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Admissions Process and Criteria

Application Requirements

Application Deadline: January 15

All of the following must be completed by the application deadline:

  1. Complete the Graduate Counseling online application, which will ask for:
    1. Letters of reference. Please supply the names and information of at least three references on the online application. At least two must be academic references. The references will receive an email directly with a link to complete the reference form.
    2. A non-refundable application fee of $50.
  2. Arrange for official transcripts to be mailed to Graduate and Professional Programs, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 or sent electronically directly to graduate@emu.edu.
    1. Foreign Degree Translation: If you have a degree from a college or university outside of the United States, you must have your coursework evaluated by a professional association. The evaluation must be a detailed report that includes course designations (lower & upper division). This detailed report should meet most transcript requirements for employment purposes. Here is a list of transcript/translation evaluation services. Please note that there is a fee for the evaluation service, and this list is for your information only.
  3. Submit a Statement of Purpose by writing a 1-3 page narrative that describes your: (a) academic/research interest and professional goals, (b) volunteer and professional experiences, (c) life experiences that have influenced your desire to become a counselor, and (d) view of compassionate service and social justice.
  4. Indicate nationality and country of birth: International applicants currently residing in the United States must indicate status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In addition, international applicants must submit a completed International Student Sponsor Agreement if accepted to the graduate counseling program.
  5.  For applicants whose native language is not English we require that applicants receive at least a 79 on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This score is comparable to a 550 on the paper-based test and a score of 213 for the computer-based test. EMU's institutional code is 5181. Applicants who have studied and received a degree from a college or university where all instruction is in English are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

EMU admits students of any gender, race, color, national/ethnic origin, and regardless of disability. EMU reserves the right to use student class materials and outputs for institutional research purposes. Confidentiality will be respected.

Admissions Information

  • Timeline and Notifications

    Application Deadline: January 15

    Notification of Interview: January 22

    Interview Day: February 1, 2025

    Admissions Interview Process

    To help both the candidate and the program discern fit and readiness, we have developed an admissions interview procedure that involves individual interviews with faculty, group meetings, and a writing prompt.

    How We Notify You of the Decision

    All applicants are notified of admission decision by email within two weeks after interview day.

    If You Are Accepted

    If you are offered admission, you must notify the Graduate Counseling administrative assistant of your enrollment decision by email within 15 days of your receipt of the acceptance letter.  If we do not hear back from you by then, we will assume that you have declined the offer of admission, and your application record will be withdrawn.

    Deferral of Admission

    Applicants who are notified of admission have the option to defer their enrollment for one year.  Those considering deferment are asked to counsel with the program director as well as complete an application for deferment form. 

  • Additional Admissions Information

    Conditional Admission

    Conditional admission is granted to a limited number of students each fall semester who come just below the requirements for unconditional admission, but who otherwise demonstrate the ability and motivation to adequately perform graduate level work. At the end of the fall semester their admission status is reviewed by the faculty and a decision is made to either lift the conditional status, extend the conditional status, or deny continuing enrollment.

    Requirements

    Expectations include an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00, references indicating clear support for graduate work, a clear and relevant essay, and the ability to present oneself clearly and effectively in the interview. Additional factors given consideration in the admission decision include undergraduate field of study, performance in previous graduate level study, related counseling work experience, and other evidence of success in academic and professional endeavors. The admissions committee may make exceptions to admission requirements in special cases.

    Enrollment and Class Size

    Program enrollment is limited in order to maintains a 10:1 student to faculty ratio. Part-time students are encouraged to apply. Part-time status is defined as taking less than nine semester hours in a semester.

    New students are admitted for the fall semester. The application deadline is March 1. After this deadline, the admissions committee will continue to review applications if space remains available.

    Transfer Credit

    Transfer credits may be considered for inclusion in the program of study upon the approval of the director of the program. A grade of “B” or better must be earned in courses requested for transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer credit must be applicable toward a comparable degree at the institution offering the course. Application for consideration of transfer credit taken more than five years before the date at which the student is admitted must be accompanied by substantial documentation of prior work and evidence of continued and current competence. Transfer credit taken more than ten years before the date at which the student is admitted may not be used to satisfy degree requirements. No practicum or internship credits are eligible for transfer credit. Decisions with respect to number of transfer hours accepted will be handled by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis, but normally a maximum of 12 hours of credit obtained from an accredited college or university may be applied to the degree.

    2-Year vs. 3-Year Track

    Students are recommended to complete their degree following a 3-year curriculum track, however an intensive 2-year curriculum track is available for their degree. Students interested in the intensive 2-year track must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.5 and will submit a supplementary statement specifying why the intensive 2-year track is the best fit for them. The supplementary statement may highlight previous academic success, professional experience, personal development experiences, and additional information the applicant believes to be relevant.  

     

Technology Requirements

Your experience in EMU classes (especially, but not exclusively online courses) is highly dependent on the quality and functionality of your computer equipment. Below are the minimum required specifications for your computer equipment and software. 

  • Computer
    • A Windows or Mac desktop or laptop computer with speakers, microphone, and a webcam.
    • Windows 10 22H2[1] or Windows 11 Build 22H2 or newer • macOS 12.7.5 or newer (Win 10 version 22H2, Win 11 22H2 or macOS 14.5 or higher recommended.)[2] Please note that this data is accurate as of the date stated above for at least one calendar year.
    • Audio headset with microphone attachment is required for all online live sessions

    System requirements for Zoom 

  • Network Bandwidth/Connection Speed
    • Internet Access with a minimum connection speed of 100 mbps (300 mbps download speed or higher recommended). To test speed: Close all applications and other website tabs and conduct test by visiting: https://speedtest.net
    • Students have had connection issues in past years using limited data cellular connections and/or lower speed home internet connections. This type of internet access will often have restrictive data caps that could result in unexpected overage fees due to the bandwidth required for online learning.
  • Software

Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid 

Additional Info on Graduate Financial Assistance

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships in the community students can apply for, including the Laymon H. & Ruth S. Lantz Scholarship which supports training for qualified graduate students who plan to attend the EMU Seminary or Graduate Counseling program.

You may also search for scholarships using the Sallie Mae Graduate School Scholarship search.

Student Employment Opportunities

Each year there are a few grant-funded employment opportunities available to students. The hiring process for fall semester begins in August. Please contact the program director or administrative assistant at counseling@emu.edu if you have any questions.

Loans and Loan Repayment

Many graduate students at EMU use federal student loans to pay for their education. After graduating, students who work as Licenced Professional Counselors (LPCs) for a qualifying employer may become eligible for loan repayment or loan forgiveness. We encourage you to learn more about federal student loans, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and loan repayment programs for health professionals.

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