Offered in Hickory, Asheville And Columbia
The LRU Master of Arts degree in Counseling is designed to prepare individuals for positions as professional counselors in agencies and/or school settings. Students have the opportunity to take courses on any of our three campuses. The curriculum at all three sites is identical and students will have the opportunity to interact with the LRU faculty based on each campus. The counseling program places primary emphasis on the development of strong clinical skills. Upon receiving the Master of Arts degree in counseling, students will meet course work requirements for eligibility to take the examination to become a National Board Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of North Carolina. Students satisfactorily completing the School Counseling program requirements and receiving a passing score on the PRAXIS specialty examination will be eligible for licensure as a school counselor in North Carolina.
The master’s degree is the entry-level degree for persons entering the counseling field. The counseling course of study is designed to begin during the Fall or Spring semester. Although students are allowed to enter the program in the Summer semester, course selection will be limited due to prerequisite introductory courses that are not available until the Fall semester.
All students in the Counseling program must have in effect counselor liability insurance through the American Counseling Association Insurance Trust during the time they are enrolled in the Counseling program. In addition, students are required to purchase a subscription to Tevera, the Counseling portfolio management system. The one-time subscription cost for Tevera is included in the first semester charges. Any counseling practicum/intern receiving a grade lower than a ‘B’ in a practicum/internship will not be recommended for state licensure or National Board Certification.
Candidacy Admission Requirements
Students who meet the minimum standards for admission to the program may be permitted to commence graduate studies in counseling. All students enrolled in the program will undergo a review process that will include both academic and dispositional factors. Specifically, review is scheduled as follows:
- 9 hours completed: First review with recommendations to progress, continue with remediation, or dismiss. If the student meets the program academic and dispositional expectations, they will be required to submit an application for candidacy to specific degree program. Once applications have been reviewed, the candidate may be required to attend an interview for candidacy. At this point faculty make recommendations for acceptance to candidacy, remediation plan or dismissal. Ongoing review for academic, professional and interpersonal development. Students must maintain a cumulative B average. If a student receives a grade of ‘C’ or lower in any course they will be required to repeat the course. A grade of ‘F’ will result in academic probation or dismissal. The student should review the Graduate School Academic Policies and dispositional criteria. If a faculty is concerned about a student’s progress within the program an official review to include a remediation plan and/or dismissal from the program could be applied.
- Review prior to practicum and internship with recommendation to progress with the internship or dismiss. All internships must be initiated within one year from the last course taken.
Comprehensive Examination
Students are required to pass a two-part comprehensive examination. First, students must complete a nationally standardized exam (CPCE) that measures competency across the eight core areas of counseling. Students must pass this examination prior to internship. Students who fail this examination may be required to do remediation, additional coursework and/or assignments, and re-test. Students who fail subsequent re-tests may be dismissed from the program. The second part of the examination (Specialty Capstone Project) requires a written, comprehensive assessment of the specific program of study. This capstone project is completed during internship. Students who fail this assessment will not be permitted to graduate.
Program Admission Requirements
Qualified applicants initially will be admitted into The Graduate School, and, after successful completion of COU 505 , COU 525 , and COU 530 , they will apply for candidacy into the Master of Arts in Counseling program. If an applicant is interested in viewing a sample syllabus within a program of study, they may submit a request by email to the program coordinator or department chair. For additional and current information on graduate admission, please see Program Admission Requirements.
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