Master's Program

Program Contact

Claudia Porras Pyland, PhD
Program Director
940-898-2312
cporras@twu.edu

Application Deadlines

Fall admission only - February 1

Admission Requirements:

• A bachelor's degree.
• At least 18 semester hours in psychology, including:
  • Introduction to Psychology/General Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology (Life Span)
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Statistics
  • Experimental Psychology/Research Design/Research Methods
  • Psychology Elective
  • A minimum GPA of 3.5 on all courses in psychology and a 3.0 overall average for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work. If graduate master’s work has been completed, a 3.5 is desirable.

Application Instructions:

1. Applying for Fall of 2027, start your application through the Online Graduate Application Portal
2. Answer all demographic questions and provide contact information for 3 recommendation letter writers (letter writers will be contacted through the portal to submit their letters of recommendation but check to ensure they receive this message)
3. Pay the application fee
4. When complete, follow prompts to: “Finish” and “Submit” Application
5. After you have submitted your application and returned to your application home page, you will see options for uploading required documents: CV in our preferred format (Curriculum Vitae Template), official transcripts, program application form (see list of required documents below).
6. “Submit” documents
7. Upload a PDF of your unofficial transcripts to this google form linked here https://forms.gle/TQeaDYd6dKYZnA6Q8 by the application deadline. (Please note these are in addition to the official transcripts you have sent to the graduate school. Having your unofficial transcripts allows us a more timely review of your application materials).

Required Documentation for Application:

• Counseling Psychology Program Application Form: Counseling Psychology Master’s Program application form, including the five essay prompts at the bottom of the form.
• Essays: Respond to the following five questions at the bottom of the Counseling Psychology Master’s Program application. Each response should NOT exceed 250 words in length.
• We ask that you not use AI to write your essays.
  • What incident or major life event most influenced your desire to pursue an advanced degree in counseling psychology?
  • Describe an event in your life marked by growth in your understanding of people or cultures different from your own. What were the outcomes of this shift in understanding that stay with you today?
  • Please review our program’s Mission, Philosophy, and Aims Statement (https://twu.edu/psychology-philosophy/prospective-graduate-students/counseling-psychology/doctoral-program/mission-philosophy-and-aims/). Based on your understanding of our program’s training model, mission, philosophy and aims, please describe how our training model would align with your career goals and how you might contribute to our program’s mission and goals. Please note that our program trains students to work primarily with adults.
  • What are your future career goals? How do you anticipate your experience in the Counseling Psychology program at TWU would help you prepare for your future career goals?
  • What are your major research interests?
• Counseling Psychology Curriculum Vitae (CV): Use the Curriculum Vitae template to organize your academic, professional, scholarship, and service experiences. Print and submit a PDF of your CV. Sample Vita  for reference.
• Official Transcripts sent directly from the previous institution(s)
• Letters of recommendation from three individuals familiar with your academic capabilities.
• PDF of unofficial transcripts submitted here: https://forms.gle/TQeaDYd6dKYZnA6Q8

Interviews & FAQ:

• A virtual interview is required on February 26, 2027. The admissions coordinator will contact those applicants whom the program invites to interview.
• Should an acceptance offer be extended, the applicant must reply by emailing admissions coordinator, Dr. Marlene Williams at mwilliams71@twu.edu on or before April 15, pursuant with the policy of the American Psychological Association.
• Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about the graduate counseling psychology admissions criteria and application process.

Begin by reviewing your program's website to see if there are additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  

1. Apply online.
   Apply to Graduate Programs  via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal following instructions below.  
2. Submit transcripts to TWU.
1. Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details. Original transcripts for each college/university attended must be submitted, even if referred to on another schools transcripts.
2. International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU. See the International Admissions website for more details.
3. Submit Recommendation Requests
   If your program requires you to submit names for recommendations you will need to do it in the application. List of programs-majors.  
4. Pay the application fee.
   The $50 fee ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:
1. Credit card - Pay Online through the application as the last step before submitting the application. The second portion of the application will not be available until the application fee has been received.
2. Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar Application Fee Waiver. TWU Alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage Fee Waiver. Check your eligibility here: https://twu.edu/alumni-advantage/. If eligible submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission
3. Following fee payment return to the application dashboard where supplemental application documents can be uploaded. The online application will list which documents are needed to fulfill the program admission requirements. You can also check the program's website.
5. Submit Program supplemental documents
1. Review the specific requirements for your intended program to identify any supplemental materials needed for your application.

Watch for emails from your new program/department that may come to your TWU email address.

For more information or assistance with the application or graduate admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.