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The M.S. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology provides training to individuals who wish to promote mental health in individuals, families, organizations, and communities through careers in direct service, leadership, research, and education. The programs strive to provide a learning environment that facilitates the development of skills in critical thinking, assessment, and intervention and one that is grounded in an appreciation for both psychological science and human diversity. Students seeking a master's degree in clinical or counseling psychology may choose to enter either the thesis track or the practitioner track.
The thesis track program prepares students to continue on to a doctoral degree program or establish a career as a research coordinator or program manager in applied or basic social science. Students receive training in psychological theory, assessment, intervention, and research application. An empirical thesis is required for completion of the program. Many thesis track graduates have continued their training in clinical, counseling, developmental, applied social, and industrial/organizational psychology Ph.D. programs.
The practitioner track program prepares students to begin employment in psychology under the supervision of a doctoral trained and licensed psychologist. In addition, some practitioner track students apply to Psy.D. programs of study, since these programs attract students who have a background in practicum and internship experiences, as opposed to research and thesis requirements.
Individuals with a master's degree are not eligible to practice independently as psychologists in Maryland but can function as psychology associates under supervision or continue their studies toward eligibility as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). Psychology associates provide services under the supervision of a licensed, doctoral-level psychologist with permission from the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
In the state of Maryland, the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) must meet the criteria set forth by the Maryland Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and Therapists, including specific coursework as determined by the Board, 60 graduate credit hours, at least two years of supervised postgraduate experience, and successful completion of an exam administered by the Board. The LCPC is eligible to provide services independently in the state of Maryland.
The student's completed application will be evaluated by the Graduate Admission Committee in Psychology, and a written decision will be forwarded to the student.
Applicants for the M.S. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology should have a strong undergraduate academic background in psychology. Students must have a bachelor's degree in psychology or another field. If the bachelor's degree is in a field other than psychology, the following minimum coursework must have been completed at the undergraduate level: Introductory Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and at least one course relating to the experimental or statistical areas of social science, such as experimental psychology, research methods, psychological statistics, or tests and measurement. All of these courses must have been offered through a social sciences department (e.g., psychology, sociology, etc.).
The applicant's bachelor's degree must be from an accredited college or university with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.000 and a grade point average of 3.000 in psychology courses.
The following materials are required for application to the M.S. program:
Completed/signed application form with required application fee.
Official transcripts from all post-secondary colleges or universities attended. This includes transcripts from part-time study and from institutions that have awarded the applicant a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree or an advanced certificate. Students who fail to submit the final degree posted transcript will not be permitted to register.
Applicants who hold degrees or have earned credits from non-U.S. institutions must have a course-by-course evaluation of their academic records done by a recognized evaluation services agency before they can be considered for admission to a degree program. Loyola recommends World Education Services, Inc. (www.wes.org).
Resume or curriculum vita.
Three professional/academic letters of recommendation.
Essay responding to questions on application form.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. General Test is required unless the applicant holds a graduate degree from an accredited institution; Subject Test is optional. Scores must be from test administrations within the previous five years. Loyola's C.E.E.B. code is 5370.
TOEFL score report is required only if English is not the applicant's native language or if the applicant has not completed a degree program taught in English. An official TOEFL score report cannot be more than two years old. Official scores must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. Loyola's institution code is 5370.
All application materials must be received by the application deadline listed for the semester the student is seeking admission in order to be considered. Applications to the thesis track program are considered for fall admission only. Applications to the practitioner track program are considered for fall and summer admission.
Applications received by the priority deadlines listed below will be reviewed for the upcoming term; those received after these dates will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
Thesis Track Program
| Fall Semester (only) | March 15 |
Practitioner Track Program
| Summer Sessions | March 15 |
| Fall Semester | March 15 |
All students must demonstrate competency in the content areas of general psychology. Students whose bachelor's degree is in a field other than psychology must have completed coursework in the following areas: Introductory Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and at least one course relating to the experimental or statistical area, such as Experimental Psychology, Research Methods, Psychological Statistics, or Tests and Measurement.
Students who are accepted for admission to the master's program must attend an in-person orientation and registration session prior to the semester in which they first enroll. All new students receive a Student Handbook describing program requirements and departmental policies.
The M.S. in Clinical Psychology and the M.S. in Counseling Psychology practitioner tracks require 48 graduate credits. The M.S. in Clinical Psychology and the M.S. in Counseling Psychology thesis tracks require 45 graduate credits. Students may enroll as full- or part-time students. Full-time students usually complete nine credits per semester (six credits for summer), while part-time students complete six or less credits per semester.
