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Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education MA

Program Leader: Marsha Wiggins

Office: Lawrence Street Center, 701
Telephone: 303-315-6300
Fax: 303-315-6311
E-mail: education@ucdenver.edu
Web site: www.ucdenver.edu/education/cpce  

Faculty

Information about faculty in the counseling psychology and counselor education program is available online at www.ucdenver.edu/education.

The master of arts degree in counseling psychology and counselor education prepares professionals for community/mental health agencies, private practice and public schools. Students should obtain faculty advising regarding requirements.

Programs consist of 63 semester hours (66 for the multicultural/diversity strand). Core requirements that are common to all areas of study are followed by courses specific to each program. All programs require a practicum (150 clock hours) and an internship (600 clock hours). For most students, the master’s degree is a three-year program with course work for two years followed by a year of practicum and internship. All beginning students enroll in CPCE 5010 - Counseling Theories . The clinical mental health counseling, school counseling and couple and family therapy programs are nationally accredited by CACREP, the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

All students are expected to have online computer capability for communication and instructional purposes. For students in off-campus programs, some courses may be offered via computer technology.

Successful applicants to the counseling psychology and counselor education (CPCE) program will have obtained a minimum 2.75 undergraduate GPA and will score at least 900 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE or at least 396 on the Miller Analogy Test. Also, applicants will submit a current resume, a statement of goals and four letters of recommendation (academic letters strongly advised). Applicants meeting these minimum standards will be invited to a half-day group interview that involves program orientation, small group interviews, a writing assignment and a group exercise.

Application materials are available by calling the Student Services Center at 303-315-6300 or coming to Lawrence Street Center, Suite 701. All materials must be submitted to the Student Services Center in one complete packet by the appropriate deadline: September 15 for spring semester; January 15 for summer and fall semesters. Application materials include the following:

• part I of the application for admission
• tuition classification form
• $50 application fee (make checks payable to the University of Colorado Denver)
• written statement
• four letters of recommendation - academic letters strongly advised (in sealed and signed envelopes)
• two official transcripts from each higher education institution attended (in original sealed envelope)
• official GRE or MAT scores sent directly to the University of Colorado Denver (if you do not already hold a graduate degree; see CPCE application checklist)
• oath and consent
• fingerprint card
• online written response

CPCE students must earn at least a B in skills-oriented courses (CPCE 5100, 5160, 6140, 7100, 5910, 5930) or must repeat these courses until they do so. In addition, all students must make a formal case presentation in CPCE 5930 (internship) to demonstrate their clinical knowledge. Students must also take a national comprehensive examination (after 30 semester hours). Students may opt to write a research-based thesis instead of taking the national written examination.

Program Areas

Students accepted into the CPCE program follow one of three programs offering counseling psychology and counselor education. The couple and family therapy program follows licensure requirements designated by the state of Colorado for licensure as a marriage and family therapist. The clinical mental health counseling program follows state licensure requirements for licensed professional counselor, and the school counseling program follows state department of education licensure requirements.

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