Admission Requirements

The admissions criteria for the Master of Arts in Counseling takes into account three broad factors: 1) appropriate student dispositions; 2) academic potential; and 3) counseling career fit:

Appropriate Student Dispositions

These are traits appropriate for the counseling field and wellness across the lifespan.

A table of Attributions and Descriptions
Attribution Description
Conscientiousness Behaviors demonstrating taking responsibility, perseverance, the capacity to plan ahead, and self-discipline.
Self-Awareness A conscious knowledge of ones own traits, emotions, and behavior, and the impact of ones behaviors on others.
Coping and Self-Care Engages in appropriate levels of self-care. Identifies and responds appropriately to personal stress, burnout, situational impairment, loss, trauma, medical issues, and crisis. Uses positive coping and stress management mechanisms.
Interpersonal Skills Demonstrates the capacity to interact effectively with others, energy in interpersonal relationships, and appropriate warmth.
Ethical Behavior Integration of professionalism and ethical standards into day-to-day behavior.
Emotional Stability Behaviors that demonstrate the capacity to control negative emotions; demonstrates a generally positive perspective in all aspects of academic engagement; behaviors that show effective management of personal struggles that could potentially interfere with professional functioning.
Honesty Academic honesty; reliable and truthful in dealings with others; engenders public trust.
Openness Behaviors that demonstrate tolerance for ambiguity; tolerance for the culture and lifestyle differences of others; imaginative; curious; open to new experiences; intellectually interested and engaged.
Cultural Sensitivity Behaviors that suggest tolerance for the culture and lifestyle differences of others; cultural sensitive to the multiple possible factors that make up an individuals identity; awareness of one's own heritage and the impact on others.
Cooperativeness Behaviors that suggest cooperation, such as working well with authority figures; avoiding inappropriate competition or power struggles; accepting influence from supervisors and other experts; a general display of helpful behaviors; collaborative.

Academic Potential

This includes an analysis of student transcripts, undergraduate GPA, coursework taken, and GRE scores. The GRE is required of all students, but is only one factor in the comprehensive rating of academic potential.

Counseling Career Fit

Career fit includes consideration of paraprofessional and other relevant work and life experiences. Admissions Process for the Master of Arts in Counseling

Applying to the Program

Please submit the following documents to the Graduate School:

  • GRE scores
  • All official transcripts
  • Letter of  Intent/Statement of Career Goals, including which track you are interested in
  • Resume
  • Three professional letters of recommendations that indicate your fit for the counseling field
  • Qualified in the professional judgment of the program faculty

Applications are reviewed about the middle of February. Applicants who are invited for an interview are called in late February/early March. Notification of acceptance should be sent within two weeks of the interview.

Financial Aid. Information can be found through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Apply to the MA in Counseling Program. To apply to the M.A. in Counseling program, please visit Apply Nevada