Counseling and Development

Policies & Resources

Grading Policies

All Counseling and Development students must earn a grade of B or higher in counseling skill courses: EDCD 603, 606, 608, 609, and 755 (practicum). School Counseling students must earn a B in all courses in the program for state licensure. Students are permitted to repeat a course only once in order to fulfill the grade requirements for graduation, the core courses, the practicum, or licensure as a school counselor.

Transfer of Credit

A maximum of 12 credits may be transferred. A maximum of 9 credits may be transferred from Mason Non-degree coursework, and a maximum of 6 credits from another accredited institution with advisor approval may be transferred. Transferred credits must be less than six (6) years old, must be graduate level, must be graded (no pas/fail, audit, etc.), and may not be credits earned in a previously conferred graduate degree.

Tuition

Rates are available at http://studentaccounts.gmu.edu/tuition.html.

Financial Aid

Information on loans, assistantships, fellowships, and other types of financial aid is available in the Office of Student Financial Aid which can be reached via telephone at 703.993.2353 or on the web at http://financialaid.gmu.edu

Professional Performance Criteria

The American Counseling Association code of ethics requires counselors and counselor trainees to maintain standards of professional competence and possess good moral character. Therefore, the Counseling and Development Program requires these Professional Dispositions.

APA Guidelines

All students taking Counseling & Development courses are expected to use APA style described in detail in the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association, (6th Ed., 2010) for all written work. Students are expected to purchase this book.

Attendance Policy

Two or more unexcused absences may result in no credit for the courses that are 3 credits or more. For 2 credit courses, one or more unexcused absences may result in no credit for the course. For 1 credit courses, no unexcused absences are permitted.

Readmission Policy

Admitted students who do not attend classes for two consecutive semesters (excluding the summer term) are automatically dropped from degree-seeking status. These students must apply for readmission to the program in order to return to degree-seeking status. To apply for readmission, students must:

  1. Submit a statement describing (a) reasons for seeking readmission, and (b) current professional goals and activities.
  2. Submit a minimum of three letters from professional references who can address your readmission to the Counseling and Development program.
  3. Submit a current transcript
  4. Complete a Graduate Re-enrollment Form.
  5. Observe the regular GSE admission deadlines.

Students requesting readmission may then be invited to an admission interview. Readmission is granted only upon Counseling and Development full-time faculty's evaluation of the applicant's qualifications, interview, and past program participation.

Non-Degree

The non-degree extended study option is available for individuals who have missed the deadline for submitting a complete graduate application and desire to begin taking courses, or are interested in learning more about the field of counseling. Courses that may be taken as a non-degree student include EDCD 601: Introduction to Research in Counseling; EDCD 602: Foundations of Counseling; and EDCD 525: Advanced Human Growth and Development. After admission into the program, all three courses may be transferred into the master's program.