Community Counseling

Graduate Information Handbook & Application Materials

Program Information

Master of Science

The Community Counseling Program requires 33 hours of coursework, and leads to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree. There are no electives. At this time, many classes can be completed online. See pages 31-32 of the SWOSU Graduate Degree Catalog for a listing of required courses.

Many of our students in the community counseling program are working full-time and have families so we strive to provide a practical, yet, challenging program that is also student friendly. All of our courses are available in the evenings or on weekends.

The Master of Science Community Counseling Program does NOT lead to certification as a school counselor. See the Master of Education School Counseling program for information regarding school counseling certification.

Completion of the Master of Science Degree in Community Counseling is applicable toward eligibility requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Act. See the LPC Curriculum Program for information regarding application and LPC coursework requirements.

Admission to SWOSU

If you have not previously attended SWOSU, the first step is admittance to the University. Click here to apply.

Admission to the Community Counseling Program

1. Bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association is required
2. An undergraduate or graduate statistics course and two additional courses in Psychology.
3. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

OR

A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 – 2.99 on a 4.0 scale (overall undergraduate Ret/Grad GPA, (or) GPA on the last 60 semester hours) with a satisfactory minimum score with respect to the following equation of GPA and GRE scores: GPA x 100 + GRE = 530
(The GRE score will be a sum of the scores on the verbal and quantitative tests).

4. University Application for Admission or Readmission should be completed, either online or on paper and sent to the Academic Records's Office.

Apply to the Program - Step-by-Step Process

The following steps should be completed and forms sent to the Graduate Office via e-mail to graduatestudies@swosu.edu or 100 Campus Dr., Weatherford, OK 73096:

1. Complete and submit the Application for Graduate Admission
2. Complete and submit the Transfer of Credits Form (The Nine-Hour Policy Agreement)
3. Submit official transcript(s) of all credit earned
4. Complete and submit two Master of Science Recommendation Forms.
   1. These recommendations should be completed by individuals who are in a position to rate academic aptitude, motivational, and character/disposition factors.
   2. Forms should be sent directly from the reference to the Graduate Office
5. Complete and submit the OSBI background check dated within one year of the application. Click here to access the background check form. We only need the Name search, not the fingerprints; therefore, the total cost is $15. Please return the OSBI background check to the chair of the department, Dr. Barnett. You can fax it to 580.774.7154 or mail it to her attention at 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096.
   1. All prospective students in the M.Ed. and M.S. Education Programs must submit an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) record check.
   2. Students must submit an OSBI record check to the Department of Education by the application deadline. Submit the ORIGINAL OSBI Check – no alterations to the sheet(s) will be accepted. If you mail in the application it will take three to four weeks. If you go in person, the OSBI check takes approximately 15 minutes.

Students can send completed application to:

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
Criminal History Reporting Unit
6600 N. Harvey, Building# 140
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116

Or can go in person to:

OSBI (close to 63^rd and Broadway Ext.)
From 63^rd turn north on Robinson (One block West of Broadway Ext.)
And go to sign saying Building #6
Enter door on south side of OSBI building
Go to window and fill out application

Deadlines

The deadlines for application for the M.S. program in Community Counseling are June 1^st for the Fall Semester and November 1^st for the Spring Semester.

Acceptance

Acceptance will require completing an on-campus face-to-face interview. The interviews are typically scheduled for June for Fall applicants and November for Spring applicants. Applicants will be notified about interview information through the e-mail address provided on the application. Interview information will not be sent out until the application deadline has passed (Notification of interview will be sent after June 1^st for the Fall semester and after November 1^st for the Spring Semester).

Upon acceptance into any of these graduate programs, the candidate must successfully complete a Plan of Study with his/her advisor.

Placement into the practicum and internship courses requires approval from the Departmental Internship/Practicum Approval Committee (IPAC).

Note: Meeting the minimum standards does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Tuition Waiver

The College of Professional and Graduate Studies offers the opportunity for a tuition waiver. To apply for the waiver, you must have been admitted to the graduate program, have completed coursework at SWOSU, be currently enrolled in a minimum of six graduate hours, have a minimum of a 3.50 GPA and must be an Oklahoma Resident. Therefore, you cannot receive a waiver for your first semester; however, we encourage you to apply for a tuition waiver for every semester. Click here for the application form.

Advisor

Amy Martin serves as the graduate advisor for all Community Counseling students. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact her at 580.774.3169 or amy.martin@swosu.edu.

For more information, contact:

Amy Martin, Director
amy.martin@swosu.edu
580.774.3169

Application Materials

• Application Checklist
• Degree Program Catalog Listing (pages 31 - 32)
• Application for Graduate Admission
• Transfer of Credits
• Recommendation Form
• OSBI Background Check
• Tuition Waiver Application