Application Procedure

All undergraduate degrees are eligible for entry into either the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs and no prerequisite courses are required. Admittance to either program is based on several factors, including an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (when graduate semester hours are 9 or greater). Before any admissions decision can be made, all required application materials must be received. You will find all necessary steps for applying to the programs listed below. Items must be forwarded to the correct office by the appropriate deadline. Applying to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs is a two-tiered process.

The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling Programs have the following admission deadlines:

The Fall 2024 priority deadline is December 1, 2023. Applications will be accepted until February 15, 2024.

I. The following items are required for admission consideration to either degree program

• A completed online graduate college application. A $45 nonrefundable application fee is assessed for domestic applications. The international application fee is $75. Contact the Graduate School with any questions.
  
• One (1) official copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Transcripts must be forwarded directly from the institution(s).

II. College of Education and Program Requirements:

In addition to the requirements from the graduate college listed above, please submit a writing sample addressing the prompts listed below and three (3) letters of recommendation.  Your application will be reviewed for the following criteria: 

• your aptitude for graduate study
• your potential success in forming effective counseling relationships
• your aptitude for working with diverse populations
• the relevance of your career goals to the counseling profession

Your letters of recommendation should be from persons familiar with your work and/or academic habits (e.g., supervisors, professors, employers) and address the above criteria.

Writing Sample: Respond to the following questions. The combined length of all answers should not exceed five (5) typed, double-spaced, APA style pages.

• Why are you seeking a graduate degree in clinical mental health or school counseling?
• What experiences have you had that you believe will prepare you for a career in counseling?
• Besides a graduate degree and a job, what do you hope to gain from your experience as a graduate student?
• What factors do you believe constitute a culturally competent and sensitive counseling professional and how does that pertain to you? Also, comment on any experience you may have had working with diverse populations.
• What type of population do you believe you would feel most comfortable counseling?
• Who, if anyone, influenced your decision to pursue graduate work in counseling?

Complete the Online Graduate Application

Graduate Assistantships

The School of Counseling and Special Education has a limited number of graduate assistantships for students who are admitted to a program within the school.  Admission to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program or School Counseling Program is not a guarantee of an assistantship.  Not all students who are in the program receive an assistantship.

Graduate Assistantships are awarded for 1 year and may be renewed for a 2^nd year based on performance.  Graduate Assistantships do not cover the entire 60 credits that it takes to complete either the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program or School Counseling Program. 

Graduate Assistantships are awarded for an academic year starting in the Fall. Applications for Fall 2024 are due on December 1, 2023. Applicants must have submitted their program application to either the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program or the School Counseling program to be considered. Applicants are advised to begin their application to the program early and to have it completed by the final deadline of February 15, 2024.  

If you are interested in financial aid options, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

For other assistantship options, please consider those posted on the College of Education and Human Development page and the  Graduate College page. The School of Counseling, Higher Education, Leadership, and Foundations cannot guarantee scholarship funding for assistantships obtained outside of school.

For more information about the graduate programs in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling, contact Dr. Jared S. Rose, cmhscprogram@bgsu.edu, 419-372-9848.