Counseling Student Resources

CACREP is the leading national accrediting body for Professional Counselor preparation programs. CACREP accreditation contributes to the unity of the Counseling profession by bringing together practitioners, educators, and students and by continually improving professional preparation, educational research and scholarship, and practice. CACREP accreditation provides assurance of a quality educational program that prepares Professional Counselors. CACREP accreditation provides assurance that accredited programs “measure up” to standards developed by a national consensus of those in the field of Professional Counseling. Thus, federal agencies, state licensing boards and national certification agencies are assured that programs accredited by CACREP provide a consistent, quality education in preparation for counselor credentialing. CACREP accreditation provides recognition that the education offered by an accredited program has completed an extensive peer-evaluation process and meets standards established by and for the Counseling profession. Students can be assured that all requisite knowledge and skills areas will be included in the course of study necessary for entry into the field of Professional Counseling. Additionally, clients and consumers of counseling services benefit from the rigorous preparation of the Professional Counselor who has graduated from a CACREP program.

Yes. Students are limited to transferring no more than six (6) semester credits as substitutes for current courses in their plan of study. Course equivalency is determined by faculty and staff who will evaluate a student’s courses by reviewing syllabi, course requirements, relevant program/university accreditation, and required text(s).  

Yes. Talk to the Admissions Coordinator to understand the appropriate course of study in a certificate program. 

Yes. The counseling program's full-time course load is 9 credits per semester. Students may enroll in as few as 3 credits per semester following the RoadMap sequence of courses. However, we do not recommend continually registering for only 3 credits per semester as this plan significantly prolongs graduation and students must complete courses within the time frame specified in the Graduate Catalog. Additionally, there are consequences to trying to rush professional preparation in mental health professions like counseling.  

Graduate school tends to be more demanding of the student’s time, and professors expect that students have the ability to work independently. It is imperative that you complete all assignments when they are due – you cannot expect to just “get by" or ask for extensions.  Work is expected prior to classtime, since it may not be reviewed in detail during class. Students are encouraged to ask questions or bring up points of discussion about assigned material. Asynchronous work is expected in many courses, in addition to what might be typically thought of as "homework." We have high expectations because what you demonstrate during preparation is a prediction of how you may function working in the profession. You will be graduating ready to become a practicing professional counselor. This is large responsibility to the public, and we are dedicated to ensuring you receive the best preparation possible. We also expect that you will take advantage of additional opportunities to learn, by attending workshops, lectures, and other special events and programs you learn about along the way. 

This is an important question. Many people are confused about the distinctions between the different helping professions, and this lack of understanding can lead to muddled professional identities. There are many commonalities to all the helping professions, such as a desire to make a difference, understanding diverse perspectives and experiences, and the types of settings in which these professionals work. However, counseling is unique in several ways. First, counseling is focused primarily on understanding and working with the normal developmental themes, transitions, and challenges throughout a person’s life. Therefore, while we address and treat dysfunction where it exists, we emphasize strengths, mental health, and wellness versus pathology. Counseling professionals often refer to themselves as followers of the developmental versus the medical model, though it is important to be able to function in both realms. Relatedly, counseling is often focused on primary and secondary prevention as opposed to remediation and treatment. This indicates that counselors work diligently to help people remain healthy or to receive assistance as soon as possible after encountering psychological difficulties. We believe that this model is more respectful of peoples’ strengths and is more humane in that we strive to help people develop fully and avoid spending our time “putting out fires.” Counselors also work with people in crisis to both stabilize the condition and help the client(s) gain a perspective that will hopefully help them in future times of distress. Third, the counseling profession has also evolved from career guidance and educational model. Therefore, we work to combine psychoeducation with counseling, and recognize that people’s educational and career needs must be addressed as they interact continuously with mental health. Finally, like clinical social work, counseling is a masters-level profession. This means that practitioners who have the appropriate qualifications can gain an independent license with a terminal master’s degree. Psychology requires a doctoral degree for an independent practitioner psychology license. Counselor education programs are the only mental health programs devoted entirely (100%) to the practice of counseling.  

