The Counseling program offers two Master’s degrees in the following areas, School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
The Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in School Counseling prepares you for employment as a counselor in public school settings at elementary, middle, and high school levels and leads to a recommendation for K-12 School Counseling licensure (certification) by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares you to work in diverse settings such as mental health facilities, substance abuse centers, community and four-year college counseling centers, non-profit organizations, domestic violence shelters, and more as well as private practice under supervision, moving toward state licensure.
Admission
Applications to the School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs may be submitted at any time during the year. Admission decisions, however, are made one time per year. The application deadline is February 1 annually
Meetings
The majority of counseling classes during the academic year are taught in three-hour blocks in the evening from 5:00 to 7:50 p.m. on either the WCU campus, Cullowhee, or at the WCU Graduate Center, Karpen Hall on the UNC-Asheville campus. Day classes are available as space allows. All students are required to commute to both the WCU and UNCA campuses for classes. All full-time faculty teach in both locations.
Summer School
Summer school classes will be required for all students to complete the program; these classes are taught either on the WCU campus, Cullowhee, or through the WCU Graduate Center, UNC-A.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available in the form of graduate assistantships, Chancellor's Fellowships, Graduate School Study Grants, and student loans. Only full-time students are eligible for graduate assistantships
Transfer of Credit
A limit of six hours of graduate credit can be transferred into the program with the approval of the student’s advisor. Previous coursework taken to complete an earlier master’s degree cannot be transferred.
Contact us with your questions about the WCU Counseling Program. We look forward to talking with you.