Pre-Admissions Advising
Our program holds two types of group pre-admissions advising sessions monthly to provide assistance and answer applicant questions.
1. Virtual Information Sessions with program faculty and the Office of Graduate Admissions.
2. Virtual Applicant Office Hours with program faculty.
We will host monthly information sessions the first Thursday of the month co-hosted with the University Graduate School on the following days:
Thursday, 9/5 at 6pm (EST)
Thursday, 10/3 at 6pm (EST)
Thursday, 11/7 at 6pm (EST)
Thursday, 12/5 at 6pm (EST)
Thursday, 1/9 at 6pm (EST)
SIGN UP for Info Sessions here – https://s.visitdays.com/fiu/ci/txgtxfnnvp
We will also offer monthly drop in Office Hours with PCP Faculty to help answer any questions regarding your application. Please email pcp@fiu.edu in you are interested in attending office hours.
Individualized pre-admissions advising sessions are not available. Please send admissions and application questions to pcp@fiu.edu.
- Deadlines
Our program only offers Fall start dates.
Applications for Fall 2025 are being accepted. The application deadline is February 1, 2025. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline has passed. Only completed applications will be reviewed for admission. Please review the admission requirements tab for a complete list of what is needed to submit with your application.
Applications submitted after February 1, 2025 will be considered for Fall 2026 admission.
- Program Admissions Requirements
Application requirements are the same for hybrid and online. Applicants must choose to apply to either the hybrid or the online program. The selection is made at the beginning of the online application. Please select Counseling Psychology for hybrid and Professional Counseling Psychology Online for online when completing your online application.
Only Florida residents will be considered for the admission to the fully online program. The PCP program adheres to licensing standards for mental health counseling in the state of Florida.
To be admitted into the Master’s degree program in Counseling Psychology, a student must:
(1) Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or in a relevant discipline from an accredited college or university.
(2) Applicants with an out of field major must have completed four courses in (1) introductory psychology, (2) psychopathology or theories of personality, (3) statistics, and (4) psychology research methods. For more information regarding these requirements, please see Prerequisite Courses for Non-Psychology Majors.
(3) Have a 3.0 in the last 60 credits of upper-level work.
(4) Arrange to have three letters of recommendation evaluating the applicant’s potential for graduate work addressed to the Psychology Graduate Program Director. The University Graduate School offers a recommendation form, though this is not required. Letters should be written on letterhead or stationery. For more information regarding recommendations, please see Recommendations.
(5) Submission of a CV or Resume is required; and should include previous experience, education, honors, awards, interests, community service and achievements.
(6) Submission of two writing samples is required; one must be academic, and the other may be work-related.
(7) Submit a brief video statement which includes a discussion of your educational and career objectives and the specific relationship of the master’s degree to achieving those objectives. For more information regarding the Video Statement, please see Video Statement of Intent.
(8) International students whose native language is not English must submit acceptable scores verifying English language skills which meet university standards. See FIU Graduate Admissions Requirements for more information.
· Minimum TOEFL score: 550 (paper) or 80 (internet)
· Minimum IELTS score: 6.5
· FIU's institutional code is 5206
The program is not open to international students in need of a student visa (F-1) or Exchange Visitor visa (J-1).
Recommendation Letters
You will need to use the application portal to request letters of recommendation from your letter writer. The application system will generate an email request with a link for your letter writer to upload their letters directly into the portal.
The University Graduate School offers a recommendation form, but this in not required. Letters should be on letterhead.
We cannot accept any letters directly from applicants. It is your responsibility to stay in communication with your letter writers and confirm they received the email link and have uploaded their recommendation by the application deadline as only completed applications will be reviewed. Please see our FAQ page for more information.
Video Statement
In a video up to 5 minutes long, please include a discussion of your educational and career objectives and the specific relationship of obtaining a degree in counseling psychology as it relates achieving your goals. Upload your video to a video sharing site and send a link to pcpadmissions@fiu.edu with the subject line "Video Statement of Intent for PCP Program Admission." Please make sure the video has permissions set so we are able to view your submission.
You must answer the following questions in your video statement:
· What are your educational and career goals?
· How does our program meet those goals?
· What qualities and skills do you have to offer our program and the field of counseling psychology?
· How does your background (education or professional experience) make you the best candidate for this program?
