Admission to Master's Program
Once you are admitted to graduate school, there are several requirements to fulfill before you apply to a master’s program in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs. These requirements are listed below:

1. All students must submit a background check performed by the Kentucky State Police (KSP) with their application materials. Students must receive a new background check even if they have had one for employment or other purposes. (This is a College of Education rule.) The background check must be on file in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs.
   
   The KSP costs $10 and the form can be downloaded from the CNSA website. The final document typically takes three weeks to be processed by the KSP and received by the department. Students are encouraged to contact the department secretary for additional information and to confirm the receipt of the KSP (270.745.4953). Students must get the KSP done as soon as possible. Without a KSP, student cannot enroll in practicum or internship.
2. The completion of two courses in the CNS program.
   1. If you are applying to School Counseling program, you must take CNS 550 and another counseling related class.
   2. If you are applying to the Marriage and Family Therapy or Mental Health program, you will need to take CNS 560 and another counseling related class.
   3. If you are applying to the student affairs program, you must take CNS 571, as well as one other course from the General Professional Requirements or Student Affairs major courses as reflected in the curriculum.
3. Once you have completed the two course requirement, you can apply to one of the master’s programs in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs. The following items must be included in your application packet:
   1. You need to fill out an “Application for Admission: Counseling and Student Affairs Master’s Degree Programs” form (blue sheet). You must fill out all of the information on both sides of the form. Make sure you read the affidavit carefully and provide your signature and date. 
   2. Two recommendations are needed from professionals in the field you are seeking the degree. Your references will fill out a brief form that is included in the application packet. Your references should have some understanding or knowledge of your human relations or student affairs related skills. For example, a school teacher seeking a master’s degree in school counseling can ask the principal or fellow teacher to fill out the recommendations. The recommendations must be signed and sealed in an envelope. The sealed envelopes are given to you. (Both recommendation forms are submitted with your entire application packet.)
   3. A written personal statement is required. Information and direction for the personal statement are included in the application packet.
   4. When you have completed the application packet, submit it to the department at the address indicated on the form. Remember to include the following: (a) the “Application for Admission: Counseling and Student Affairs Master’s Degree Programs” form (blue sheet); (b) two sealed, signed recommendations; and (c) your personal statement. The faculty will approve or deny your application, usually within one month. You will receive a letter indicating their decision.

The Planned Program (Form C)
Your legal contract with the University is Form C. Form C is a single sheet that identifies the classes you will take for their master’s degree, Rank 1, or other program of study. Use the information sheets the department has created for each master’s and Rank 1 program as your guide. You can find the information sheets in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs (TPH 409), the graduate catalog, and on the CNS website.

You will complete the Form C with your advisor. You are strongly encouraged to meet face-to-face with your advisor to fill out this form. If you are enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy or Mental Health program, you must meet face-to-face with your advisor. If you are enrolled in the School Counseling or Student Affairs program, advising can be accomplished through telephone or e-mail contact. The Form C must be completed before you enroll in your 5th graduate course (or after 12 credit hours in the program). The registrar will block your 5th course enrollment if it is not on file.

During your meeting with your advisor, you will discuss classes to take, select any electives, and your responsibilities as a student in the program. If you are enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy or Mental Health program, you must follow a specific course sequence when planning out what courses you will take throughout your program. For example, CNS 558 (Counseling Theories) is a requisite for CNS 559 (Techniques in Counseling). Students cannot take CNS 559 without having successfully completed CNS 558. When you meet with your advisor, course sequencing will be discussed.

When Form C is completed, it must be signed by you and returned to your advisor. Your advisor will sign it and send it to the graduate college and/or teacher certification. This process can take at least three weeks or more. Therefore, it is imperative that you begin this process as soon as possible so that you do not run into the registration block.

The Master’s Program
What to Know and What to Expect
As you go through the counseling master’s program you might notice that experiences differ from those in your undergraduate program. Several aspects of graduate school that you should expect are listed below.

