Make a difference in local schools through our school counseling track. Learn to provide guidance and counseling to students of all ages. You must hold a valid teaching certificate and two years of full-time teaching experience to qualify for this program. When you graduate, you’ll be certified as a professional school counselor in addition to being a licensed professional in the state of Texas.

You'll learn clinical theories, techniques in therapy and characteristics of mental health. Apply your knowledge through internships and practicums that prepare you for the road ahead. Mental health matters, and so do our counselors. Become part of this rewarding profession at A&M-Commerce.

Where It Is Offered Commerce, Dallas (Beginning Fall 2023), McKinney (CHEC)
Duration 2.5 to 3 years
Foreign Language No foreign language credits required
Delivery Blended (50-85% Online), Face-To-Face
Total Credit Hours 51 hours
Thesis Requirements No thesis required
Woman counseling a young lady.

SEE YOURSELF SUCCEED WITH A master’s DEGREE IN Counseling

Faculty Spotlight

What you will learn

A master’s degree in counseling offers the opportunity to:

  • Develop a strong understanding of the benefits and importance of counseling
  • Learn how you can better counsel across demographics
  • Communicate skills to help patients successfully reach and resolve issues
  • Conduct assessments and collaborate with individuals and their families to develop treatment plans
Woman school counselor standing in front of lockers.

Careers

A master’s degree in counseling from A&M-Commerce prepares you to work in community agencies, schools, student affairs and much more. Our graduates are quick to transition when job opportunities present themselves.

Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries

Marriage and Family Therapist
$50,090
Postsecondary Education Administrators
$96,910
School and Career Counselors
$60,510
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
$48,250
Rehabilitation Counselors
$38,560

US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023

Woman's hands writing at a desk.

Course Delivery

Earning your degree just got easier at A&M-Commerce.

Designed for current educators and working professionals, our Master of Science in Counseling, School Counseling emphasis offers face-to-face and hybrid courses at the Commerce campus and the Collin Higher Education Center.

Counselor ExamS

Learn about some of the exams you may encounter as part of your counseling preparation.

Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam(CPCE)

The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) is a standardized exit exam designed to review the main core counseling concepts. All school and clinical mental health students must pass the CPCE. The exam is a computer-based exam (CBT) administered by the Testing Center.

National Counselor Exam(NCE)

The National Counselor Exam is a standardized test used to assess knowledge, skills and abilities determined to be important for providing effective counseling services. The NCE is an optional exam that is not needed to graduate. However, it is a requirement for counselor licensure in many states, including the state of Texas, and for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification.

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Graduate Program Cost

PROGRAM COSTS

Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.

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ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS International/Domestic Tabs (USE THIS ONE)

Admission

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

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Counseling (MED) Clinical Mental Health Counseling Emphasis :: Program Admission Requirements copied copied copied

Deadlines for Counseling (MS)

Spring application and documents deadline: December 1

Summer application and documents deadline: May 1

Fall application and documents deadline: August 1

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

Step 1. Submit Application

Submit Application

  • Select “Create a new graduate school admissions application.”
  • Select “Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce)” as your “Target University.”

  • Select Counseling, MS as your “Major.”
  • Pay the $50 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.

Step 2. Submit Documents

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Official Transcripts

Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to [email protected].

  • We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

  • If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
  • If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

Postal Alternative

If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011

Three References

Request three reference forms, using our department form, from professionals who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program.

Those individuals should:

Counseling Essay

Submit a statement of self-exploration and personal and professional self-development.

Explain why these qualities are especially important for counselors-in-training and what you would do, if admitted to our master’s degree program, to facilitate your own openness in these areas. Reference your answer to your own specific career goals.

Resume or CV

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

Interview

The Department of Counseling will contact you to schedule your interview.

Review the Application Packet for more information.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

Step 3. Apply to the Certification Office

Admission to the Certification Office is required if you are seeking school counseling certification as part of your M.S. degree.

