MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Admissions

No. The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling does not require prerequisite courses.

Formatting:

• Maximum of 2 pages
• 1.5 line-spaced
• 12-point font
• 1-inch margins

The paper should address the following questions:

• What does being a professional counselor mean to you?
• Why have you chosen to pursue a career in professional counseling?
• How have your previous school, work, or training experiences prepared you to pursue graduate studies in counseling?
• What personal characteristics or strengths will contribute to your being an effective counselor?

We recommend a 3.0 cumulative GPA. However, we do a comprehensive review of all your application materials.

Admitted students can request to transfer up to 9 semester units or 13.5 quarter units of prior graduate work. Previous coursework cannot be more than 5 years old and must be completed with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer coursework is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and students must submit a comprehensive syllabus for each requested transfer course. A Palo Alto University faculty member then reviews the documentation and either accepts or rejects the course for transfer credit. Students have access to the transfer unit request form after they confirm their enrollment in the program.

Not all courses are eligible for transfer credit – only those listed below. Students should also be aware that in order to receive transfer credit, the previous course must be at least as many units as the PAU equivalent. For semester-based programs, courses to be reviewed for transfer must be 3 units, and for quarter-based programs, courses to be reviewed for transfer must be 4.5 units to be considered.

• CLIN601: Multicultural Counseling Theories and Techniques (4.5 units)

• CLIN604: Addiction Counseling (4.5 units)

• CLIN610: Legal & Ethical Foundations (4.5 units)

• CLIN618: Family Systems Theory (MCFC) (4.5 units)

• CLIN619: Couples Counseling (MCFC) (4.5 units)

• CLIN634: Human Sexuality (4.5 units)

• CLIN651: Community Mental Health (4.5 units)

• CLIN680: Psychopharmacology (4.5 units)

• COUN600: Counseling Theory (4.5 units)

• COUN603: Appraisal & Assessment in Counseling (4.5 units)

• COUN612: Life Span Development (4.5 units)

• COUN634: Diagnosis (4.5 units)

• COUN641: Research & Program Evaluation (4.5 units)

• COUN661: Career Development Theories and Techniques (4.5 units)

• Approved Counseling Elective (CMHC) (4.5 units)

No. If admitted to the program, students will let us know their preferred cohort via their Enrollment Agreement form. The Counseling Department will try to match students to their preferred cohort; however, cohort assignments are based on space availability and are not guaranteed.

Please review our list of unauthorized states. If you are located in an unauthorized state, we will not be able to consider your application for admission. If you live outside of the US, you may apply, but please check your country’s counseling licensure information to determine if this program meets your professional needs.

PAU State Authorizations

You will confirm your final cohort preference if you’re admitted and commit to attending PAU. Cohorts are assigned based on space available and not guaranteed. Students receive their cohort assignments and class schedules approximately one month before classes. Requests to change cohorts must be evaluated by the department at that time and changes are not guaranteed.

The most important piece of advice is to respond to the questions asked in the prompt and to adhere to length and style requirements. Beyond that, the statement of purpose is the primary way for the Admissions Committee to hear your voice. There is no need to rehash your resume – take the opportunity to talk about your passions and interests specific to counseling.

You are welcome to address personal circumstances or hardship in your application if it helps frame your interest in the field. Please remember, however, that your statement of purpose is not a diary entry or a counseling session. Oversharing can raise concerns about boundary issues and personal judgment. If you address a past hardship, we encourage you to provide analysis and self-reflection of the situation, rather than just a description of what happened. If the situation is too fresh, and you feel you cannot distance yourself enough to provide analysis yet, it may be best to choose another topic for your statement of purpose.