The practice and professions of clinical and counseling psychology are dynamic, evolving, and ever changing. The skills and techniques used are constantly being refined. As our understanding grows, the profession itself changes.
As human service professionals, it is important that Loyola graduates use only the most up-to-date knowledge and skills in clinical and counseling psychology. For these reasons, master's students must complete all requirements for their particular program within six years, including courses, the thesis track thesis, the practitioner and thesis track externships, and comprehensive exams. Additionally, it is expected that graduates will maintain and update their knowledge and skills through ongoing professional development and continuing education activities.
Information on the specific courses deemed necessary to sit for the comprehensive exam for each of the degree programs (and their respective tracks) is described in the Master's Student Handbook, which is distributed by the department at new student orientation. Students must complete these courses before they are eligible to apply for the comprehensive exam. Material from all necessary courses will be included on the exam; students are not permitted to take the exam prior to completion of these courses.
The primary function of the comprehensive exam is to ensure that students have the competency and knowledge base to be independent practitioners of psychology. Students who have clearly demonstrated that competency in their classroom performance may be waived from taking the comprehensive exam. In order to qualify for a waiver from all sections of the exam, students must meet both of the following criteria:
Have a cumulative GPA of B+ (3.300) or better in the courses required by their track for comprehensive exams. (Note: This is not the overall GPA for all courses they have taken in the master's program.)
Have a grade of B (3.000) or better in all courses required by their track for comprehensive exams.
Students who fail to meet the first criteria will be required to take and pass all sections of the comprehensive exam. Students who meet the first criteria, but fail to meet the second criteria, will be required to take and pass only the comprehensive exam section(s) associated with the courses in which they did not receive a B (3.000) or better.
The exam is given three times a year. Students must complete an Application for Comprehensive Examination available in the Psychology Department. The dates for the exam, as well as the deadline for application, are listed in the graduate course schedule each semester. Students who are applying for a waiver must still complete an application, which will be reviewed to determine whether or not they meet the stated criteria for a waiver, and/or the sections of the exam they will be required to take and pass.
The exam consists of three sections given over a two-day period. Exam scoring may vary according to the particular concentration. Students are required to pass the exam within the six-year time limit allowed to complete the degree. Students failing to pass any section on the third attempt will be dismissed from the program. More detailed information on the comprehensive exam process is available in the Master's Student Handbook.
The externship experience is an opportunity for students to apply concepts developed in academic coursework. Coordinated programs between the department and a variety of community resources have been established to fulfill student externship requirements and needs. The externship allows students to gain practical training and experience under the supervision of a mental health worker, clinician, or researcher in a community-based facility, hospital or other mental health setting.
The department maintains an extensive list of approved externship sites which meet the training requirements of the program. Students work with the director of field education and their advisor to select sites which are appropriate to their experiences and desired goals. All approved sites must be located within the state of Maryland or within close proximity to Maryland, including Washington, D.C., northern Virginia, or southern Pennsylvania.
The 300-hour externship is required for practitioner track students. Clinical practitioner students may not register for externships until they have completed the following:
Counseling practitioner students may not register for externships until they have completed PY620 and PY621. All practitioner track students need the written permission of the director of field education and to have completed a minimum of 18 credits.
Thesis track students are required to take a 150-hour research externship. All thesis track students need the written permission of the director of master's education, thesis track.
Transfer credits for practicums or externships are not accepted. Students may complete a maximum of four externships for credit toward their degree requirements for the practitioner tracks. Thesis track students may complete a maximum of three externships toward their degree requirements.
The thesis required for all clinical and counseling thesis track students is a scientific investigation of publishable quality which demonstrates the scholarship, logical consistency, creativity, and comprehensiveness which are associated with genuine research. The idea for the master's thesis is initiated and developed by the student while enrolled in Research Methods in Psychology I and II (PY746, PY747). All thesis track students must enroll in PY746 and PY747 during the fall and spring semesters of their first year. After the first year, students have an opportunity to enroll in a research externship at an off-site facility. The research externship is a 10- to 12-hour per week applied research experience, and it enhances the students' doctoral application portfolios and job seeking opportunities.
Each thesis track student is responsible for seeking out a member of the faculty to serve as major reader for the thesis, as well as two other faculty members who will serve as readers on the Thesis Committee. A list of faculty members who serve as major readers is available from the department.
