Psychology and Counseling

To be considered for admission to the Ed.S. Program in Psychology and Counseling, applicants must hold an earned bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution and present evidence of qualities consistent with those required for effective practice in the chosen area of study. The written statement prepared by the applicant, combined with four letters from references and the personal interview, will be used as the basis for committee members' judgment of the applicant's personal and interpersonal qualities. All persons admitted to the program are required to meet the same standard in regard to these qualities.

Applicants also must present evidence of potential ability to perform academic work at the advanced graduate level. Past grade performance provide the primary data for judging academic ability; other indicators, such as quality of writing in the applicant's prepared statement and faculty references, also will be considered.

Based on past academic performance, an applicant may qualify for either unconditional or conditional admission status. GRE scores are no longer needed for admission to the program.

Unconditional Admission Status 

Academic proficiency for unconditional admission may be established through satisfaction of the following criteria:

• A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (or 3.25 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work). 
• Unconditional admission to the Graduate School and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 on 12 or more hours with no grade less than a "B".

Conditional Admission Status

Academic proficiency for conditional admission may be established through satisfaction of either of the following criteria:

• A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 (or 3.00 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work) or
• Unconditional admission to the Graduate School and a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.00 on 12 or more semester hours with no more than one course with a grade of "C" and no grade less than a "C."

Additional Information

Students admitted to the degree program will demonstrate professional qualities consistent with those for effective performance in academic and practice settings. An applicant who qualifies may be admitted with or without conditions. To qualify for either admissions status, an applicant must meet criteria printed in the current ASU Graduate Bulletin.

In addition to application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit: (a) all college transcripts and (b) a statement of educational & career aspirations. In addition, applicants must provide 4 letters of recommendation under separate cover (2 from past professors), and, if invited, appear for an interview with the degree committee.

Application materials should be sent to:

A-STATE Graduate School
PO Box 60
State University, AR  72467-0060

PH:  870-972-3029
EMAIL: gradadmissions@astate.edu

Complete the required online Graduate School application.

Asher M. Pimpleton-Gray, Ph.D., LPC
Southern Illinois University
Interim Chair
apimpleton@astate.edu

Lacy Overley, Ph.D., NCC, LPC, RPT
Play Therapy Certificate Coordinator
University of Mississippi
lcrumrine@astate.edu

Savannah Coomier, ABD, LPC, RPT
Play Therapy Certificate Coordinator
University of Northern Colorado
scormier@astate.edu

Blake Sandusky, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT
Auburn University
CMHC Program Coordinator
wsandusky@astate.edu

Stephanie Gotay, Ed.D., NCC, CRC
University of Memphis
sgotay@astate.edu

Ashley Williams-Whitley
awilliamswhitley@AState.edu

The Counseling faculty employs a number of instructional methods and tools when engaging with students. During their training, students will have the opportunity to learn using a variety of styles, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Traditional lecture
• Experiential
• Role play
• Self-reflection
• Processing
• Case conceptualization
• Class discussion
• Case Simulations
• Case application

• COUN 6023 Intro to Mental Health Counseling                                          
• COUN 6033 Social and Cultural Foundations                                             
• COUN 6043 Career Development and Services                                           
• COUN 6053 Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues                                    
• COUN 6123 Group Dynamics                                                                      
• COUN 6203 Counseling Prepracticum                                                         
• COUN 6213 Counseling Practicum                                                              
• COUN 6313 Alcohol and Drug Abuse                                                          
• COUN 6433 Crisis Counseling                                                                     
• COUN 7463 Couples and Family Counseling                                              
• COUN 6113 Theories and Techniques in Helping Relationships                    
• COUN 6293 Statistics and Research Design                                                    
• COUN 6543 Psychosocial Aspects of Development                                       
• COUN 6573 Assessment in Counseling                                                                  
• COUN 7533 Psychopathology                                                                         
• COUN 7633 Psychophysiology and Psychopharmacology                              

 Internship Requirements

• COUN 7473 Mental Health Counseling Internship I                                    
• COUN 7493 Mental Health Counseling Internship II                                  

 Six Credit Hours of Approved Electives

For additional information, please review the Graduate Bulletin

Vital Statistics

Graduation, licensure, and job placement rates:

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The practice of play therapy requires specialized education and supervised clinical experience. The Association for Play Therapy (APT) mandates licensed mental health professionals obtain 150 hours of play therapy specific education to obtain the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) credential. A-State’s Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy is designed to meet and exceed this educational requirement by offering students extensive training in play therapy with opportunities for supervised practice. The play therapy program is a part of the A-State Play Therapy Education and Research Center, an Approved Center through APT. The certificate program is designed for working professionals with a graduate degree in counseling or a related field. Students currently enrolled in A-State’s clinical mental health counseling program can begin the certificate program by enrolling in play therapy courses as electives.

Course Requirements
The certificate consists of 12 graduate credit hours comprised of 4 courses (2 Fall Semester courses and 2 Spring Semester courses):

Admissions Requirements and Program Inquiry
Please contact Dr. Lacy Overley, Ph.D., NCC, LPC, RPT (lcrumrine@astate.edu) with questions and for further information on admission requirements.