When is the application deadline?
Applicants are encouraged to apply by February 1 for priority consideration. After February 1, applications will be given consideration if space is available.
What is the undergraduate degree requirements?
Applicants must complete a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university before they can start the program. Failure to do so will require reapplication to the CMHC for a later academic year. If an applicant is currently completing a baccalaureate degree at the time the CMHC application is submitted, another official transcript must be sent to the admissions office after completion of the degree, verifying that the degree was awarded.
Your baccalaureate degree can be from any discipline.
What are the minimum undergraduate GPA requirements?
Southern Oregon University graduate admissions rules require a GPA of at least 3.0 in the most recent ninety (90) quarter hours (sixty [60] semester hours) of undergraduate work. Those with less than a 3.0 undergraduate GPA may meet this requirement by successfully completing 12 credits of approved graduate course work at SOU as a post-baccalaureate student with a minimum 3.0 GPA. All applicants must have their institution(s) submit official transcripts directly to the SOU Admissions Office.
How many students do you accept into the CMHC program each year?
20-22 students are selected from an average of 65 applications.
What are you looking for in the required essays?
Answer the topic essays that address how you have demonstrated motivation, self- awareness, openness, and respect towards others and commitment to their welfare. Also speak to your professional goals and how you hope SOU’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program will help you achieve them.
When will I know if I have been accepted?
Status letters are emailed in late March. Students accepted to the program will recieve a phone call from a faculty member as soon as decisions are made. It is the applicant's responsibility to check on the completness of their file, and to keep the Graduate Program Office informed of any changes to mailing address, email address and phone number.
When will classes begin for the CMHC Program and how long does it take to complete the program?
Classes begin the September after your acceptance. The program is set up to be completed in 2 years. It is a cohort based experience, so you will be traveling through the classes and internship with the same group of students.
What are the pre-requisite course requirements for admission to the CMHC Program?
- General Psychology (PSY 201/PSY 202)
- Statistics (MTH 243)
- Methods/Research Design (PSY 225)
- Developmental Psychology
- Abnormal Psychology.
What documents are needed to complete the application process?
- CMHC Application
- 3 letters of recommendation
- GRE scores (or TOEFL if not a native English speaker)
- Official Transcript (Students graduating from SOU do not need to submit an official transcript - uploading an unofficial transcript is acceptable.)
- SOU Graduate Admission Application and $60 fee. This application can be found here: Graduate Admission
Why isn't there an interview as part of the admissions process?
First, our program strives to both practice and teach principles that are supported by research. The research around admissions interviews shows that they do not help a program to make better choices for admissions. There is some evidence that including unstructured interviews in screening actually makes a program make worse choices.
A secondary reason for excluding interviews is that in-person interviews bias an applicant pool to favor those who live nearby or who can afford to travel. In our effort to create an incoming class that is both excellent and diverse, we have chosen not to bias our admissions process in this way. Your ability to pay for travel and your geographical proximity to us has no bearing on whether you will be an excellent counselor.
For more information and research about why interviews are problematic and why they might continue to be popular, see this article and this article.
What is the GRE or TOEFL requirement?
We accept the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE). We do not accept the GRE Psychology Subject Test. It is recommended that this exam be completed well in advance of the application deadline. Applicants typically have a combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative sections. A score of 3 or better is expected on the analytical writing section. (Note: Test scores can be accepted up to 5 years from the test date) Foreign students must submit a record of having taken the TOEFL with a computer based test score of 207 or above, or an internet score of 76 or above.
If you are waiting to take the test, please indicate your scheduled test date on your application. The review process of your application can not begin until your GRE score has been submitted to SOU Admissions.
What if I live outside Oregon?
We accept students from all over the US and from many other countries.
To be considered for the Western Regional Graduate Program resident tuition rate, submit a 300 word essay that addresses how you meet one or both of the selection criteria (diversity and/or academic excellence). Students that reside in the following states are eligible: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. You can apply to CMHC program directly by sending your essay (as an email attachment) to CMHC@sou.edu.
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