Thesis Guidance I, II, III, and IV (PY761, PY762, PY763, PY764) are taken with the three required research courses (PY746, PY747, PY791). A fee is charged each semester. During this time, the student works closely with his or her major reader in the development of the thesis proposal, the collection and analysis of data, and preparation of the final thesis. If the thesis is not completed by the end of the second year in the program, students must enroll in Thesis Guidance: Continuation (PY765) each semester (excluding summer sessions) until the thesis is completed. A fee is charged each semester.
It is anticipated that the major reader will work closely with the student during collection and analysis of data, and the student will incorporate the professor's suggestions in the completed thesis. Three copies of the final master's thesis, each signed by the committee members, are submitted to the department chair and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for final approval. Copies of the guidelines for thesis procedures and style are available from the department upon request. The final copies of the completed thesis must be submitted at least three weeks before the end of the semester that a student expects to graduate.
College-wide academic standards can be found in the section on Academic Standards and Dismissal under Academic Regulations and Policies.
In addition, students who receive a grade of less than B- (2.670) in any course will not be permitted to count this course for their degree. Students receiving a grade of less than B- in a required course must retake and successfully complete the course and are encouraged to meet with their advisor to discuss this issue. Both the original and retake grades remain on the student's transcript and will be calculated into the cumulative quality point average.
Students receiving a grade of less than B- in an elective course must meet with their advisor to determine if they should retake the same course or substitute an alternative elective. In either case, the original course grade remains on the student's transcript and is calculated into the cumulative quality point average.
It is the student's responsibility to make certain that the minimum QPA requirement of 3.000, which is a B average, is maintained. Students who fall below this level of achievement will be placed on academic probation for one semester, and must meet with their advisor to discuss their progress. Failure to raise the cumulative QPA to 3.000 in the following semester will result in dismissal from the program. Moreover, either the receipt of one F (0.000) or the accumulation of two grades of C+ (2.330) or lower also will result in dismissal from the program.
Academic dismissal may also result from excessive course withdrawal, academic dishonesty, or other unethical unprofessional conduct reflecting upon a student's ability to enter into the academic or professional field in which the degree is being offered. If the Psychology Department perceives that a student is not progressing satisfactorily in the development of the competencies and behaviors required at his or her level of professional development, a Professional Assessment Review (PAR) will be conducted for the purpose of remediation or dismissal.
Students may view the Psychology Department website for suggested full- and part-time programs of study for the practitioner and research tracks.
Excellent preparation for students planning to pursue a Ph.D. The focus of the degree is on research training and skills; however, the student also receives master's-level assessment and psychotherapy training with an emphasis on assessment. The degree consists of 45 graduate credit hours, successfully passed comprehensive examinations, and a completed and approved master's thesis. The following courses are required for graduation:
Excellent preparation for students planning to pursue a Ph.D. The focus of the degree is on research training and skills; however, the student also receives master's-level assessment and psychotherapy training with an emphasis on psychotherapy. The degree consists of 45 graduate credit hours, successfully passed comprehensive examinations, and a completed and approved master's thesis. The following courses are required:
Prepares the student for mental health provider positions in public and private settings. The student receives master's-level training in assessment and psychotherapy with a focus on assessment. Additionally, the program may provide for preparation for certification or licensure as a mental health counselor or entrance into a Psy.D. program. The degree consists of 48 graduate credit hours, successfully passed comprehensive examinations, and a supervised externship. The following courses are required:
Prepares the student for mental health provider positions in public or private settings. The program may also provide for preparation for certification or licensure as a mental health counselor. The degree consists of 48 graduate credit hours, successfully passed comprehensive examinations, and a supervised externship. The following courses are required:
Students completing the practitioner track of the counseling program satisfy all of the counseling content areas for LCPC licensure from the Maryland Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and Therapists. Students then have 12 credits remaining to satisfy the 60-credit, LCPC educational requirements, and they may satisfy the additional 12 credits of counseling electives through enrollment in the Master's Plus or C.A.S. programs. Students are also eligible to request information from and apply to the Board for LCPC-G (Graduate) status after completing the 60 credits. Requirements vary by state.
The department offers a nine-hour clinical option for qualified counseling students and a nine-hour counseling option for qualified clinical students. These options must be taken in addition to the hours for the degree and may not serve in lieu of other elective courses.
After completing 21 hours in their regular concentration, students must apply in writing to be considered for these options. Application does not guarantee enrollment, as currently matriculating students in clinical or counseling psychology are given first priority for enrollment in the required courses for their degree program.
After completion of the master's degree requirements, students may also consider applying for the Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) and complete the clinical/counseling option while taking this program.
Clinical Option (9 credits)
Counseling Option (9 credits)
Clinical students desiring an externship in counseling must complete the counseling option prior to placement.
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