MA Counseling (CMHC) Application Checklist

Contact the Credentials & Graduate Admissions Office if you have any questions. Process is subject to change. Additional Requirements for the Counseling program found HERE.

	Step 1 Complete CalState Apply Application Application Period: October 1, 2024 - December 2, 2024
	Step 2 Autobiography Please submit an autobiography that is a minimum of five double-spaced typewritten pages, not to exceed six pages. Quality: This document will also be used to assess your written proficiency, and thus both the content and format should be carefully written. Content: We are interested in learning more about you as an individual. We would like you to tell us something about your outlook on life, attitudes towards your early years- your family, your friends, your schooling, your ambitions, and how this prepared you to seek a Master's in Counseling in your chosen specialty. Essence: We would like you to tell us what kind of person you feel you are, how you got that way, and what kind of person you are becoming. What are the important things we should know about you?
	Step 3 Work or Volunteer Experience Applicants should have a minimum of one year full-time (30-40 hours per week) or two years part-time (approx. 20 hours per week) of related professional experience in the human services industry. Strong applicants apply with a wide range of experience, including (but not limited to) case management, applied behavioral analysis, special education, group home milieu work, crisis hotline, and paraprofessional counseling. Related work experience, and the ability to articulate how this experience has confirmed your interest in becoming a mental health professional in your personal statement, is essential.
	Step 4 Transcripts from each institution attended One set of OFFICIAL transcripts must be sent to SSU's Admissions and Records Office One set of UNOFFICIAL transcripts attached to the Cal State Application
	Step 5 Professional Letters of Recommendation (3) Letters MUST be uploaded to the Cal State application by your recommender. Please follow prompt provided on Cal State.
	Step 6 Pre-Requisite Courses The following two courses are required for the Counseling Program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. A course in Personality Theory A Course in Abnormal Psychology More information HERE.