- Prerequisite Courses for Non-Psychology Majors
Prospective students whose bachelor’s degree is not in Psychology are required to complete the courses listed below before beginning our program. A grade of “C” or better must be earned for each course.
These courses can be taken at any accredited institution and courses will be approved by the program director for equivalency. FIU course equivalents are listed in parentheses.
If you are not a current FIU student and would like to take these courses at FIU, you may enroll as a guest student. Non-degree seeking applicants should fill out the Non-degree Seeking Application in its entirety and upload the appropriate residency documents while completing your online application and consult with a department advisor.
- An introductory course in Psychology (e.g., PSY 2012 Introduction to Psychology)
- A course in either Psychopathology (e.g., CLP 4146 Psychopathology) or Personality Theories (e.g., PPE 3003 Personality Theory)
- An upper-level Statistics/Data Analysis course (e.g., PSY 3211 Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology I or STA 3123)
- Research Methods in Psychology (e.g., PSY 3215 Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology II)
- Funding
- Admission FAQ
Can I apply to the Professional Counseling Psychology Program even though I did not complete my bachelor’s degree in Psychology?
You must have completed your bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment but your degree does not have to be in Psychology to be considered. There are four prerequisite courses required for non-psychology majors to be admitted. You do not need to have the pre-requisite courses completed prior to submitting your application, but if you were admitted to our program, the courses need to be complete before you can enroll. You must earn a “C” or better on all pre-requisite courses.If the courses are not completed by the beginning of the term for which you were admitted, your admission will be deferred one year. For this reason, most applicants choose to start working on the prerequisite courses prior to applying to program. These courses can be completed at any accredited institution. If you would like to start taking the prerequisite courses at FIU, you will need to apply as a non-degree seeking student at the link below: https://admissions.fiu.edu/how-to-apply/guest-applicant/.
Please note that successfully completing the prerequisite courses does not guarantee admission to the program.
What types of writing samples should I submit? If I no longer have access to any academic work, what can I submit for my writing sample?
Writing samples can be any academic work from your undergraduate career; essays, journal reviews, case studies, etc. If you were a psychology major, you may submit any psychology paper written, including papers from research methods courses.If you have been out of school for a time and you no longer have access to your academic writing, you may submit a work-related sample (e.g., de-identified memos, reports, etc.) or a personal statement. You may also choose a topic to write a paper or review to submit for this application.
What makes a good recommendation letter and who can be a recommender?
You will need to submit three letters of recommendation. Reflect on who knows you well and can provide you with a strong recommendation. This may be a faculty member, a current or former employer, or someone who knows you well from a paid/unpaid volunteer experience. Determine who fits and has the best criteria to write a letter for the program you are considering.Consider if your potential recommender is able to:
- Evaluate your performance in your field of interest, are they familiar with the field?
- Discuss your personal characteristics, leadership skills, how you work with others and your professionalism (punctuality, efficiency, assertiveness).
- Articulate knowledge of your potential to succeed academically in the program, such as your academic skills and experiences.
- Share specific, personal examples to demonstrate any of the items above.
- Has the skills to write a helpful letter.
How do I submit my recommendation letters?
You will need to begin your application via the online application portal and provide the names and contact information for your three letter writers. The system will then send an email request with a link for your letter writer to upload the letters directly into the portal. We will not be able to accept any letters directly from applicants. It is your responsibility to stay in communication with your letter writers and confirm they received the email link and have uploaded their recommendation by the application deadline. A missing recommendation letter or letter received after the application deadline will cause your file to be incomplete and not be reviewed for admission. You may use the Letter of Recommendation Template but are not required to.What is the difference between the PCP program and the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in the school of Education at FIU?
The PCP program and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs differ in that students obtain different degrees, receive different philosophical training, and develop unique approaches to providing care. Successful completion of our the PCP program leads to a M.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling Psychology. Successful competition of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in the school of education leads to an MSEd with a concentration in Counselor Education. Generally, both master’s degrees in counseling psychology and counselor education prepare an individual to become a professional counselor, though that will vary by state and work setting.Students that graduate from either program at FIU are currently eligible for licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in the School of Education at FIU is CACREP accredited. The PCP program is pursuing MPCAC accreditation and our application is under review.
