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UT Tyler Psychology and Counseling

Graduate Admission Requirements

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) - IN PERSON

PLEASE NOTE: The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is the only program at UT Tyler designed to prepare students for LPC (Licensed Professional Counseling) licensure in TX. Graduates of this program will not be equipped with the necessary coursework to apply for LPA licensure.

The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) is intended to prepare students to counsel persons experiencing psychological disturbance due to developmental, educational, career, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, cultural, relational or environmental issues. Students develop competencies in diagnosis and assessment, evidence-based counseling/psychotherapy techniques, group processes, human development, cultural diversity, addiction and career counseling. Students who complete their degrees and meet state certification or licensing requirements may be employed in a variety of mental health settings. All Clinical Mental Health Counseling students will complete a specified program that provides foundational knowledge and skills to be an effective mental health counselor. Graduates of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling are eligible to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. In addition to the degree, the LPC requires successful passage of the National Counselor Examination (NCE) followed by 3000 hours of supervised practice in a counseling role.

UT Tyler's CMHC's program is a CACREP accredited program designed to prepare graduates to become Licensed Professional Counselors with the appropriate post-graduation experiences.

Admission to the program requires a Bachelor's degree.  A GPA of 3.0 or greater is preferred, but all applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Work, volunteer and life experiences, goals and exemplary motivation are factors that can enhance an application.

Clinical Psychology: General, Neuropsychology - IN PERSON

PLEASE NOTE: The Clinical Psychology MS program is the only program at UT Tyler designed to prepare students for LPA (Licensed Psychological Associate) licensure in TX. Graduates of this program will not be equipped with the necessary coursework to apply for LPC licensure.

The Clinical Psychology program provides the opportunity for the student to understand, evaluate, and counsel persons with psychological problems, and to draw upon community resources for assistance in working with these persons. Specialization in Neuropsychology is available for graduate students completing an M.S. in Clinical Psychology. The sequence of courses includes brain functioning and neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology, organic mental diseases, diagnosis and neuropsychological assessment. Students who complete all requirements in the clinical area, and who become licensed, often work in psychiatric hospitals, in mental health centers, or with doctorate-level psychologists in private practice. The M.S. degree plan fulfills the educational requirements necessary to qualify for the Licensed Psychological Associate licensure from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Reviews for both the MS and MA program are holistic in nature meaning that the faculty review all documents before making an admissions decision. Though we believe most competitive applicants will have a 3.0 or higher GPA, all applicants will be reviewed regardless of grade point average.

Prerequisites (Clinical Psychology Students Only)

  • Psychological Statistics
  • Experimental Psychology/Research Methods
  • Abnormal Psychology

Admission to the graduate degree programs is not dependent upon prior completion of the undergraduate prerequisites. However, students should complete these courses during their first two semesters in the program.

International Students (TOEFL/IELTS):

The minimum DET score is 115. The minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores are 560 on the paper and pencil test, 220 on the computer-based test, or 87 on the internet-based test (TOEFL/IBT), or overall band score of 7.0 (IELTS) with 6.5 or greater in each subsection. TOEFL and IELTS test scores are valid for only two years.

Transcripts

Submit complete transcripts reflecting the reception of a Bachelor's degree and any other relevant undergraduate and graduate coursework. Students who have not completed their Bachelor's degree at the time of application should send their most recent incomplete transcript. Students should request official academic transcripts be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Any request by the student for acceptance of graduate transfer credit should be directed to their Psychology & Counseling faculty advisor.

Application Submission

Deadlines:

Applications are due March 15 for fall admission (hard deadline).  Students can expect a decision to be communicated to them by April 5.  Applications are due October 15 for spring admission (hard deadline).  Students can expect a decision to be communicated to them by November 5.  Admission is based on multiple criteria (see below).

There are two portions of the application process:

Part One:

Part Two:

  • After you have submitted your application, send all of the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions at the address below:
    • All official academic transcripts for undergraduate and graduate coursework.

The University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd
Tyler Texas 75799

  • Complete the Department Information Sheet which contains the Statement of Purpose. Please do not complete the Department Information Sheet until you are also ready to submit the Statement of Purpose. 
    • Statement of Purpose Prompt:  Describe your future educational and career goals and explain how this program at UT Tyler would fit into these goals. How does the program correspond to your particular plans, needs, and previous background and experiences?

      Note: This should be a well-thought out response that is several paragraphs in length and reflects your sincere interest in the program. Please note that faculty reviewers will be considering both the quality and clarity of your document.

  • Submit a completed reference request form to distribute three Evaluations of Academic Potential.  Do not complete until you have submitted your application and you have a student ID.
  • Complete required Background Check. There is a $45 fee. Use package code UM12bg.

For additional questions regarding the application process, please contact the Graduate Admissions Advisor, Ceselie Tobin, at ctobin@uttyler.edu.

If you have difficulties with the electronic version of the application documents linked above, please use these documents:

Master of Arts in School Counseling - ONLINE

Please see this page for admission requirements for the School Counseling program.

Graduate Assistantships

Information about graduate assistantship