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 the respective state licensure requirements through our Department. To be considered for non-degree or selected course enrollment in the Department, applicants must hold a School Counseling degree, unless graduating within the last 5 years, must provide evidence of practicing in the School Counseling role for 2 consecutive years within the last 5 years and be able to obtain a current, positive letter of recommendation from a School Counseling 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, please follow the process below:

• Complete the Licensing Professional Counselor (LPC) application. Any deficits that need to be addressed will be conveyed to you in a letter of response from the Board and it will outline the coursework that must be attained from a CACREP-accredited graduate program, if applicable. For information about Kentucky LPC-eligibility, refer to the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors “FAQ” link on their website, https://lpc.ky.gov/. You can review Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

To do so, please follow the application process below.

1. Contact the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs by emailing the CMHC Program Coordinator with the information noted below. (See https://www.wku.edu/csa/staff/index.php for faculty contact information.) You should only contact the program coordinator after having received a response from the respective state board regarding what courses and/or degree.
   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); confirmation that you have worked a school counseling setting for at least 2 years within the last 5 years and briefly describe your roles and responsibilities; (b) the university and name of program you graduated from; (c) date of graduation; (d) if graduated from WKU, include your #800.
   2. Include the following attachments including (a) 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) if employed as a School Counselor within the last 5 years, a brief letter of recommendation from your immediate supervisor.
2. 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:

1. 1. Enrolling in courses as a non-degree seeking student after applying and being accepted to the WKU Graduate School.
   2. Referring to the “CMHC Fall Cohort” document under Planned Programs 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. Email the assigned instructor of your preferred section to request permission to enroll. They will need to manually register you and are not obligated to enroll additional students especially if the course has already met the enrollment cap.
   3. 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.
   4. In order to enroll in practicum and internship courses, several requirements must be met across a preparatory period that may include months. For example, both the site and site supervisor must be approved by the Clinical Coordinator; and attendance at the Department’s Practicum and Internship Orientation is required prior to seeking or securing placement. See https://www.wku.edu/csa/counseling/internship_manual.php for more information.
   5. 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).

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.