Transfer, Non-degree and Licensure Seeking Students and Graduates

If you have a School Counseling credential and wish to become a Licensure Professional Counselor (LPC), it is possible that you can complete your respective state licensure requirements through our Department. However, to be considered for admission in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs as a non-degree student or for permission to be enrolled in certain courses, applicants must (a) hold a School Counseling degree and be credentialed as a School Counselor with the state board (unless graduating within the last 5 years), (b) must provide evidence of practicing in the School Counseling role for 2 consecutive years within the last 5 years; and (c) have a positive letter of recommendation from your immediate administrative supervisor.

If you do not meet the criteria outlined above, you will need to apply and be accepted to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program before enrolling in courses. Directions and information are on the Department’s home page. If you meet the requirements above (i.e., a-c), please follow the process below:

1. Obtain formal documentation from your respective state licensure board regarding what coursework and/or other requirements you must meet to apply for the Professional Counselor license at the state board level. If you cannot get formal documentation, you will need to make a personal decision about what courses you need and are requesting to take. The Department is not responsible for assuring that non-degree seeking students are eligible for state licensure.
2. Send an email to the Department’s Program Manager of Counseling with the information noted below. (See https://www.wku.edu/csa/staff/index.php for faculty contact information.) Your email will not be responded to unless you have completed step #1 above.
   1. Subject Line “Seeking LPCA Course Requirements” including the following in the email: (a) your intentions (including a brief explanation of what courses you need); (b) confirmation that you meet the requirements noted above; (c) the university and name of program you graduated from; include whether it was accredited by CACREP; (d) date of graduation; (e) if graduated from WKU, include your #800.
   2. Include the following in one PDF attachment including (a) if received, documentation from the Board noting the specific courses or degree that is required; (b) official transcript/s; (c) a resume that documents your school counseling-related employment including name of school/s, date/s of hire, and role/s; and (d) a signed letter of recommendation from your immediate administrative supervisor.

Your application will be reviewed during the next scheduled department faculty meeting. Faculty meetings are not scheduled in the summer, nor during other university breaks. Pending approval, conditions and recommendations for enrolling in courses will be communicated and may include the following:

• The Department may request additional references and may contact them prior to allowing non-degree seeking students to take clinical courses.
• Referring to the “CMHC Fall Cohort” document under Program of Study at https://www.wku.edu/counseling/cmhc.php to decipher when the courses that you are required to take are offered. Check “Schedule of Classes” on TopNet for specific day/time offerings. Enrollment in courses is prioritized for CMHC and MCFC students. If the course cap has already been met, the course will not be opened for non-degree seeking students.
• All students enrolled in courses are expected to understand and adhere to the Department’s policies and procedures as outlined in the Student Handbook, https://www.wku.edu/csa/documents/csa_student_handbook_final.pdf.
• To enroll in a practicum or internship course, several conditions must be met or will be required. For example, the Department many require that you first take preparatory courses (i.e., Group Counseling, Techniques of Counseling). All practicum and internship students must follow our Professional Practice policies and procedures (which includes attending an Orientation held early in the spring semester). See https://www.wku.edu/csa/counseling/internship_manual.php for more information.
• The Department of Counseling and Student Affairs requires a grade of B or better in the following 5 courses (or course equivalent if taken at another university) in order to register for CNS 591 Practicum and CNS 596 Internship: CNS 554, CNS 555, CNS 558, CNS 559, and CNS 560. See Course Offerings for a description of these courses. A grade of B or better is required in all clinical courses; grades in these courses are based upon both academic and professional criteria (i.e., fit for the profession as deemed by faculty observation and documentation).

While students may be accepted as a non-degree seeking, it is their responsibility to verify that any courses completed within our department meet their respective state licensure requirements.

If you are a graduate of any of the Department’s Counseling programs and are seeking licensure or credentialing in another state, and need verification of your degree, curriculum and/or practicum and internship hours, please follow the steps below:

1. Complete the documents required by the respective state. Since the Department is not responsible for maintaining your practicum and internship hours, you will need to complete this section to the best of your ability.
2. When you have filled out all the information on the required documents, email the Department Chair with subject line: “Graduate Verification for Licensure.” In your email, please include the following:
1. What is being requested (i.e., review and signature of a verification form, a cover letter) and for what state/territory
2. Your full name as it was listed on your diploma/transcript
3. 800#
4. The Program you graduate from, and when

Both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in many states. Both programs prepare graduates with the requisites to take state professional counselor licensing exams, as well as the academic qualifications required of many state counseling boards. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, students should consult with the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements, or refer to WKU’s Comparison to Other State Licensure doc. For more information about licensure, students should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors at https://www.nbcc.org/search/stateboarddirectory, the American Association of State Counseling Boards at www.aascb.org, and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body.

The Department of Counseling and Student Affairs offers a CACREP accredited, 60-hour graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that offers curriculum eligibility for the Kentucky School Counselor credential. In order to eligible for the School Counselor credential, you would need to have completed this specific CMHC curriculum. The Department does not currently offer another pathway to becoming credentialed as a Kentucky School Counselor.