Counseling — Admission Requirements

Please see the general statement of admission requirements for all graduate studies programs in the “Admissions” section of this publication. Also refer to the description of admission requirements listed under “Professional Preparation Programs for Education” in the “Regulations, Procedures, and Degree Requirements” section of this publication.

Counseling Program faculty recommend admission of applicants who present evidence of potential both to complete a graduate course of studies with distinction and to become thoughtful and responsive practitioners. For master’s applicants, such evidence normally includes:

A minimum of five social science courses.
A distinguished undergraduate transcript with at least a 3.0 cumulative average.
Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, and Rehabilitation Counseling applicants must submit strong scores on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). This requirement may be waived if the applicant holds a graduate degree from a US university in the social sciences or a related discipline. Applicants who hold graduate degrees in a discipline unrelated to social sciences or who have received any pass-fail grades in graduate study must provide test scores.

School Counseling students must present scores for the literacy portion of the Massachusetts Test of Educator Licensure (MTEL). Out-of-state applicants may substitute GRE or MAT scores for MTEL scores.

Three strong letters of recommendation indicating the applicant’s ability to work well with others.
A statement of intent.
A group interview with other candidates and faculty members.
At least one year of paid or volunteer work in a mental health or equivalent setting is recommended (required for the Family Therapy Track).

Additional Requirements for CAGS Applications: Candidates must have maintained an overall 3.25 GPA while earning a master’s degree in counseling or its equivalent. All candidates are asked to visit the campus for a personal interview.