After submitting a complete application to the Graduate School, immediately submit your School Counselor Certification Program Application using TK20. You must submit a TK20 application prior to your interview date with the Department of Counseling to avoid delays in processing admissions.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Pay the certification and assessment fees

Gather Required Documents

You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:

  • Certification fee receipt
  • TEA Assessment fee receipt
  • Teaching service record
    • A minimum of one year of experience is required for admission to the master’s degree-seeking path for school counselor. If you are currently completing your first year of service, please submit a letter from your human resources department. The application will not submit if this required attachment is missing.
  • Standard Texas Teaching Certificate
    • Note: Candidates on emergency permits, intern or probationary certificates will not be admitted.
  • Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
    • Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
    • Applicants must meet one of the following GPA requirements for certification admission:
      • Minimum 2.75 overall GPA; or
      • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a conferred master’s degree; or
      • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 hours
    • Please note that certification admission requirements may differ from those of the Graduate School and are separate requirements.
If applicable:
  • TEA Transfers
    • If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for school counseling certification.
    • Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to [email protected].
  • Transcripts from outside the United States
    • Contact [email protected] for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
    • If your official transcripts are from institutions outside the United States and the country of origin is not exempt by TEA, send the following documentation to [email protected]:
      • A course-by-course evaluation from a TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Service
      • Minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT). Please note that TOEFL scores are only valid for a period of two years. Required minimum scores are 24 for Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing.
        • As of 3/4/2022, a valid standard Texas educator certificate will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL iBT scores.

Create a TK20 Account

  • Go to tamuc.tk20.com
  • Scroll down and click “Admissions”
  • Select “Click here to create your account.”
  • Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
  • Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
  • Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
  • After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
  • Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
    • You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.

Fill out the School Counselor Admission Application

  • Log into your TK20 account
    • Click on the “back to login” link.
    • Enter your username and password.
    • Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.
  • Click on the “Create New Application” button.
  • Select “School Counselor” application
  • Click the “Next” button.
  • Complete the application.

Upload Documents

  • Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
  • Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.
  • Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.

Check Your Application Status

To check your application status:

  1. Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
  2. On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
  3. Click on the application.
  4. If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
  5. If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
    • Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.

Interview

Once both the Graduate School and Certification Program Applications are complete, the Department of Counseling will reach out to schedule an interview. Interview days are typically scheduled on a monthly basis.

Sign the Letter of Invitation

Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation.”

Step 4. Apply for Financial Assistance

  • Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
  • Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
  • Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.

Step 5. Register for Classes

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.

  • View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
  • To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

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Counseling (MED) Clinical Mental Health Counseling Emphasis :: Program Admission Requirements, International copied copied copied

Deadlines for Counseling (MS)

Spring application and document deadline: October 1

Summer application and document deadline: February 15

Fall application and document deadline: June 1

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

Step 1. Submit Application

Submit Application

  • Select “Create a new graduate school admissions application.”
  • Select “Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce)” as your “Target University.”

  • Select Counseling, MS as your “Major.”
  • Pay the $75 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.

Step 2. Submit Documents

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Official Transcripts

  • Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
    Texas A&M University-Commerce

    Attn: Graduate School
    2600 S. Neal St.
    Commerce, Texas 75428

Transcript Evaluation

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

  • If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
  • If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

Three References

Request three reference forms, using our department form, from professionals who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program.

Those individuals should:

Counseling Essay

Submit a statement of self-exploration and personal and professional self-development.

Explain why these qualities are especially important for counselors-in-training and what you would do, if admitted to our master’s degree program, to facilitate your own openness in these areas. Reference your answer to your own specific career goals.

Resume or CV

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

Interview

The Department of Counseling will contact you to schedule your interview.

English Proficiency

You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.

Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to Texas A&M University-Commerce:

  • TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
  • IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
  • PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
  • Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)

*Scores must be less than two years old.

Official Sponsor Documents

Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted

  • Official sponsor statement
  • Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $26,025 USD which is less than 1 year old

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

Step 3. Apply for Financial Assistance

Step 4. Register for Classes

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.

  • View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
  • To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

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Contact Us

  • P.O.Box 3011
  • Commerce, TX 75429-3011

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