Purpose of the Degree

The Specialist in Education degree (Ed.S.) with a major in Psychology and Counseling offers a planned program of studies designed to lead to state licensure in counseling. Information about requirements for licensure can be obtained from the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling, and from the Program Coordinators in the Department of Psychology and Counseling. The design of each candidate’s program is based on that student’s previous academic preparation, professional experiences, and career aspirations.

NOTE: Enrollment in 7000-level courses with COUN and PSY prefixes requires admission to the Ed.S. in Psychology and Counseling, unconditional admission to another university’s accredited post-master degree program with a major in psychology or counseling.

Program Admission Procedures

1. Contact Graduate Admissions for an application materials packet.
2. Submit to Graduate Admissions all application materials, including:
   1. Completed Graduate Admissions application form with specified application fee, proof of immunization for mumps, measles and rubella, selective service status form, and separate official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work from all colleges and universities attended.
   2. A typed statement of personal, educational, and career goals and aspirations; personal perception of influences on the applicant’s choice of training in the area of counseling; and personal view of the role and value of the chosen area of training.
   3. Four letters of appraisal and recommendation from persons qualified to speak with authority about the applicant’s professional abilities and personal characteristics. At least two of these letters must come from faculty in the applicant’s most recent academic program of study. When the applicant has not completed that program of study, a statement of status in that program also is required.
3. Graduate Admissions reviews the application file and, if applicant qualifies for admission to Graduate Programs, forwards the file (including all materials listed above) to the appropriate Program Coordinator in the Department of Psychology and Counseling.
4. The appropriate Ed.S. Program Committee reviews the application file. This committee evaluates all materials submitted by the applicant and decides whether the applicant has the essential qualities to warrant an interview with the Committee.
5. Applicants who qualify for an interview appear before the Committee, which then decides whether the applicant meets program requirements and expectations. If an applicant is approved for admission to the program, the committee sets any conditions of admission and appoints an academic adviser.

The clinical mental health counseling track admits students by cohorts during the fall semester. Each student is required to commit to a full-time or part-time program of study determined in consultation with an assigned advisor at the time of enrollment. Deadlines for application materials are April 1st for the fall semester.

Program Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling, applicants must hold an earned bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited institution and present evidence of qualities consistent with those required for effective practice in the chosen area of study. The written statement prepared by the applicant, combined with letters from references and the personal interview, will be used as the basis for committee members’ judgment of the applicant’s personal and interpersonal qualities. All persons admitted to the program are required to meet the same standard in regard to these qualities. Applicants also must present evidence of potential ability to perform academic work at the advanced graduate level. Past grade performance provides the primary data for judging academic ability; other indicators, such as quality of writing in the applicant’s prepared statement and faculty references, also will be considered. Based on past academic performance, an applicant may qualify for either unconditional or conditional admission status.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Unconditional Admission Status. Academic proficiency for unconditional admission may be established through satisfaction of either of the following criteria:

1. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (or 3.25 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work).
2. Unconditional admission to Graduate Programs, and a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.25 on 12 or more hours with no grade less than a “B.”

Conditional Admission Status. Academic proficiency for conditional admission may be established through satisfaction of either of the following criteria:

1. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 (or 3.00 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work).
2. Unconditional admission to Graduate Programs and a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.00 on 12 or more semester hours with no more than one course with a grade of “C” and no grade less than a “C.”

Eligibility to Continue in the Ed.S. Program

Students admitted in Conditional status must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 on the next 12 hours of course requirements and have no grade less than “B” in any course in order to advance to Unconditional status. Students who fail to remove Conditional status in this manner will be dropped from the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling. Retention checkpoints for students admitted to the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling include the following:

1. Annual Review: In addition to the academic standards for continuing enrollment, all students admitted to the Ed.S. Program will be subject to annual review by the appropriate Committee. This annual review will be conducted at some time during the spring semester. At this review, the Committee will assess current evidence of each student’s personal and interpersonal qualities deemed essential for the chosen area of study. The Committee also will assess overall quality of academic performance, and any student having earned a grade of “C” in any course will come under close scrutiny. Outcomes at each review may be approval for unrestricted continuation in the program, approval for continuation in the program with specified contingencies, suspension from the program with specified contingencies, suspension from the program with specified contingencies for re-admission, or removal from the program.
2. Approval to Register for Practicum and Internship Courses: Eligibility to enroll in supervised clinical training (i.e., COUN 6203 , COUN 6213 , COUN 7473 , and COUN 7483) is subject to approval of the student’s adviser and/or the program committee. To obtain this approval, a student must have successfully completed all prerequisites and be deemed to have shown evidence of readiness for the level of practice required in the particular course.
3. Eligibility for Comprehensive Examination: Students who have earned an overall graduate grade point average of 3.00, have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 for all courses completed in the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling, and are enrolled for their final period of study will be eligible to sit for the comprehensive examination.
4. Eligibility for Graduation: Students who have earned an overall graduate grade point average of 3.00, have completed all courses required for the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling and earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 for these courses, and have passed the comprehensive examination will be eligible for conferral of degree.

