Santa Clara University

Admission to the master’s degree programs requires prior academic excellence at the bachelor’s degree or higher level, experience in the field of counseling (broadly defined), and the estimate of the faculty of the student’s potential to be a successful counselor. Because the state license in Marriage and Family Therapy allows its holder to engage in private practice using psychotherapeutic and counseling techniques, and because all counseling psychology graduates are likely to work in the human services arena, candidates will be selected on the basis of experience, previous academic background, and maturity with regard to life experience and professional goals. Those candidates who present significant work or volunteer experience in counseling-related activities will stand to benefit most from the program itself and in subsequent counseling endeavors. Therefore, in admissions decisions, strong preference will be given to those who have accrued real work (including volunteer) experience in counseling (at any level) prior to seeking admission to the master’s program. Applicants to the MFT track should be prepared and sufficiently motivated to complete the experience requirements as set forth by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences upon completion of the degree program.

1. Completion of the online admissions application with a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
2. A written statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s reason for entering the counseling profession.
3. Two sets of official transcripts from all domestic and international colleges and universities attended.
4. Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (NEASC, NCA, MSA, SACS, WASC, NWCCU) by the time of enrollment.
5. Three letters of recommendation. Recommendations from family members or personal friends will not be considered.
6. Applicants seeking admission to a degree status program must submit scores from either the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test (GRE), www.gre.org, or the Miller’s Analogies Test (MAT), www.milleranalogies.com. The applicant may choose which test to take. GRE and MAT scores are valid for five years.
7. Evidence of written and oral English proficiency.