The amount of time it takes to complete the program depends on whether students choose to go full time or part time. Beginning in the summer, full-time students will complete the program in 3 years and part-time students will complete the program in 4-5 years.

Most of our classes are offered between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.  with a few exceptions that vary depending on semester. Summer classes tend to be offered in the morning and afternoon.  Currently, we do not offer courses on weekends.

Our answer is, “yes” and “it depends”.

Working full-time while also completing our program is probably not a viable option for most students. Students choosing to enroll full-time are encouraged to seek part-time employment or apply to be a Graduate Assistant on campus. Part-time students may continue to work at their current employment; however please keep in mind additional demands of the practicum and internship experiences.

Practicum requires 100 hours (6-8 hours a week) and internship requires 600 hours total (300 per semester or approximately 20 hours a week, which will most likely not allow you to maintain full-time work status. Ultimately, it is up to the student to determine the amount of work they can handle while also completing their coursework. Finally, you may not use your current place of employment for a potential Practicum or Internship site.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook

“Employment is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations. Projected job growth varies by specialty, but job opportunities should be favorable because job openings are expected to exceed the number of graduates from counseling programs, especially in rural areas.”

For further information refer to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, or visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. 

Yes, the department has experienced an influx of students who are interested in completed courses and/or a second emphasis. Read the Special Student Enrollment Policy for more information.

Graduate students are admitted once a year for the summer semester. Admission applications are due each year by January 15. Faculty begins screening applications shortly thereafter. A faculty committee of two reviews the applications and makes recommendations for the on-campus interviews. On-campus interviews are normally scheduled for late January or early February. Once the interview process is complete, two-three weeks later acceptance letters are sent to the students.

Admission to the Department of Professional Counseling is competitive. The number of graduate students admitted annually varies, depending on the available space within the program. Generally, the faculty invites about 35 students into the professional counseling program.

Late and/or incomplete admissions applications are not considered. We strongly encourage applicants to submit all admissions materials well in advance of the January 15 deadline. Should applicants miss the deadline, their application will move to the next years admission cycle.

After your application is received by the Office of Graduate Studies following the admissions deadline, program faculty will review applicant materials and invite selected applicants to an on-campus interview process. These are generally held in early February.

Generally, yes. All applicants invited to the on-campus interview process must attend in order to be considered for admission. Generally, we give 15-30 days of advance notice of the on-campus interview date so that you may plan your travel accordingly. However, we do understand that things come up, so if you are absolutely not able to attend you may contact our program admission chairs, Amney Harper, harpera@uwosh.edu and Charles Lindsey, lindseyc@uwosh.edu  to discuss alternative options.

The on-campus interview process involves individual and group interviews. The day begins with an orientation to the program, followed by two individual interviews with faculty and one group process interview, which two faculty facilitate. Throughout the day you will also have opportunities to meet with current graduate students, who can answer questions you may have about the program. The interview process is designed to help the faculty and you make informed decisions about admission into the program.

Immediately following the on-campus interviews, the faculty makes their decisions. Applicants selected will receive an official letter regarding the admission decision. This notification is mailed about two days after the on-campus interview.