California State University, Long Beach
M.S. in Counseling Psychology
On-Campus
Cal State Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Boulevard
Long Beach, California 90840
Program details below are quoted from program websites, supplied here for informational purposes only, and subject to change at any time. Refer to the program website for current information, deadlines, complete admission requirements, etc. It is the responsibility of the prospective student to verify with program administrators program details and that the program still meets BBS requirements for licensure in the state of California.
Program Snapshot
Accreditation
WASC
Concentrations/Specializations Offered
None
LMFT Track or Dual LMFT/LPCC Track
LMFT and LPCC
Length of Program
The program consists of a minimum of 65 units. The program has three tracks: 2-year, 2.5-year, and 3-year track. Once admitted to the program, students are assigned a faculty advisor and determine the best track option for them. A program planner will be provided to each student upon admission. Most students enroll in 4-5 courses each Fall and Spring semester. There is limited availability of summer courses, so students must plan carefully with their faculty advisor.
Schedule/Format
There are two programs, the M.S. in Counseling Traditional Program and the M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort.
All students in the M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort program progress through the curriculum at the same pace, two courses per semester. Students must take these classes spring, summer and fall semester for three years and one semester to complete the program. The traditional program offers more flexibility in scheduling courses; students can take two, three or four courses, depending on their life and work needs. The traditional program can be completed in three to five years.
All courses in the M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort program meet as follows. In the fall and spring semesters, classes meet from 7:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. In summer, which runs from the beginning of June through mid-August, classes tend to meet from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., plus two additional meetings to be arranged. Students in the traditional program must be available to take 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. courses in the fall and spring semesters in order to complete the program.
M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort students are guaranteed that they will be able to enroll each semester in the courses they need to take. Students in the traditional program do not have the same guarantee and may have to adjust their scheduling plans and graduation date when they are not able to get into courses that have reached their maximum enrollment.
The M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort program, because it is not state-supported, has somewhat higher tuition. Both programs have the same courses, taught by the same instructors. Students in both programs receive the same degree from California State University, Fullerton. Graduates of both programs will have met the educational requirements required by the California Board of Behavioral Science for LMFT’s and LPCC’s. Students in both programs have the same library privileges, and M.S. in Counseling Evening Cohort students are considered part of the CSUF community. They are welcome to use the library and other facilities and meet with faculty. Students in both programs will be advised by a full-time faculty member, who will help them with their study plans, and assist them with any other matter relevant to their graduate education with us.
Program Start
Fall
Estimated Total Program Tuition
The approximate cost as of Fall 2021 is $19,568 - $24,840 for the entire Counseling Psychology program for California residents (fees vary based on the 2, 2.5 or 3 year tracks).
Religious Orientation
None
Entering Class Size and Classroom Sizes
The typical cohort size for this program is 25 to 30 students.
Fieldwork Hours Accrued During Program
Counseling Psychology students are required to complete 150 hours of a combined off-site and on-site Practicum (COUN 609) experiences in addition to 350 off-site Fieldwork hours (COUN 643D & 644D) under the direct supervision of an approved licensed, counseling professional for a total of 500 experience hours.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement During Program
There is a requirement, but the program did not share the specific number of hours required.
Comprehensive Exam/Culminating Project/Thesis/Etc:
Thesis or Comprehensive Exam
Application Process
Application Deadline
Fall 2022
Application period begins: October 1, 2021
Application due date: January 15, 2022
Applications are not accepted after the deadline.
Undergraduate GPA Required
Minimum 2.85 overall grade point average in last degree (not credential or certificate) earned from an accredited institution of higher education. Applicants may have a degree in any major/field. A degree in psychology is not required and will not augment one's eligibility for admission.
GRE Requirement
None
Prerequisite Courses
EDP 400 - Introduction to Educational Research (3 units) (or equivalent) must be completed during the first year in the program.
Prerequisite courses do not need to be completed prior to applying nor prior to being admitted. Prerequisite course completion does not impact an applicant’s eligibility for admission to the program. Prerequisite courses may be completed the summer session prior to admission or during the first year in the program at the discretion of the advisor.
Application Highlights
Statement of Purpose
Statement of Purpose Prompt
Submit a 3-4 page, focused, narrative about yourself as a prospective counseling psychology professional resulting in a clear and comprehensive profile which indicates: focus and coherency, writing skills, personal and social insight, perspective, and commitment regarding your graduate study leading to an MS degree and eligibility to pursue licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). It should describe these areas in relation to the following topics. Use the following topics as subheadings. This is a formal paper so do not write a “chatty,” conversational statement. This formal paper must be written in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and have 1-inch margin on all sides. Use the following item headings as subheadings in your personal statement.
• Background: Describe how your experiences with family, friends, education, work, and leisure have contributed to your being a desirable candidate for entrance into the Counseling Psychology profession.
• Career Perceptions and Goals: Describe your perceptions and knowledge of the Counseling Psychology roles and functions. Include the setting, relationships with other disciplines, and activities you expect to be doing in this career area.
• Strengths and Areas to Improve: Describe yourself candidly in terms of your strengths and improvement areas regarding emotional, social, intellectual, and productive activities.
• Influential Factors: What experiences, people, and information have influenced your decision to select the Counseling Psychology profession?
• CSULB decision: How did you hear about the CSULB Counseling Psychology program and what made you decide on this particular Counseling Psychology program?
Letters of Recommendation
Be prepared to enter the names and email contact information for two people who will complete letters of recommendation for you in the ‘Recommendations’ tab in the Program Materials section of Cal State Apply. Recommendation are required from professional references. The recommender should be individuals in the mental health profession and/or professors or at least a professional who has observed you in a professional capacity interacting with people. Each recommendation is evaluated on the basis of substantive, specific, recommender observations regarding different factors about you in various interactive and/or academic settings. They are also evaluated with regard to the recommender's proximity to the profession from minimally related (non-mental health employment supervisor) to highly related (a mental health professional, professor in a related field, a health/education provider, etc.). We encourage you to seek the strongest possible letters regardless of the source.
Interview Requirement
Interviews for admission will be held virtually on Friday, March 18, 2022. Applicants are expected to save-the-date for a potential interview. Applicants will be notified by email approximately 1 week before the interview date whether or not they are being invited to the interview.
Program Summary
The Department of Counseling offers a Master of Science in Counseling, with an emphasis in clinical mental health settings. Our program is approved by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to meet all of the educational requirements preparing students for state licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) and as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT). We are also nationally accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Our emphasis is on the training of clinicians who can serve the needs of individuals and families in their communities. We train students to provide evidence-based brief and long-term counseling while maintaining professional identities as counselors and marriage and family therapists.
The program strongly emphasizes a multicultural perspective. We prepare counselors who will be sensitive to the diverse ethnic and religious heritages, lifestyles and special needs of individuals and families. Both our student body and our faculty encompass a wide range of backgrounds and values.
Our theoretical orientation is grounded in humanistic, relational, and integrative principles. This means that we are respectful of different counseling philosophies, flexible in our approaches depending on client and student needs, and united in our belief that relationships remain at the core of all helping encounters. We also believe that counselors can best help people by understanding the relationship of emotional distress to family dynamics and to the social and cultural contexts that shape our lives.