A committee made up of the full-time Counseling faculty will make admissions decisions based upon a holistic review of all of the following elements:

• Applicants must submit a complete application for graduate studies to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. Applications may be submitted electronically or mailed.
• Official transcripts of all college/university coursework must be sent directly from the respective registrars of the institution(s) to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies.
• A grade point average of 2.6 overall (undergraduate) or 2.8 for the last 60 semester hours of coursework is required.
• Applicants must submit scores from either the Graduate Record Exam (GRE cannot be older than 6 years) general test or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). 
• Three reference evaluation forms are required, from references who can validate your potential for graduate study in counseling, as well as your appropriateness for the counseling profession.  Print three forms from link.  One reference must be from a current or former employer/supervisor.  One must be from a former professor; a certified school counselor; or a licensed counselor, marriage and family therapist, MSW, or psychologist.  A third can be from someone other than a family member.  Applicants should give each person completing the Reference Evaluation Form a stamped envelope addressed to: Secretary, Educational Leadership and Counseling; P.O. Box 2119, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2119.
• Applicants must have six semester hours of undergraduate background coursework in Abnormal Psychology and Human Development for regular admission to the program.

Applicants must respond satisfactorily to the following qualifying questions in no more than two typewritten, double-spaced pages total:

1. What is your experience related to the counseling field, either paid or volunteer?
2. What are your aspirations related to the field of counseling?
3. Describe one or more significant life event(s) that contributed to the development of these aspirations.
4. What is one personal characteristic or quality that you most need to modify, improve or change in order to realize your aspirations?

• Applicants must contact the Jack Staggs Clinic at (936) 294-1121 to make an appointment for a pre-admission on-campus screening interview.  During the interview, applicants will respond to a set of structured questions asked of each applicant. A Supervised Counseling Practicum Intern will interview the applicant. Each interview will be videotaped. Other Practicum Interns and the faculty member supervising Practicum may observe through a one-way mirror. After the session is completed, the Intern will write a summary of the interview. The faculty supervisor will forward the written summary of the interview and the videotape to the Counseling Program Admissions Committee for final disposition. Interviews must be completed by July 30 for Fall admission, November 30 for Spring admission, and April 30 for Summer admission.
• Question to be answered in written form the day of the on-site interview, immediately following the interview.  (300 words or less) What is your single greatest personal asset that will serve you in realizing your aspirations?
• An additional writing prompt responding to a vignette will be completed at the same time.
• The Counseling faculty may also consider performance in courses taken under Conditional or Special admission status as part of the holistic assessment process.
• Applicants are encouraged to download and read the Counseling Program Student Handbook prior to the on-campus interview. The Handbook provides detailed information about the mission, goals, procedures, and activities of the Counseling Program. 

• If you fail to meet one of these criteria, you may still wish to apply.  Conditional admission is occasionally extended to students whose educational backgrounds provide compelling reasons for admission.  Students admitted in this fashion must successfully complete (with a 3.5 graduate grade point average) the first twelve semester-hours of graduate counseling courses assigned by the Department Chair or Counseling Coordinator.  Additional stipulations may be added.

• The Certified Professional School Counselor 48 semester-hour curriculum is designed to prepare master's-level practitioners who are qualified to sit for the certified professional counselor TExES examination.  Coursework may meet the academic requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor.
• The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) 48 semester-hour curriculum is designed to prepare master's-level practitioners who are qualified to sit for the Licensed Professional Counselor examination. 
• The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) 48 semester-hour curriculum is designed to prepare master's-level practitioners who are qualified to sit for the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist examination.

• Applications are accepted for all semesters within these deadlines:  July 15 for fall, November 15 for spring, and April 15 for summer.  Applications include five items: application form, transcripts, test scores, recommendation forms, and responses to the essay questions.

• Your application form, official transcripts, and test scores should be sent to the:

Coordinator of Graduate Studies 
P. O. Box 2478 
Sam Houston State University 
Huntsville, Texas  77341-2478

• Three reference evaluation forms, responses to the four questions, and requests for further information should be directed to:

Department Chair 
Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling 
Sam Houston State University 
Huntsville, Texas  77341-2119