18 Characteristics of UTSA Doctoral Programs

Program Admission Requirements. Admission to the program is limited and competitive. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Competitive applicants often exceed minimum requirements.

1. A master’s degree in counseling or in a related mental health field requiring a minimum of 48 semester credit hours equivalent to the master’s degree requirements of the UTSA Counseling program and/or Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students with fewer than 48 semester credit hours may be considered for admission to the program with conditional status pending completion of the deficient hours and satisfactory completion of courses fulfilling CACREP core course requirements.
2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in master’s level courses in counseling or in a related mental health field.
3. A portfolio consisting of the following items, which will be evaluated by the Doctoral Program Committee:
1. A 48-hour (or greater) master’s degree transcript documenting a grade point average of 3.0 or better in counseling or an approved related mental health field;
2. For applicants whose native language is not English, a score of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; paper version);
3. Three letters of recommendation attesting to the student’s academic and personal attributes for success in the program and potential for contributing substantially to a field of study related to the degree;
4. A written personal statement/essay describing research interests and purpose for pursuing the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision;
5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores not older than five years;
6. Documented experience in a work environment (formal positions or internships) where counseling was the primary professional emphasis (may include but not limited to one-on-one counseling, counseling for couples, psychological assessment and testing, group or community counseling);
7. Professional résumé listing prior experiences in the field of counseling.
4. Successful completion of a finalist interview with the admissions committee.

For more details, see http://www.graduateschool.utsa.edu/prospective_students/academic_programs