Counseling (MEd)
Counseling (MEd)
The mission of the Counseling M.Ed. program is to prepare highly competent professionals who can respond to the lifespan mental health needs of a multicultural community. The Master of Education in Counseling offers two specializations: school counseling and clinical mental health counseling. Graduates of the UTRGV Counseling program are committed to advocacy and leadership in the communities they serve.
School Counseling Specialization
Upon completion, the professional school counselor is prepared to be an integral part of the academic services in P‐16 schools, trained to facilitate the growth and learning of students by providing services in guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual planning and systems support. The professional school counselor also provides direct services to students and coordinates services with programs and agencies within the school and in the community.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization
The clinical mental health counselor receives instruction in the required professional content areas, and practicum hours to apply for national and/or state Licensure. Upon licensure, the counselor is prepared to provide services across the lifespan in the areas of individual and group counseling in public, private, state and/or federal agencies. Once all program requirements are completed for the Counseling M.Ed., students are eligible to begin the application process for the Licensed Professional Counselor credential from the State of Texas. Information is available via the Texas Department of Health website at www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor/.
LPC Deficiency
Students who graduated prior to 2015 with a Master of Education in Counseling may find they lack courses required by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Licensed Professional Counselors due to changes by the Board. Individuals in need of required courses for LPC should contact the department for advisement and complete the application for admission as a non-degree seeking student. This is an expedited application that only requires submission of undergraduate and graduate transcripts. The department allows non-degree seeking students to enroll in up to 12 credit hours to meet licensure requirements.
CACREP Accreditation
The UTRGV Counseling M.Ed. program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), which is the premier accrediting body for determining the quality of a graduate counseling program. CACREP develops and maintains standards and procedures that ensure students in counseling and related programs receive high-quality, relevant education that prepares them for licensure and success in professional practice.
Benefits of CACREP Accreditation
Three federal agencies have made graduation from a CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program a requirement for independent practice in counseling: The U.S. Veteran’s Administration, Tricare, and the Army Substance Abuse program. In addition, many doctoral programs require that applicants graduate from a CACREP-accredited master’s program.
Note: Because the number of applicants may exceed the number of available spots, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
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Step #1: Submit a UTRGV Graduate Application at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply. There is no application fee.
Step #2: Request your official transcripts to be sent electronically to gradapps@utrgv.edu or mailed to:
Step #3: Admission Requirements & Courses
Select one of the options below to view the program’s admission requirements and courses from the current graduate catalog.
Counseling with a Specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.Ed.)
Counseling with a Specialization in School Counseling (M.Ed.)
Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities:
- For additional information, visit the Additional Documents for Domestic Applicants who Attend Foreign Universities section of our website.
Additional requirements for international applicants:
- For additional information, visit the International Admission page of our website.
To view a list of application deadlines and program contacts for our traditional programs, click here.
For estimated costs visit Tuition and Fees.
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