ȺpÎÞÂë

Students in this category have:

1. Completed at least 15 hours of psychology, including a course in statistics or research methods.
2. Submitted a completed application with an accompanying personal statement.
3. Submitted two letters of recommendation from professors, employers or supervisors.
4. Submitted an official transcript of all academic work previously attempted or completed. An applicant's GPA should equal a 3.0 Grade Point Average on a 4.0 scale.
5. The applicant's personal statement will be used as a writing sample.
6. Certified their proficiency in reading and writing English by achieving a 550 on the TOEFL written exam; 213 on the computerized exam; 79 on the Internet-based exam; or IELTS score of 6.0. ELS level 112 completed. Step Eiken (Japan) Pre-1 is also accepted.
   (Applicable only if student is from a non-English speaking country.)
7. Received acceptance by the Graduate Council of the College of Education and Social Sciences.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

In select cases, a student who does not meet the requirements for full admission may be granted provisional admission. Students may apply for full admission after resolving the admission deficiencies. If the student must satisfy the psychology course requirements explained above, those courses must be completed with a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Students may be allowed to take up to nine graduate credit hours as a provisionally admitted student. The student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 in these courses.

STUDENT-AT-LARGE STATUS

A student-at-large is not a degree candidate. However, should a student decide to apply for full admission status at a later time, but within five years of course completion, only three courses (nine hours) will be accepted for credit toward the advanced degree. At-large students are allowed to take a maximum of 3 courses with permission from the Program Director.

TRANSFER ADMISSION PROCEDURES

tudents may apply up to 12 semester hours of graduate-level work from other regionally accredited institutions to their program of psychology prior to their acceptance into Lewis Counseling Psychology program. A transfer student will follow the admission criteria described above and on page 45 (full and provisional). The following conditions apply to the acceptance of transfer credit.

1. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted.
2. Coursework must have been completed at an accredited graduate school.
3. Appropriateness of coursework will be decided by the graduate program director at the time of the student's application to the program.
4. Courses from outside the United States will be considered if they are evaluated as graduate level by the Commission of Accreditation of the American Council on Education.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT AFTER MATRICULATION

Students who are already matriculated at ȺpÎÞÂë and wish to transfer in a course must seek written approval from the chairperson or program director before the course is attempted. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted. Students may transfer in up to 2 courses.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The students will be awarded the Master of Arts degree when they have:

1. Completed at least 60 hours of graduate study as stipulated previously.
2. Successfully passed the comprehensive examination. (The comprehensive examination is normally attempted after 48 hours are completed; the comprehensive exam should be attempted in the student's penultimate semester.)
3. Assembled materials for a portfolio review consisting of, at a minimum, a supervisor's clinical assessment, the comprehensive examination and one case study from practicum or internship.
4. A GPA of 3.0 or above.

FULL ADMISSION

Applicants for full admission must:

1. Complete an application form.
2. Submit a personal statement. This should be no more than two pages, including why you are interested in the program, your career goals and any other information you would like the admission committee to know about you.
3. Submit two letters of recommendation from professors, employers or supervisors.
4. Submit an official transcript of all academic work previously attempted or completed. An applicant's schoolwork should equal a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).
5. Candidates must pass the Basic Skills test prior to admission to the program.
6. Candidates may be asked to submit to or secure a criminal background check as part of the admission process.
7. Must certify proficiency in reading and writing English if the student is from a non-English speaking country, by achieving a 550 on the written exam or a 213 on the computerized exam for the applicant's nationality group on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
8. Obtain acceptance by the Graduate Council of the College of Education and Social Sciences.

There are three enrollment categories for students in the program: full admission, provisional admission, and student-at-large. All students must present evidence of a baccalaureate degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education and a completed application that includes a personal statement of professional goals. Because this program is directed toward adults, it is expected that personal maturity and experience are prime indicators of success in the program.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

In select cases, a student who does not meet the requirements for full admission may be granted provisional admission. Students may apply for full admission after resolving the admission deficiencies. The Illinois Basic Skills test also must be passed prior to admission. Candidates may be asked to submit to or secure a criminal background check as part of the admission process.

STUDENT-AT-LARGE STATUS

A student-at-large is not a degree candidate. However, should a student decide to apply for full admission status at a later time, but within five years of course completion, only three courses (nine semester hours) will be accepted for credit. At-large students are allowed to take a maximum of three courses with permission of the Program Director.

TRANSFER ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Students may apply up to 12 semester hours of graduate-level work from other regionally accredited institutions to their program of school counseling. A transfer student will follow the admission criteria described above (full and provisional). The following conditions apply to the acceptance of transfer credit.

1. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted.
2. Coursework must have been completed at an accredited graduate school.
3. Appropriateness of coursework will be decided by the Graduate Program Director at the time of the student's application to the program.
4. Courses from outside the United States will be considered if they are evaluated as graduate level by the Commission of Accreditation of the American Council on Education.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT AFTER MATRICULATION

Students who are already matriculated at ȺpÎÞÂë and wish to transfer in a course must seek written approval from the chairperson or Program Director before the course is attempted. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted. Students may transfer in up to 2 courses.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The student will be awarded the Master of Arts degree when he or she has:

1. Completed at least 40 hours of graduate study as stipulated below.
2. Successfully passed the comprehensive examination, which is normally attempted after 30 hours are completed.
3. Attained a GPA of 3.0 or above.

GRADE POINT REQUIREMENT

Any student admitted to the Graduate Counseling program whose GPA falls below 3.0 will automatically be placed on academic probation. If the condition of probation extends beyond two courses, the student will be dropped from the degree program. Students may continue to take courses under special circumstances at the discretion of the Program Director.

Only grades attained in ȺpÎÞÂë graduate courses will be used in determining the GPA. No more than two courses in which a grade of C is earned will count toward degree requirements. A grade of D will not count toward degree or certification requirements. A 3.00 cumulative GPA is required for graduation.

COURSE FORMATS AND CREDIT

Courses are offered in the evening, and workshops are offered on weekends, each semester and summer. The normal load for a full-time graduate student is three courses, or nine semester hours. For those who are employed full time, the normal semester load is two courses, or six semester hours.

INCOMPLETE GRADES

Because practicum and internship courses are rarely completed in an academic calendar, incomplete grades in 27-581 and 27-591 will not turn into the grade of "IF" after the first six weeks of the following semester. Incomplete grades in all other coursework follows the policy explained in the General Information section of this catalog.

TIME LIMITATIONS

Students must complete all requirements within seven years from the time of completion of their first graduate course at ȺpÎÞÂë.

ENROLLMENT OF UNDERGRADUATES IN GRADUATE COURSES

Registration by undergraduates in graduate courses shall be limited to a maximum of two courses. The student must be within 16 credits of completing the bachelor's degree requirements, have at least a 3.0 grade point average, and have the approval of the School Counseling Graduate Director.

Credit earned in a graduate course may be considered as graduate credit, or as undergraduate credit to be counted in the number of credits required for the baccalaureate degree. Credit earned in a graduate course may not be counted toward more than one degree.

Registration for graduate courses will be included on the student's undergraduate registration form. It should be understood that credit earned in graduate courses completed while the student was an undergraduate will not necessarily be applicable to a graduate degree at ȺpÎÞÂë.