The Counseling Program at Western New Mexico University (WNMU) is a three-year, 60 credit distance education program that prepares students to become professional counselors within a variety of settings including schools, community mental health centers, state agencies, clinics, hospitals, and private practices. The focus of the program is to assist students in developing the skills and nurturing the dispositions needed to provide innovative and effective counseling experiences for diverse clients in multicultural settings. The Counseling Program provides four separate concentrations which include Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Addictions Counseling, and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. Graduates of the Counseling Program at WNMU are eligible for licensure as School Counselors, Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), and Licensed Substance Abuse Associate Counselors (LSAA) in New Mexico. The program is also designed to meet the National Board for Certified Counselor requirements for students who wish to become National Certified Counselors (NCC) as well as the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification requirements for students who want to become Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC).

NOTE: All program and course descriptions, objectives, outcomes, policies, practices, and expectations are subject to change with or without notice in accordance with applicable institutional, departmental, professional, state, and national guidelines, policies, laws, and regulations. All current program information will be maintained in the Counseling Program Handbook found on the program website at https://coe.wnmu.edu/Counseling/. 

Admission Requirements

This is a limited enrollment program. All applicants hoping to be matriculated to the Counseling Program at WNMU must submit a WNMU Graduate Division Application and a WNMU Counseling Program Application. These two applications are accessed through different links, but can be completed simultaneously by applicants. You do not have to submit one before the other, but both must be submitted in order to be eligible to be admitted to the Counseling Program. Students may not register for any counseling courses without formal admission.

Student Retention and Dismissal Policies

A continuous process of advisement and assessment occurs for students within the Counseling Program. The continuous review process is both informal and formal. Both the student and faculty are provided with many opportunities to assess the student’s compatibility to progress toward completing the program. Students interact with their assigned advisor early in their first semester. Students meet with their advisors at least once every semester. It is the student’s 
responsibility to schedule meetings with their advisor. Faculty expect the result of this continuous review and advisement process to produce a better match between the goals of the student and the objectives of the Counseling Program. The continuous review happens throughout the program with multiple decision points and action options. The Counseling Program’s retention and remediation and dismissal policies are described below.

Retention and Remediation Policy

The Counseling Program faculty have a professional responsibility to serve as gatekeepers to the counseling profession. Counseling is a discipline that requires active and complex gatekeeping to protect the public welfare. In particular, gatekeeping refers to the responsibility of all counselors, counselor educators, and student counselors, to intervene with counselor trainees, supervisees, professional colleagues, and supervisors who engage in behavior that could threaten the welfare of those receiving counseling services. This responsibility is mandated in the ethical standards of both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) by specifying that counselors must act to rectify the problematic condition through appropriate organizational and professional channels (ACA, 2014, Section F.5.; NBCC, 2005, Section A; McAdams & Foster, 2009). 

These professional performance characteristics as well as professional counseling skills are infused within three Professional Performance Assessments (PPA) utilized by the Counseling Program to formally assess students. These three instruments are known as the Counseling Core Dispositions Assessment (CCDA), the Counseling Practice Skills Assessment (CPSA), and the Counseling Advanced Skills Assessment (CASA). Faculty and supervisors use these assessments to evaluate students during COUN 579, 581 & 582. Faculty and supervisors may also choose to use these assessments to evaluate students at any time during their program of study. 

The Retention and Remediation Process

If faculty or site supervisors observe deficiencies related to professional performance, they initiate a discussion with the student regarding the observed deficiency. This discussion may be in the form of feedback on assignments, verbal communication, or through email. If the student makes corrections after being given feedback, then no additional action is needed. If the student does not make improvements, then faculty and supervisors may choose to provide more formal processes. See Counseling Program Handbook found on the program website at https://coe.wnmu.edu/Counseling/

Dismissal Policy

Dismissal of a graduate student can be initiated in a variety of circumstances including, but not limited to, the following: 

