Master of Science in Counseling, MS

Course Requirements

The MSC degree is a 60-hour graduate program that has the training of professional counselors as its objective. This curriculum is specifically designed to meet the academic requirements of the current Louisiana state licensing act for Licensed Professional Counselors, which requires a 60-hour Master’s degree in Counseling, including eight specific curricular areas. Accordingly, there is a core of six courses (18 semester hours) that provides a basis for further study emphasizing increasing theoretical knowledge and practical application skills in a variety of counseling specialty areas. The 10 courses (60 semester hours) devoted to theory and applications include a 100-clock-hour practicum and two semesters, 300 clock hours each, of internship experience. In the practicum and internship experiences, students are under the guidance and supervision of both University-based faculty and field-based practitioners.

Admission Procedures

The MSC program publishes a student handbook that provides guidelines and requirements beyond the minimum requirements of the graduate school shown in this catalog, and success in the program must be consistent with the MSC program handbook requirements.

All students need to understand that since this program is a professional training program and much of the professional training occurs during practicum and internship courses near the end of the program, no student is permitted to walk through graduation ceremonies until they have satisfactorily completed all program and degree requirements and have the approval of the Department and program faculty.

In addition to the general University requirements for admission to graduate studies as outlined in the University catalog, an applicant for admission to the Master of Science in Counseling degree program must also meet program requirements as stated below.

To apply for admission to the Master of Science in Counseling, applicants must complete and submit the LSUS Graduate Studies application along with transcripts to the Office of Admissions and Records. Applicants must abide by the MSC application deadlines. Applicants must also submit to the MSC Program Director: (1) at least two letters of reference, (2) MSC Program Application Form, and (3) Letter of intent. All material must be received prior to the MSC program application deadlines (see posted dates on MSC webpage for full program description), and an application is complete only when all required materials have been received. Program application deadlines are earlier than Graduate Studies deadlines.

Additionally, applicant’s credentials should provide evidence of freedom from limitations that would jeopardize their success as a professional counselor. All necessary forms are available at the MSC program website. Admission decisions are made by the MSC Program Committee, and are made on a competitive basis following a formal interview.

Grade Policy

A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for graduation from the Master of Science in Counseling degree program. Students are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA throughout the program. After any semester in which a student’s GPA drops below 3.0, the student will be placed on probation. The student is expected to return to a GPA of 3.0 or higher the following semester. Only one grade of C is allowed toward the completion of the degree. A second grade of C must be repeated with a minimal grade of B required on the repeated course for a student to remain in the MSC program. A third earned grade of C will result in dismissal from the program. All grades earned in graduate coursework, whether at LSUS or elsewhere, will be included in the computation of the minimum 3.0 GPA required for graduation. Undergraduate courses taken as prerequisites while in graduate status are not so included. Any grade below a grade of C in a graduate course will automatically result in dismissal from the program. Thesis grades are assigned as pass/fail based on student performance. Students may be allowed to retake internship courses one time only upon approval of the MSC Program Committee.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 6 semester hours with a grade of B or better may be accepted for transfer into the program by prior approval of the MSC Program Coordinator. An additional 6 hours may be considered for transfer approval, at the discretion of the MSC Program Committee and upon approval by the Graduate Council.

Comprehensive Examination

Students will be expected to successfully complete a comprehensive examination prior to placement in the internship. The program has adopted the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). It is an objective, standardized measurement exam developed by the Center for Credentialing and Education, an affiliate of the National Board of Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC). The committee will use the exam to measure students’ competency in the subjects deemed important by counselor licensing/accreditation boards. The CPCE was designed to provide summative evaluations of pertinent and professional relevant knowledge obtained through the program. The CPCE consists of 160 items that reflect the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP) eight required training areas:

The CPCE registration fee is the responsibility of the student. The LSUS Department of Psychology will coordinate administration of the CPCE. Individuals who perform well on the CPCE should perform similarly on the LPC licensure exams. Students who do not pass the comprehensive examination may retake the comprehensive exam twice. Failing the comprehensive exam a third time will result in dismissal from the program. The committee sets the comprehensive exam dates and at least two dates will be offered per academic year.

Background Checks

Applicants to this program should be aware that virtually all of the facilities or institutions which are likely to hire interns or graduates of this program will require mandatory criminal background check prior to any serious consideration for hiring, practicum, or internship. Applicants should be aware that it is unlikely a student in this program will be able to gain experience/employment if such a background check could/would represent a problem, and this should be considered before submitting an application for admission to this program.