1. Specific directions for your assignments might become less clear. For example, some of your instructors may not provide specific rubrics for particular assignments. This is to encourage your creativity, as well as to generate reflective thought and some degree of ownership in the final product of the assignment.
2. Some of your classes with be web-enhanced or completely on-line. In which case you will need to become familiar and skilled in working through Blackboard. You are encouraged to complete the new "Blackboard Student User Training" workshop which is available through the IT Training tab in Blackboard. Clicking this tab will provide you access to this training, as well as a growing list of other online training offerings. For your convenience, you can self-enroll in these workshops and complete them at your own pace. 
3. Many of your graduate professors will require your assignments to be written in APA 5th format, a professional writing style.
4. Classes in Elizabethtown are in the Eastern Time zone. Therefore, Elizabethtown is one hour ahead of central time. If you are traveling to E-town for classes or taking ITV courses, you must be aware of the time zone differences.
5. It is imperative that you are using your WKU e-mail address. Many of your instructors will correspond with students throughout a course via web-mail. You have the option of forwarding your WKU e-mail to a personal e-mail account. You can do that by assessing your web accounts through the WKU e-mail homepage. Begin using and accessing your WKU e-mail on a consistent basis now.
6. Although grades are an important aspect of your academic career, you are encouraged to treat the actual learning process as an invaluable component of your investment in the master’s program.

All of the previously mentioned aspects of your academic career in the counseling and student affairs department at Western Kentucky University are meant to contribute to your personal and professional development.

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in an F grade for the class. It is grounds for dismissal from the master’s program. WKU defines plagiarism as the following:

To represent ideas or interpretations taken from another source as one’s s own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of students must be their own. Students must give the author(s) credit for any source material used. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage after having changed a few words, even if the source is cited, is also plagiarism (Faculty Handbook, 16th Edition, 2001, p. 59).

Cheating Policy
Western Kentucky University has a zero tolerance for cheating. Cheating will result in an F grade for any particular course. WKU Faculty Handbook states:

No student shall receive or give assistance not authorized by the instructor in taking an examination or in the preparation of an essay, laboratory report, problem assignment, or other project that is submitted for purposes of grade determination (Faculty Handbook, 16th Edition, 2001, p. 59).

Informed Consent and Personal Characteristics
Students enrolled in CNS classes and programs are expected to exhibit personal qualities and characteristics consistent with effective functioning as a helping professional. Some classes require learning experiences which focus on self-understanding or growth. The letter grade awarded for a class may not reflect an evaluation of personal qualities needed to function as a competent counselor. Admission of a student to a CNS class or program of study does not guarantee completion or graduation. Assessment of a student’s fitness is an ongoing process, and students should be aware that the instructor has a continuous responsibility to make such an assessment. Who you are, what you say and do is a discussable, evaluated factor in all of the master’s programs from the first class to last practicum or internship.

Similar to the above Informed Consent, the Counseling and Student Affairs Handbook (p. 24) notes that admission to the Counseling program is partially based upon the following:

Demonstration of potential for developing effective relationships with counselees, clients, subordinates and peers, and a knowledge of self. This potential will be determined through a program of self-evaluation by the candidate and an evaluation of the student by the Counseling Faculty. Some counseling courses may require learning which focuses on self-understanding and self-disclosure. Specific activities and experiences provided in the introductory course (CNS 550) will play a key role in this determination process. In addition, the faculty reserve the right to secure information from other sources such as employers, supervisors, graduate instructors, and others as needed.

Disability Accommodations
Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustment and/or auxiliary aids or services) for any course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is 270-745-5004 V/TDD. Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

For Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy Students
Students are encouraged to subscribe to the department's Mental Health Counseling/Marriage & Family Therapy (MHC/MFT) listserv. Important information is distributed on this listserv such as: training and lecture opportunities, practicum and internship procedures and application deadlines, and other program information. Students are responsible for ALL information disseminated on listserv.

For School Counseling Students: Standard Guidance Revisions
Recent changes have been made to the Provisional Guidance and Standard Guidance tracks. Students should be aware of these changes and seek Dr. Don Nims or Dr. Cynthia Mason with any questions.

Students should consult the Counseling and Student Affairs Graduate Handbook for additional information.