• Dismissal will occur when students violate the criteria established by WNMU as outlined 
  in the student handbook.
• Dismissal for failure to meet continuation standards related to academic and clinical 
  competency will occur when a student:

1. Earns a C or below in COUN 579 Counseling Pre-Practicum,
2. OR earns a C or below in COUN 501 Counseling Ethics,
3. OR earns a C or below in COUN 505 Multicultural Counseling,
4. OR earn six credits with a cumulative GPA at or below 2.7, 
5. OR cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0 GPA (B), 
6. Or when students earn less than 3.0 (B) in Practicum COUN 581 or Internship COUN 582 

Students earning a 2.7 or below in clinical coursework have the ability to appeal and must petition and gain approval from the graduate faculty in the Counseling Program in order to continue in the program. The Counseling Program follows the appeals process detailed in the Appeals section of the WNMU Student Handbook. See Counseling Program Handbook found on the program website at https://coe.wnmu.edu/Counseling/.

Graduate Division Application

Information regarding completing the Graduate Division Application can be found under Graduate Division Admission in this catalog.

Counseling Program Application

The Counseling Program Application can be completed and submitted through the following steps:

•    Create a guest account through TK20, which should be accessed at the following link:
•    Once you have clicked on https://wnmu.tk20.com, click on the word “Admissions” and then click on “Click here to create your account”
•    Create your account by filling in your information
•    You will then be able to access the Counseling Program Application through the following click sequence:

1. Home
2. Admission Applications
3. Create New Application
4. Please select
5. Counseling Program Application for (semester in which you desire to begin coursework)
6. Next

•    Complete the Counseling Program Application
•    Remember to save your work
•    Submit when finished

Questions regarding the Counseling Program Application should be directed to one of the Core Counseling Faculty. Their email addresses can be accessed at https://coe.wnmu.edu/Counseling/.

It is important to note that although applicants may receive notification of acceptance from the Counseling Program, they are only officially matriculated to the Counseling Program once they have met the admission standards set forth by the WNMU Graduate Division in this catalog. Likewise, an applicant may receive notification of acceptance to the WNMU Graduate Division but may not be accepted to the Counseling Program, and thereby not be able to register for counseling courses, until their Counseling Program Application has been approved and accepted by the Counseling Program.

Applicants wishing to gain admissions into the Counseling Program at WNMU must complete the Counseling Program Application by the deadline corresponding to the semester in which they wish to start classes (if you believe you may have challenges meeting the deadline, please reach to a Counseling Faculty member, and we will do our best to work with your individual circumstances):

Fall semester start deadline - March 15th

Spring semester start deadline - October 15th

NOTE: Admission periods and deadlines are subject to change based on program needs. All deadlines and admission periods will be updated on the program webpage https://coe.wnmu.edu/Counseling/.

Counseling Transfer Credit Policy

Students who have completed graduate coursework from another counseling program or other mental health related field may substitute such coursework if it matches the Counseling Program’s curriculum. Students may expect to have no more than 18 credits substituted. All students within the Counseling Program at WNMU must take COUN 579 - Pre-Practicum in Counseling , COUN 581 - Practicum in Counseling , COUN 582 - Internship in Counseling I , and COUN 583 - Internship in Counseling II   within the program at WNMU. Students cannot receive course substitutions for these courses. The Counseling Core Faculty of the Counseling Program at WNMU reserves the right to accept or deny any previously completed coursework submitted for credit toward completion of a Master of Arts in Counseling from WNMU. Students may appeal the determination of the Counseling Core Faculty, according to this policy, by following the student appeals process stated within the WNMU Student Handbook: https://admin.wnmu.edu/handbooks/student-handbook/

Students must adhere to policies and procedures outlined in the Counseling Program Handbook for progress through the program.

Counseling Exit Exam Policy

Students must pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), as the exit requirement for the program unless other arrangements are approved by the Counseling Core Faculty. This exam and other requirements are normally completed during the final semester of the program of study.