Master's Program

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Why Study Counseling Psychology at TWU?

Our master’s program in counseling psychology provides a uniquely feminist perspective while preparing students for careers primarily in psychological counseling. Students learn to work with individuals, couples, families and groups to promote optimal mental, emotional, and relational health and well-being.

Understanding oneself and others as existing and participating in multiple multicultural and social contexts is a critical part of our program. We are committed to our students' development as ethical and self-reflective professionals, and provide training based in the science of psychology.

Our MA degree also provides excellent preparation for those students seeking to pursue doctoral training in counseling psychology.

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Program Details

Career Outlook

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MA in Counseling Psychology

Program Contact

Debra Mollen, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator,
940-898-2317
dmollen@twu.edu 

Application Deadlines

Fall admission only - February 1

Please note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all materials are received by the deadline.  Applicants are encouraged to confirm receipt of their materials by contacting the Office of Admissions Processing and the Department of Psychology & Philosophy at gradpsych@twu.edu or 940-898-2306.

Admission Requirements

  • 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.
  • The GRE is not required to apply.

How to Apply

  1. Apply for admission to the TWU Graduate School.
  2. Collect and submit the following documents as separate pdf files in ONE email to gradpsych@twu.edu with the subject line (YOUR LAST NAME)-(YOUR FIRST NAME)-(MA IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY). Please attach all items as PDFs.
    • Counseling Psychology Master's Program Application: Complete, and submit a PDF of the Counseling Psychology Master's Program Application.
    • Counseling Psychology Master's Program Curriculum Vitae (CV): Use the Curriculum Vita Template to organize your academic, professional, scholarship, and service experiences. Print and submit a PDF of your CV.  Sample CV for reference.
    • Essays: Respond to the following five questions. Each response should NOT exceed 250 words in length.
      1. What incident or major life-event most influenced your desire to pursue an advanced degree in counseling psychology?
      2. Identify and discuss a specific group to whom you think it would be difficult for you to provide counseling or psychological services.
      3. How would you assess your fit for this program?
      4. Describe your anticipated career trajectory (i.e., where do you see yourself one year, 10 years, and 20 years after completing your degree)?
      5. What are your major research interests?
  3. Three academic or professional references should submit letters of recommendation as PDFs on institutional or organization letterhead to gradpsych@twu.edu. Recommenders should include student name and "M.A. in Counseling Psychology" in the subject line.
  4. A virtual interview is required. The admissions coordinator will contact those applicants whom the department invites to interview. Virtual Interviews will be held March 3, 2023.
  5. Should an acceptance offer be extended, the applicant must reply by emailing gradpsych@twu.edu, on or before April 15, pursuant with the policy of the American Psychological Association.

Alumni Spotlight: Hillarye Hightower (MA '09)

Hillarye Hightower headshot

Having gone through our Master’s Counseling Psychology program myself and having witnessed years of interns come to Denton County Friends of the Family (DCFOF), from our program and others, I believe our program, with its multicultural feminist lens, better prepares folks for any career ahead than many other programs.

Hillarye Hightower, Director of PEAP at DCFOF

Advice to current and future students: "Be part of your own process – find what sets your soul on fire and DO THAT – even if it’s not what you originally intended!"

"This program will prepare you for many things in life, so try as hard as you can to allow your expectations of yourself to be flexible."

About Hillarye Hightower

Hillarye Hightower graduated from the Counseling Psychology Master’s program in 2009 and has since made a significant impact in the field through her work with survivors of relational violence and sexual assault. Hillarye has been supporting survivors and working to prevent domestic and sexual violence for over 10 years. She is currently the Director of the Prevention, Education, and Awareness Program (PEAP) at Denton County Friends of the Family and has previously served as a director of Battering Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP). She has been invited numerous times to speak at statewide family violence and battering intervention and prevention conferences. She has traveled to California to train Futures without Violence coordinators on implementing the Coaching Boys into Men program in San Francisco public schools. She has been recognized for her work through several awards, including theClient Centered Culture Award, Leadership Team Member of the Year Award, Executive Director’s Choice Award, and Prevention Team Member of the Year Award. Hillarye was also nominated last year at the University of North Texas for the Division of Student Affairs Off-Campus Partner of the Year Award.

 

Questions?

Please contact Debra Mollen, Ph.D., Director of Master’s Counseling Psychology Program.

Office: CFO 705
Phone: (940) 898-2317
Email: dmollen@mail.twu.edu

The MA in Counseling Psychology prepares graduates to take the Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) exam (Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors). If you are a resident of another state, contact our department to determine whether our program fulfills requirements to take licensure exams in your home state.

Page last updated 8:43 AM, September 16, 2022