Undegraduate Programs
Graduate Programs

The Marshall University program in counseling prepares persons for pre-professional and professional positions in the field of human services. You may find a brochure in Adobe PDF format by clicking here. (Adobe Reader Required)

• Pre-professional: We have offered a unique undergraduate program in counseling since 1969. An exciting program, it enables graduates to work in pre-professional service areas such as community, residential, drug, alcohol, or pursue further degree programs at the masters level.
  
  
• Professional: Our Masters Program's mission is to prepare graduates for entry into school, community and higher education settings. We seek to prepare students who are well-trained and competent to success personally and professionally.
  

The Marshall counseling program encourages persons who enjoy small class environments, intensive class discussion, and opportunities for self-direction and scholarly activity. Our faculty focuses on encouraging and supporting students’ self-examination and growth, while developing state of the art, research-based counseling competencies. Our program is ideal for self-initiating persons who thrive in an atmosphere of supportive faculty and environment requiring exercise of personal responsibility and accountability.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

In addition to our graduate program, Marshall offers a unique program for undergraduates interested in the field of counseling and human services. The Undergraduate Program began in 1969 as the second undergraduate program in rehabilitation counseling to be offered in the United States. It has undergone many changes since then due to changes in licensure laws and the nature of counseling needs and the job market. This program is in the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS).

Program graduates are prepared for pre-professional service in community, residential, drug and alcohol, and other human service of mental health agencies. Students are prepared to begin additional studies for advanced degrees in Counseling and related helping disciplines. Students receive the Bachelor of Arts Degree and must complete graduate training in counseling before they are eligible for licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors or as certified public school counselors in West Virginia. Students are admitted as pre-counseling.

Requirements for Admission

Students must satisfy the following requirements for full admission:

1. Pre-admission Courses: COUN 306 and COUN 370;
   
   
2. Sophomore standing (minimum of 26 hours);
   
   
3. Achieve at least a B grade in COUN 306 and COUN 370;
   
   
4. Achieve at least a 2.5 GPA for all courses through the previous semester;
   
   
5. Submit a writing sample in COUN 306.

Students who satisfy the above minimum requirements should apply in the semester in which they complete COUN 306 and COUN 370 by submitting an admission application form. The form is taken to Donna Mauk, Director of Academic Services in the College of Education and Human Services. She will check that admission requirements have been met. Students who are not selected for admission cannot reapply for a period of one year and cannot enroll in COUN courses designated for "counseling majors only."

Core Courses: The following 28 to 30 semester hours of core courses are required of all students:

Minor in Counseling

A minor is available in counseling by selecting 12 hours at the 300 level with the permission of the counseling faculty. Six of these hours must include COUN 306 and 370.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Marshall University offers graduate training in counseling leading to a Master of Arts degree on two campuses: Huntington and South Charleston, WV. The 48 to 60 hour program has five distinct emphasis. In Huntington, we offer emphasis in Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Community Counseling, and Student Affairs Counseling. Our South Charleston campus offers select course work in Community Counseling with concentrations in marriage and family, career, correctional, religious settings, and addictions counseling.

Program Description

The primary aim of the graduate program is to prepare professional counselors for entry into school, community, and higher education settings. Preparation focuses on clinical skills and cognitive interdisciplinary learning. Our mission is to develop master’s level professionals who are ethically, socially, and culturally sensitive; who are well-trained and competent to succeed in the job market; and who are motivated to continue learning and furthering the development of their skills throughout their professional careers.

Toward this end, the program:

1. Emphasizes the ethical responsibility of practitioners to be knowledgeable in their understanding of human behavior, psychopathology, counseling theory, therapeutic applications in traditional and new or evolving intervention techniques; to continually improve and re-examine personal sensitivities to social and cultural issues among clientele; and to know when to seek consultation, supervision or referral as appropriate.
    
2. Gives priority to the highest level of program and course content in teaching and supervision. Internship sites will enhance the quality of student training.
    
3. Improves and expands knowledge and skills. The program will stress the value of critical thinking, reflection, intellectual independence, scholarship and appreciation for staying current with clinical approaches appropriately evaluating its relevance and generalizability.
    
4. Prepares students for the National Counselor Exam and licensure in their selected areas of concentration. Graduates of the program will be competent to compete in the job market.
    
5. Encourages interaction among students and faculty in the program and with related academic areas, such as, psychology, criminal justice, health, education and special education.

Our Mental Health and Community Counseling Emphases prepare Master’s level practitioners for employment in a multidisciplinary settings, including in-patient and outpatient clinical settings, hospitals, community mental health centers, residential facilities, substance-related treatment centers, and many others. For graduates who are interested in professional licensure, private practice is an option. Graduate Counseling students complete their studies by participating in a comprehensive internship in which they become counselors to individuals, groups, and families using appropriate interview and intervention strategies. Some students serve special populations of adolescents, older citizens, offenders, and citizens with chronic behavioral impairments.

Our School Counseling Program meets the State Department of Education certification standards for a K-12 certification. An alternative school counseling program is available for students without a teacher education background to qualify for West Virginia certification as school counselors.

The College Students Affairs Counseling emphasis is designed for students in counseling, holistic student development, and student learning within a college or university setting. Student affairs, housing, counseling and career centers, financial aid, admissions, student activities, academic advising, etc. Marshall’s CSA program integrates a solid theoretical base with practical experiences. Students complete a counseling practicum and a student affairs internship that serves as their capstone experience.

Students may opt to complete this program on either full-time (two years including summers) or part-time basis (three to five years including summers). Full-time students are encouraged not to be employed for more than 20 hours per week. As much as possible, courses are offered in consecutive time slots 2 to 3 days per week, in the late afternoon and evenings.  

Requirements for Admission

Admission to the Counseling Program is selective and competitive. Admission for all program applicants are rooted in the specific standards of the Marshall University Graduate College and the minimum standards for admission to the Marshall University Graduate Counseling Program.

Formally admitted students should meet with their advisors prior to the beginning of course work. Each student must complete an advisor-approved Plan of Study prior to the completion of 12 semester hours. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all degree courses is required prior to enrollment in the practicum and internship courses and is a requirement for graduation.

Core Courses: The following 30 semester hours of core courses are required of all students:

*To be licensed as a "Licensed Professional Counselor" in the state of West Virginia, 60 hours of graduate study in approved course work are required.

Admission: To be eligible for admission to the Mental Health, School, and Community Counseling Emphases, students must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of 800 (verbal and quantitative subtests) or a score of 400 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT);
    
2. Undergraduate GPA of 2.75;
    
3. Undergraduate academic major or work/volunteer experience related to counseling;
    
4. Three written references (2 from former or current professors);
    
5. Writing sample (typed) which serves as a personal statement below;
    
6. Personal statement of the applicant’s understanding of and interest in the counseling profession, career goals, and self-evaluation relative to skills in interpersonal relations, technological literacy, openness to self-examination & self-development (same document as the writing sample above).
    

Students must satisfy criteria one or two and four of six overall to be eligible for admission. Admitted students must complete the required core courses and the following emphasis specific courses:

*Students who wish to pursue professional licensure in West Virginia should complete Coun 632 & Coun 575 as electives.

Additional Elective Course Options
Courses identified as TBA are new courses in the process of being developed.

For more information on certification in Domestic Violence Counseling, certification in Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy or a degree in Education Specialist in Counseling are advised to look more closely at the graduate catalog or contact the South Charleston office.

For full listing of the courses available in counseling, please click here.

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