Graduate Information

Prepare For Success

Graduates of EMU's Graduate Counseling Program are high achievers who are sought after by regional employers. 

Licensure and Job Placement

The Graduate Counseling Program had a total of 14 graduates in 2024.  Students are expected to complete the program in four years or less, and the 2020-2024 cohort had a 77.78% completion rate.  The most current data from the Virginia Board of Counseling shows that EMU MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduates who have taken their licensure exam in Virginia have a pass rate of 80%, as compared to the 60% overall pass rate. 76.9% of the 2023 graduates who were seeking employment in counseling secured jobs within three months of graduation, and 100% secured jobs within nine months.

Learn about licensure procedure in Virginia

Learn about licensure in other states

Residency Hours

Upon graduation, a majority of our alumni pursue licensure and register for the 3,400 hour (including 2,000 direct hours) residency required by the Virginia Board of Counseling. Following completion of residency hours, residents must be approved by the Virginia Board of Counseling to sit for the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination.

Cohorts and Completion Rate

Approximately 40 students are enrolled in the program on a yearly basis. We also accommodate students who are working professionals and need to extend their coursework/training. About half of our students complete the program in two years, including a summer session, and the other half complete the program in three years, including a summer session. Students in either track are considered full-time students.

In 2022, ten students were admitted to the program on the two-year track, and 8 were admitted on the three-year track. Thirteen students graduated in the spring of 2023. In fall 2023, nine students were admitted on the two-year track and 9 were admitted on the three-year track.
 

CACREP Accreditation

CACREP Accreditation

EMU’s Graduate Counseling Program is accredited in Clinical Mental Health Counseling by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students graduating with a CACREP-accredited degree can more often easily achieve state counseling licensure and experience greater ease of license portability between state licensing boards. Students with CACREP-accredited counseling degrees are often considered exceptional candidates for doctoral programs.

For more information about the counseling profession, contact the American Counseling Association.

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