Most classes consist of between 6 and 12 students. Current students and alumni often indicate that having a small class size and personalized learning atmosphere is one of their favorite aspects of our program.  

Because most of our students work while pursuing their degree, our live, real-time Zoom classes typically meet between 3 and 10 p.m. on weekdays. However, we also offer a limited amount live, real-time daytime and weekend classes. Additionally, we offer asynchronous classes to offer a bit more flexibility to our students.

Yes, since this is a 100% fully digital program, students must be able to use a computer to perform the required tasks and assignments needed to meet program and course objectives and goals, including use of multiple platforms (ELC, Brightspace, Zoom, Ellucian Experience, and Microsoft products such as OneDrive, Word, PowerPoint). Additionally, consistent access to high-speed internet is required. 

Yes, the program is considered a 100% fully digital learning program. This means that all courses are offered in either the synchronous (live, in real-time Zoom) and/or asynchronous (not in live, real-time) format. Professors are dedicated to using many tools and resources to support student engagement with the material as well as each other.

Synchronous means that students attend class, live, through Zoom, at a particular date and time. Asynchronous means that students will work through the activities that support learning, without the requirement of live, real-time Zoom meetings. Blended means some synchronous and some asynchronous.

Yes, many of our students take courses during the summer. However, summer courses are more condensed (typically twice the amount of work due each week) because the same material is covered as during the regular academic fall and spring semesters. This is why only 6 credit hours is considered full-time in the summer (as opposed to 9 credit hours considered full-time in the fall or spring).

You will be expected to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, which means that any grade below a B is indicative of performance below what is expected for graduate students. In this program, no more than two grades below B are acceptable. 

Students are expected to pursue personal counseling during their graduate program. The graduate program is demanding and the extra, objective support is often welcomed by graduate students. Since the average age of our students is 39 years old, many students enter the program having already experienced personal counseling. If this is the case, and the experience was a positive one, this expectation during graduate school can be waived. It is imperative that practicing counselors have their own experience of personal counseling. Personal counseling is recommended for several reasons. First, self-disclosure is an important part of the learning process. Your ability to discuss your own issues affects how you can work with others. Second, it is helpful to understand from your own perspective the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors often experienced by clients. Third, it is likely that you will encounter some personal issues through your experience in graduate school as we will be discussing many sensitive topics and you will undergo intensive self-exploration. Finally, how can we reasonably expect people to open up to a counselor (i.e., a stranger), if we are not willing to take that risk ourselves? Simply stated, undergoing personal counseling is necessary to become a counselor.

Each of the degree concentrations consists of 60 credit hours and requires one 100-hour practicum and two 300-hour internships (600 hours of internship total). Additionally, all concentrations take the same 10 core courses at the beginning of their program. Then, students progress to their concentration-specific and elective courses: The Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) concentration requires 4 CMHC-specific courses (12 credits) and 3 elective courses (9 credits). The School Counseling concentration requires 5 School-specific courses (15 credits) and 2 elective courses (6 credits). The Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling concentration requires 6 ClinRehab-specific courses (18 credits) and 1 elective course (3 credits).

It can take anywhere between 2.5 and 6 years. Most students finish in three, depending on their outside commitments and professional plan. Please do not expect to complete the program in less than 2.5 years. We take our commitment to the well-being and the safety of the public (clients) seriously. We want you to feel confident and prepared for your first job as a counselor after graduation, and that preparation takes some time.

Students are required to complete a Capstone presentation during internship. This Capstone requires students to articulate the model they use when working with clients. It is intended to demonstrate a master's-level counselor's mastery of counseling knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to work with a particular client. 

Completion of our degree program and your concentration requirements qualifies you to apply for the corresponding licensure in New Mexico and most other states.   

Graduates of our program typically go into an array of settings upon graduation. The most popular places of employment include community agency counseling, hospital-based work, schools, vocational rehabilitation settings, and private practice. However, counselors also work in other areas such as employee assistance programs, organizational consulting, public health, and higher education. Some students go on to complete further areas of study, such as doctoral programs in counselor education. Statistics on employment in the state, as well as nationally, can be found on the Counseling Home page under "Annual Reports."