Academic Credit

Graduate Programs policy prohibits credit toward degree requirements for any courses completed more than six years prior to completion of the degree program. In addition, both degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students enrolling in COUN and PSY courses are expected to provide evidence that prerequisite knowledge is sufficiently current to support successful academic and/or clinical performance. Thus, students with dated courses may be asked to repeat such courses whether or not they have been used to fulfill requirements of another degree.

Thesis/Non-Thesis Option

Within the minimum number of hours required for the degree, candidates may elect to complete a six-hour thesis in either psychology or counseling. The topic of the thesis must be acceptable to the student’s thesis committee. Candidates electing the thesis option must comply with the standards specified in the Guide to Thesis and Dissertations: Preparation and Electronic Submission, available on the Graduate Programs website, http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/thesis/. Candidates electing the non-thesis option will complete six hours of coursework in lieu of the six-hour thesis to acquire the minimum number of hours required for the degree.

Supervised Internship

Supervised internship requirements will be determined and pre-approved by the student’s graduate adviser and the appropriate committee. These requirements will be based on the candidate’s previous work experience, and in accord with the following guidelines:

1. Candidates with one to three years of professional experience acceptable to the degree major may be required to complete a three-semester hour supervised internship.
2. Candidates with no professional experience acceptable to the degree major will be required to complete three to six semester hours of internship.
3. The supervised internship will consist of the equivalent of full-time responsibility to the assigned duties for a period of ten weeks for each three semester hours of credit earned. The intern will be responsible for maintaining a log of time and activities to be submitted to the faculty supervisor at the conclusion of the internship assignment.
4. Candidates enrolled in a program of study that leads to professional licensure in psychology or counseling will complete supervised internship experiences that are consistent with state and/or national requirements/standards.

Comprehensive Examinations

A written comprehensive examination must be completed. Because of its all-inclusive nature, candidates will take the examination during the final period of enrollment. An oral examination may be required at the option of the appropriate committee. Committee evaluation of the examination (written, written and oral) will result in a recommendation for internship or graduation, a requirement of additional coursework or assignment(s) prior to repeating the comprehensive examination, or removal from the program as specified by Graduate Programs.

Program of Study

Each student’s program will be planned with the assigned adviser during the initial enrollment period to ensure that the program complies with professional credentialing requirements, where such exist, and is relevant to the student’s objectives. A minimum of 18 hours of 7000 level courses are required. A maximum of three hours of 5000 level courses beyond the master’s degree and a maximum of 12 hours of 5000 level courses beyond the baccalaureate degree may be applied toward the Specialist in Education degree.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track

The Clinical Health Counseling Track of the Specialist degree program requires a minimum of 30 hours beyond the master’s degree or 60 hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The program of study is designed to prepare students for positions as professional counselors in community, state, federal, and private social service agencies and for EAP positions in business and industry. Graduates provide services such as child, youth, adult, couple, family, employment, health, multicultural, gerontological, and/or wellness counseling. The program provides the opportunity for students to develop skills and competencies in working with a diversity of issues, including but not limited to, depression, anxiety, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress management, grief, and issues relating to family, which can include parenting, marital difficulties, or other relationship problems. The program structure is based on the professional standards established by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is consistent with standards and requirements set forth by the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.

The curriculum emphasizes the acquisition of specialized knowledge and skills relating to theories of human behavior, human development, interpersonal relationships, and foundational therapeutic interventions. Ethical and competent counseling practices are stressed. Students will develop a professional identity as a competent ethical mental health counselor.

Students who complete the Clinical Health Counseling Track of the program and are awarded the Ed.S. Degree in Psychology and Counseling are eligible to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) in order to qualify for both National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Arkansas Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) status. The Clinical Health Counseling Track faculty are committed to helping students/graduates become certified and/or licensed as professional counselors.

Additional information about the Clinical Health Counseling Track can be obtained from the Clinical Health Counseling Handbook, program faculty, and at the following Department of Psychology and Counseling website: http://www.astate.edu/college/education/departments/psychology-and-counseling/.