Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements to the Master of Science in School Counseling with PPS Credential

Application

Apply to the University Admissions office through Cal State Apply

One Set of Official Transcripts

One official set of transcripts from each of the colleges or universities attended must be sent directly to the CI Admissions office. Grade point average of 3.0 in last 60 semester upper division courses is required for acceptance into the Master of  Science in School Counseling with PPS Credential.

Two Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation from professionals who are knowledgeable of the candidate's professional work.

Personal Statement

A Personal Statement is two essays describing why the candidate is interested in pursuing a career in P-12 counseling and how counseling work will be focused on equity and justice.

Personal Statement Prompt

Interview

Applicants selected to move forward in the admissions process will be invited to interview with the Admissions Committee.

Basic Skills Requirement

Proof of meeting the Basic Skills Requirement, which as of July 2024 can now be met with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university.

Proof of Clearance

Upload valid Commission of Teacher Credentialing Certificate of Clearance or equivalent document issued by the CTC. Applicants must have the certificate sent to themselves and upload the certificate to their admission's application.

Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance

A negative TB result must be current for the duration of your practicum and fieldwork experience. Tb results are valid for 4 years.

The TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire is not accepted for the program.

For further guidance reach out to the Program Counselor for assistance: daniela.sierra@csuci.edu 

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Application Process

1. Complete the University application on Cal State Apply 
2. Submit your official transcripts to Admissions admissions@csuci.edu.
3. Await notification.
4. Applicants selected to move forward will be invited to a virtual interview 

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Criteria for student continuation in the program

Students must maintain the minimum university requirement of 3.0 GPA. Students must receive a grade of B- or better (Cr for credit/no credit graded courses) in every course to document attainment of the competencies required for the Pupil Personnel Services Credential. Students not meeting this requirement must immediately consult the department chair or the coordinator of the school counseling program. In addition, three grades of B- or lower (including NC) are grounds for dismissal from the program regardless of the student’s overall GPA. Adherence to the ethical principles of the American School Counselor Association is mandatory. Students who knowingly or unknowingly violate any part of the ethical code may be dismissed from the program without further qualification regardless of coursework or other academic achievement. A copy of the ethical principles is included in the student handbook distributed at orientation. In addition to the required courses and experiences, the student must pass all components of the CTC Basic Skills requirement to be eligible for the credential.

The Master of Science in School Counseling includes coursework and experiences designed to meet the competencies required for the California Pupil Personnel Services Credential.