Counseling (Accelerated), BS/MA

Overview

CIU’s Clinical Counseling program, in conjunction with the Psychology major of the College of Arts and Sciences, offers an integrated program of study that allows academically-gifted, mission-quality students who have a clear sense of calling to become licensed professional counselors to complete both a Bachelor of Science degree with a Psychology major and a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling degree in an accelerated format.

During their first year, students take courses in the standard undergraduate core. During their second year, they complete the core and begin taking courses in their Psychology major. In the second semester of their sophomore year, with the recommendation of their major advisor, they can apply to MA Clinical Counseling program for provisional acceptance, which will allow them to begin taking up to 12 total credits in the graduate MA program while still an undergraduate. The process is as follows:

BS Psychology to MA Counseling, Accelerated Progression Plan
 

PART 1:  Spring of Sophomore year as a Psycholgy Major (at the earliest):

1. Submit application for the Accelerated BS-MA program using this application: https://my.ciu.edu/ICS/icsfs/BA_to_MA_Phase_Initial_Application_2024.pdf?target=71a00d0a-37c3-426e-8411-f96b96645f4c 

2. Upon acceptance to the accelerated program:

• Student will be authorized to take four MA CNS courses prior to undergraduate degree completion. These four course credits will count as both meeting the undergraduate free-elective needs and also meeting the graduate counseling hours.    
• Students should plan to take 4 courses (total) during their Junior and Senior year chosen from the following:
  •  CNS 5306 Foundations of CMHC
  • CNS 5310 Counseling Theories
  • CNS 5342 Foundations of Marriage & Family Counseling
  • CNS 5410 Research & Statistics
  • CNS 6310 Human Growth & Development
  • CNS 6440 Group Counseling
  • CNS 5420 Psychopathology
  • CNS 5075 Multicultural Counseling
• Students will have a graduate school counseling advisor assigned to collaborate with their undergraduate psychology advisor for student scheduling issues.

 

PART 2: Fall of Year 4 (or the final semester prior to undergraduate graduation)

1. Student will apply to graduate with undergraduate degree.

2. Student will contact CIU Admissions to complete the full, formal application for the MACNS program.

4. Students will complete MA CNS application. View complete application requirements: https://catalog.ciu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=10&poid=1798&returnto=441  

5. Upon acceptance into the MA CNS program, and after receiving their bachelor’s degree, students will continue following the MA CNS program as outlined in the catalog, in consultation with their graduate advisor. View complete MA CNS program requirements: https://catalog.ciu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=10&poid=1798&returnto=441 .