Application Deadlines
Deadline dates for applications and receipt of all required application materials are:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 1 | Fall Admission |
| November 1 | Spring Admission |
| April 1 | Summer Admission |
Any exceptions to these deadlines must be granted by the graduate program chair.
Application Materials Required for the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Applicants for a master’s degree education program must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University,
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama
36265-1602
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities with degrees posted. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Background check. Any candidate applying for admission to a state-approved teacher education program or the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program shall be required to be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check through the Alabama State Department of Education to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Instructions for completing the background process can be found here.
Note: Admission decisions to Clinical Mental Health Counseling are not necessarily totally determined by the background check results; conversation will ensue regarding appropriate field placements and career options. - Professional resume.
- Statement of Goals: Summary (typed, one page, double-spaced) of the applicant’s reasons for pursuing the program.
- Letter of Expectations: Summary (typed, one-page, double-spaced) of what the applicant expects is required for this master’s program.
- Three Graduate Reference Forms completed by individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework. Reference forms will be submitted electronically. Instructions for submission will be sent through email to the applicant upon submission of the online graduate application.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
- Applicants whose packages are complete will be contacted to schedule an appointment for a writing sample and an interview with faculty members of the program.
Admission Requirements for the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Applicants are admitted on a selective basis by the faculty members of the program, upon review of the completed application package.
Minimum Requirements for the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
An overall 3.00 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the master’s degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.00.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Jacksonville State University is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Requirements | ||
| ECG 501 | Assessment in Counseling | 3 |
| EFD 500 | Research in Education | 3 |
| EPY 525 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
| Core Requirements | ||
| ECG 506 | Professional Counseling Orientation and Technology (Required first semester of enrollment) | 3 |
| ECG 523 | Social & Cultural Diversity in Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 525 | Pre-Practicum: Skills & Techniques in Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 526 | Professional Ethics and Legal Issues | 3 |
| ECG 553 | Theory and Process | 3 |
| ECG 556 | Career Development | 3 |
| ECG 585 | Practicum: Applied Skills & Techniques in Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 591 | Group Procedures in Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 595 | Clinical Experience I in Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 596 | Clinical Experience II in Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration Courses | ||
| ECG 530 | Couple, Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 540 | Psychopathology: Diagnosis and Treatment of DSM Disorders | 3 |
| ECG 558 | Counseling Children/Adolescents | 3 |
| ECG 560 | Substance and Behavioral Addictions in Counseling | 3 |
| ECG 565 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| ECG 588 | Crisis Counseling Intervention Strategies | 3 |
| ECG 589 | Psychological First Aid & Disaster Counseling | 3 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
60 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Degree
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for this degree; please see the graduate advisor for full details. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.