transcripts of all graduate study
• One written essay explaining your motivations to become a counselor.
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals who are not related to you, friends, or personal acquaintances. These letters must come from former professors and supervisors who know you as an employee or an intern.
• All international applicants from non-English speaking countries must demonstrate English language competence via the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) examination. TOEFL results may be substituted instead of taking the DRP. (Use 5240 for the ETS institutional code)

Additional Program Requirements

• Once your application is completed, you will be contacted by program faculty. An interview with faculty using American Sign Language (ASL) is the final step in applying for the program.
• Accepted students must achieve an ASLPI score of 2 or above to engage in field placement. Fluency in ASL is essential for applicants.
• Students are expected to have engaged in their own personal counseling, either in the past or while they are in the program.
• Applicants who have no experience in the mental health field are encouraged to volunteer at a mental health agency to gain early experience. Volunteering in roles which are both clinical and non-clinical are of value for applicants.

Gallaudet University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Title IV approved institution.

The M.A. in Counseling program is aligned with standards from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) organization.

In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education and the District of Columbia Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) requirements for participation in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), the University provides information pertaining to this program and clinical mental health counselor licensure within each of the U.S. states and territories.

This program is designed to meet the educational requirements for clinical mental health counseling licensure in the District of Columbia. The school counseling concentration is designed to meet the certification requirements in the District of Columbia.

If you intend to secure licensure outside of Washington, D.C., then BEFORE beginning the Gallaudet program, review the Professional Licensure by State page for the state or territory of interest. This will help you determine whether Gallaudet has obtained confirmation from the state or territory that the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program meets, does not meet, or cannot be confirmed as meeting the educational requirements for licensure.

When it comes to licensure requirements, not all states and territories recognize educational programs from other states and territories in the same manner. Thus, if the program “cannot be confirmed as meeting” the educational requirements for licensure in a particular locality, it may nevertheless meet all or a portion of the educational requirements. In this instance, we recommend directly contacting the licensing agency for confirmation before beginning the Gallaudet program.

Of course, state and territory regulations can change. So we recommend that, should you pursue the Gallaudet program, you regularly check licensure requirements throughout your studies to ensure ongoing eligibility.

While Gallaudet University strives to provide current and accurate information, human error may occur, and state requirements may change or be updated without our knowledge.