Welcome to Governors State University in Chicago's Southland

Counseling Application and Matriculation Information

To be considered for admission to the counseling program, students must complete a counseling application packet, and meet the minimum requirements for admission. It is your responsibility to begin the process early and follow up with the various institutions and individuals who must submit supporting documentation.

M.A. in Counseling 2024 deadline dates:

• Fall Semester - February 15
• Spring Semester - August 15

Applications will not be accepted for the summer semester. The number of admits may be affected by accreditation standards and requirements.

Admission to the counseling program and one of its three sequences is competitive. There is no guarantee of admission just because an applicant meets or exceeds the minimum criteria. The minimum criteria for admission consideration are described as follows.

1. Submission of All Admission Requirements by the Application Due Date:

a. Counseling Application, including the $50 Application Fee

b. Statement of Character

c. One copy of official transcripts of all previous college work

d. Three Personal Reference forms

e. The GRE, if applicable

2. One of the following Academic Performance standards must be met:

a. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher for all undergraduate coursework;

b. GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.

3. If an applicant meets neither of the above minimum requirements, but the cumulative GPA for all undergraduate coursework attempted is between 2.5 and 2.74, or a student must:

a. Attain a score of at least 155 on the verbal portions of the Graduate Record Exam – General Test (score of 1050 if a test was taken before August 2011);

b. Take COUN 6600, COUN 6630, and ENGL 1010 (or equivalent writing course) and complete with a B- or better.

Any applicant with a cumulative GPA below 2.5 may not be considered. Applicants meeting the required criteria may be invited to an interview for further admissions consideration.

Governors State University’s application link website: https://apply.govst.edu/apply/

Office of Admission and Student Recruitment Governors State University
1 University Parkway
University Park, Illinois 60484
Phone: (708) 534-4490

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) – General Test, if applicable

GRE (Graduate Record Exam) This exam is one option if the applicant’s cumulative undergrad GPA (whether at one school or the combination of several) is between 2.5 and 2.74 and if the last 60 hours as an undergrad does not equal a 3.0 GPA. Students will take the General Test and will need to have a total score of 155 on the verbal-only portion. Our Institutional Code is 1263.

Graduate Matriculation Student Status

Those interested in admission to the counseling program should apply as a degree-seeking student. Graduate degree-seeking students are those who meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and specific program for which the master’s degree/post-baccalaureate Certificate is sought. Admission to a graduate major does not carry with it, nor guarantee, admission to degree candidacy in the major. Those who are not ready to apply for full admission to the counseling program may apply to GovState as a Graduate non-degree seeking student Graduate non-degree seeking students are defined as those who hold a bachelor’s or higher degree and have not declared a major at the time of admission. No more than six (6) credit hours earned as a graduate non-degree seeking student shall be transferable toward the requirements of any graduate degree program, and such transfer will be subject to the degree requirements in effect at the time of admission to the specific major. Graduate students seeking a non-degree may not take graduate-level courses designated by division faculty as reserved for master’s degree candidates only. Students seeking a non-degree for the MA in Counseling program can take COUN 6600 Professional Orientation & Ethical Standards in Counseling and COUN 6630 Counseling Theories before admission to the program.

Students (if admitted) are required to complete all prerequisites and candidacy courses within the first academic year. Candidacy prerequisite courses for all three specialty tracks in the MA in Counseling program include: COUN 6600 Professional Orientation & Ethical Standards in Counseling Professional Orientation and Ethical Standards for Counselors, COUN 7720 Social & Cultural Foundations, COUN 7810 Beginning Counseling Skills, and COUN 7847 Group Dynamics & Interventions.

Students must follow the sequence, program, college, and university requirements and policies.

Note: Admissions are made to a specific counseling specialty track/sequence (Clinical Mental Health Counseling: CMHC, Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling: MCFC, or School Counseling: SC). Changing a specialty track/sequence may require a new application review. As a result, it may not be possible to change specialty tracks/sequences based on accreditation limitations or the amount and quality of applicants.