Admissions

MS Clinical Counseling – Admissions Process

The MS Clinical Counseling program uses a rolling admissions process. The Admissions Committee reviews applications that meet the minimum requirements for admission and offers personal interviews to qualified candidates. New students can begin the program in the Fall of each year.

Step 1: Review Application Requirements

• Graduate Application
• Official transcripts from ALL institutions attended 
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale*
• Two online recommendations (be prepared to submit reference names and contact information on the online application)
• Goals Statement
• Interview

*Applicants whose cumulative undergraduate GPA is <3.0 will be asked to submit an addendum to their goals statement. Guidelines for the statement will be sent via email.

Step 2: Apply

The Clinical Counseling Program utilizes Charleston Southern University’s Graduate Application Service. This application includes the following:

• Personal Background Information
• Admission Data
• Academic History:
  • Please be prepared to upload academic transcripts from previously attended institutions and programs. Twelve undergraduate hours of psychology or a related field are required. Upon acceptance, these courses may be taken as prerequisites prior to starting the program.
• Spouse Information
• Recommendations:
  • Please be prepared to provide the name and contact information for 2 people who can provide a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
  • Two letters of recommendation are required for the application to be considered complete. 
  • One of these letters from be from an academic reference and one must be from a professional reference.
  • Letters cannot be from a family member or friend. 
  • We recommend that you choose references that have known you in a professional setting for at least six months. 
• Goals Statement:
  • Please tell us why you are interested in counseling as a profession and what you think you can bring to the field.
  • What about Charleston Southern University’s faith-integrated program interests you? Why do you think CSU is a good fit for you?
  • What challenges might you experience in this program and how will you handle those challenges? Please be sure to include a discussion of self-care in your response.

Step 3: Personal Interview

Personal interview invitations are extended to applicants who meet the minimum requirements for admissions. Exact dates will be communicated to candidates with an offer to interview. These interviews are currently conducted virtually.

Step 4: Acceptance Requirements

Students will receive a phone call and formal letter on their status page notifying them of their acceptance. Once accepted, students will be given a deadline to pay their non-refundable enrollment fee to secure their spot in the program. Students will need to complete the Enrollment 101 Confirmation Form and Enrollment 101 Steps posted on their status page.