Counselor Education

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Admissions

Admissions is a competitive process based on criteria including academic preparation, ability to communicate effectively, potential to work with diverse populations, experience in counseling or related positions, and demonstrated commitment to the counseling field.

Applications are accepted during both the fall and spring, with deadlines of October 1 and February 1, respectively. The October process is provided for students who would like to make plans early for the coming year. If admitted into the program, students have the option of starting the program in the following summer or fall semester.

The following is a summary of the admissions process. For more details, we encourage all potential applicants to attend an information session. If you have questions about the admissions process, you may contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Betters-Bubon, at bettersj@uww.edu.

 

Admissions Criteria

 

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• Overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75* on a four-point scale
• Sufficient background in the behavioral sciences including coursework in the following:
  1. Human Development
  2. Abnormal Psychology
  3. Statistics

Students may be admitted to the program with these "deficiencies" (prerequisites not yet completed). Identified deficiencies must be removed prior to enrollment in coursework beyond the first nine (9) credits. Courses taken to remove deficiencies may be at the undergraduate or graduate level. Credit earned to remove deficiencies will not count toward the degree requirements for the Master of Science in Counseling.

*Students seeking an exception (based on an undergraduate GPA of less than 2.75) to the admissions standards should do the following:

1. Follow the Admissions Procedures (Step 1 and 2) listed below.
2. Submit a letter requesting an exception clearly identifying reasons that justify this exception.
3. Provide information supportive of this exception (e.g., additional references, Graduate Record Exam scores, life experiences, etc.).

On receipt of these materials, the regular admissions procedures will be followed. Academic background (including specific deficiencies) will be examined and discussed in the admissions interview.

 

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Admissions Procedures

 

Steps to apply to the Counselor Education Program:

Step 1

Apply to the School of Graduate Studies by either February 1 or October 1. Click here to access the online application. To apply, you must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and have an overall undergraduate grade point average of *2.75 on a four-point scale. The application needs to be completed and received by Feb. 1 or Oct. 1 along with a $56.00 application fee.

Request a hard copy of transcripts from your undergraduate school(s) to be sent to the UW-Whitewater School of Graduate Studies by Feb. 1 or Oct. 1.

School of Graduate Studies
Roseman 2013, UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190

The School of Graduate Studies will forward the application and transcripts to the Counselor Education Department. For more information you can contact the School of Graduate Studies at 262-472-1006 or gradschl@uww.edu.  

Step 2

Submit application materials to the Counselor Education Department by Feb. 1 or Oct. 1. Electronic documents will be accepted.

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Brief autobiography
• Two-to-three page essay pertaining to career goals and plans
• Reference letters from two (2) persons knowledgeable about the student's potential to do graduate work and function successfully as a counselor. All reference letters will need to be completed online. The link will be provided to the applicant upon completion of the graduate school application. It will be the applicant's responsibility to provide their references with this link.  
• No GRE Required
• By making an application to the Counselor Education Program, the applicant affirms that they have read the current online version of the Student Handbook and will abide by the standards and requirements as listed in the handbook, including being able to pass a background check prior to commencing clinical work.

Send the above materials to schoenbl@uww.ed​u (electronically) or in the mail addressed as follows:

The Chairperson
Department of Counselor Education
Winther Hall 6035, UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190

All documents (hard copies or electronic) must be submitted by the admissions due date or the applicant will not be considered for the current admissions process. When the due date falls on the weekend, the next business day becomes the effective due date.

Step 3

Departmental Review

1. Individuals meeting application requirements will have applications reviewed.
2. Applicants chosen for further consideration will have an interview scheduled.
3. Admissions is a competitive process based on the following criteria:
   • Academic preparation
   • Ability to communicate effectively
   • Potential to work with diverse populations
   • Experience in counseling or related positions
   • Demonstrated commitment to the counseling field
   • Dispositions

There are two admissions cycles: fall and spring. The deadline for submitting application materials for a fall review is October 1. The deadline for submitting application materials for a spring review is February 1. Start dates are routinely summer and fall.

 

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Definition of Full-time/Part-time Student Loads

 

Full-time student loads are defined as nine (9) credit hours for fall and spring semesters and six (6) credit hours during summer session.

Part-time student loads are defined as fewer than nine (9) credit hours for fall and spring semesters and fewer than six (6) credit hours during summer session.

 

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