Is the program accredited?
The PCP program is pursuing MPCAC accreditation and our application is currently under review. You can read more about MPCAC here: https://mpcacaccreditation.org/What are the differences between the Hybrid and the Online program?
The degree requirements are exactly the same for the Hybrid and Online programs. Both programs require 60 credits and 840 hours of clinical training, though there are some operational differences between the two as the hybrid program requires in person courses and the online program does not.The Hybrid program takes 6 semesters to complete (2 years). The Online program takes 8 semesters to complete (2 years and 8 months).
In the Hybrid program, students take most course in a hybrid format and some courses in a fully-online format to meet degree requirements. Students must attend on-campus classes one-full day a week and be on-site for clinical work 2-3 days per week. Classes are typically held consecutively during a full class day from 9am-4pm. Clinical training begins during the first semester; students will complete practicum at FIU’s Center for Children and Families. During the second year of clinical training, students may continue at the CCF or may seek an external clinical placement at an affiliated community partner site.
In the Online program, all coursework is offered solely online. Most courses during the first year and a half are offered asynchronously, meaning that there are no set meeting times, and the student has the flexibility to work at their own pace within the semester’s deadlines. Beginning the second year, some courses have synchronous (i.e., live) class meetings, which are arranged between the instructor and the students, and are typically held either during lunchtime or after 5pm (EST) to accommodate those students that are working. Clinical training will occur over the course of the last three semesters, where most students work 15-20 hours per week at their clinical placement. Live online supervision is conducted during clinical training.
Can I transfer graduate courses taken at another university?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept any transfer credits from another program, even one from FIU. Our program requires you to complete the full 60 credits with us in order to receive the MS degree.Can I work while enrolled in the master’s program?
Many of our graduate students have worked either full or part-time and still successfully completed their master’s degrees in counseling psychology. You must consider whether you can meet the commitments of the program and employment based on your own individual circumstances.What if I don’t have a 3.0 GPA? Can I still apply?
GPA and academic preparedness are considered along with many other variables. While having a 3.0 is a program admission requirement, if you still wish to apply, we will review all complete applications.When are applications reviewed? Do you accept rolling admissions?
All completed applications (meaning those that have all requirements met by the deadline) will be reviewed for consideration after the application deadline has passed. We expect admission decisions to be sent out by the beginning of summer term for a Fall start. We do not offer rolling admissions.Can I apply to begin classes in the Spring or Summer term?
No, we only start in the Fall semester and follow a lock-step, cohort model. Any complete application that is submitted before the deadline will be considered for the Fall semester. Any application submitted after the deadline will be deferred to the following year.How many students are accepted each year?
Please see the previous applicant data on our website.Do you offer scholarships or any other funding assistance?
The Psychology department only offers assistantship opportunities to doctoral students. nThere may be opportunities for MS students advertised on the HR website. At times, other offices at FIU offer assistantship opportunities to MS students: https://hr.fiu.edu/careers/. Accepted students may apply for financial aid through the university.What are you looking for in an applicant to your program?
Graduate programs in counseling psychology look for a variety of qualities in applicants, including:- Motivation: Self-motivated applicants who organize their own opportunities and reach out to others
- Research/Applied experience: Relevant research or internship experience
- Academic record: Undergraduate grades and official transcripts from previous colleges
- Fit with the program: How well the applicant fits with the program's training goals and work culture
- Video statement: A statement of purpose that demonstrates the applicant's knowledge of and fit with the program
- Letters of recommendation: Quality letters of recommendation
- Professional skills: Software proficiency, licenses, and certifications
Can I schedule a call with a faculty advisor?
Individual Faculty Advising appointments are only available for our current students. However, we offer pre-applicant advising through information sessions and office hours with program faculty twice per month. Please consider joining one of sessions to learn more about our program and get your questions answered. **LINK TO INFO SESSION ABOVE**Does your program accept international students?
Our program is not open to international students in need of a student visa (F-1) or Exchange Visitor visa (J-1) due to federal laws regarding internship opportunities and enrollment. Students taking full-time online programs are not eligible for U.S. student visas.Does your online program accept students from out of state?
As our program prepares students for licensure as a mental health counselor in Florida, our program is only open to Florida Residents due to recent federal legislative changes regarding degree programs leading to licensure.