Advisors:
Mary Anderson, Gary Bischof, Carla Adkision-Bradley, Stephen Craig, James Croteau, Lonnie Duncan, Suzanne Hedstrom, Alan Hovestadt, Phillip Johnson, Norman M. Kiracofe, Kelly McDonnell, Joseph Morris, Patrick Munley, Eric Sauer, Donna Talbot, Jennifer Wiebold.
Department Office, Room 3102, Sangren Hall.

The program options leading to a Master of Arts in Counselor Education are designed to prepare individuals for entry level positions in counseling, rehabilitation, and student affairs practice in a variety of educational and non-educational settings. The program options are:

1. Community Counseling with specialties in substance abuse, holistic health, and study in marriage and family therapy. ^{a, d}
2. School Counseling: Elementary ^{a, b, d}; Secondary ^{a, b, d}; or School Counselor License, K-12 ^{a, c, d}
3. College Counseling ^{a, d}
4. Rehabilitation Counseling ^{a, e} is offered as part of the Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching program (RCTM) which is jointly administered by the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology and the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies.
5. Student Affairs in Higher Education: Administration of College Student Affairs

Superscript ^(a,b,c,d,e) Definitions

^a Leads to Michigan license as a counselor.

^b Leads to endorsement as a counselor on a current, valid Michigan teaching certificate.

^c Prepares students who do not hold a valid Michigan Teaching Certificate for school counselor license recommendation in Michigan.

^d Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

^e Accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)

Admission Requirements

Admission to one of the options above is based upon grade point average, educational background, counseling and/or student affairs related experiences, as well as other factors. Prior to consideration by the M.A. Admissions Committee, applicants are required to complete and return a questionnaire indicating, among other things, the program option desired. Interviews, letters of recommendation, test scores, and other material may be required.

The Department has three different application deadlines for M.A. program admissions during the year: January 15, for ensuing Summer and Fall semesters, May 15, also for the ensuing Fall semester, and September 15 for the following Spring semester. Applicants interested in beginning their graduate master’s degree studies in the Fall semester are encouraged to meet the January 15 application deadline. This allows applicants to receive admission offers well in advance of the fall semester. Also, applicants who plan to seek assistantships or campus employment beginning in the fall semester should apply by January 15 to be competitive for such assistance or positions. Applicants must complete a WMU graduate application and a Department application.

Applications materials may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Orientation and from the Department, and are also available on-line through links on the WMU Office of Admissions and Department webpages. Upon admission, each student is assigned an advisor who will assist in preparing a program of study. It is recommended that the program of study, which also serves as the application for candidacy, be completed during the first semester or session of enrollment.

The department recognizes the importance of increasing the educational opportunities of racial minority students, as well as the importance of ensuring an increased diversity of role models in the fields represented by its training programs. Therefore, the department strives to create an atmosphere conducive to the concerns of racial minorities and diverse populations, to integrate these concerns into programs and course offerings, and to fulfill its commitment to recruit, admit, support, and graduate a diverse population of students prepared for their chosen careers.