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MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

Admissions

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program, students must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • A baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution;
     
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
     
  • A strong background in psychology or a closely related field, with a minimum of 15 semester hours of course work in psychology, strongly recommended are an introductory or survey of psychology, statistical techniques, research methods, and at least two 300-level or higher psychology courses. For these 15 semester hours, similar courses in closely related fields of study may also be acceptable;
     
  • At least one 3-credit course in statistics and one 3-credit course in research methods from any discipline;
     
  • A score of 550 on the TOEFL (required of applicants for whom English is not their native language and whose undergraduate degree was earned in a non-English speaking country).
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Eligible applications are reviewed by the Psychology Graduate Admissions Committee which uses multiple criteria for the assessment of applicants. Admission is selective.  Priority will be given to students applying for full-time enrollment. Depending on program needs, a few outstanding applicants for part-time enrollment may be admitted.

Application Procedure

Currently the program is accepting applications for Fall only. The application deadline for Fall applications is February 1. Applications received in the UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions after the deadline will only be considered on a space-available basis. Students who submit applications after the February 1 deadline may be ineligible for certain types of financial aid.

Complete applications that meet the minimum admission requirements will be forwarded to the Psychology Department’s Graduate Admissions Committee which will review each application. Admission decisions will be made by this committee and forwarded to the UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions.

The UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions receives applications and supporting documents and maintains the applications through final notification. In general, for applications received by the priority deadline, the Graduate Office of Admissions will notify each applicant of acceptance or rejection by March 1.

Applicants must submit all of the following items:

  • UH Hilo Graduate application form;
     
  • Application fee;
     
  • Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (must be received directly from the institution or in a sealed envelope if submitted with your application);
     
  • Personal statement;
     
  • Resume;
     
  • Three professional recommendation letters, which may use the special recommendation forms (not required, however) included with the application materials. The recommendations should be sent directly to the UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions by the referees;
     
  • GRE general test scores (sent to UH Hilo directly by the testing service).

In addition, international applicants must submit the following items:

  • Supplementary Information Form for Foreign Students (http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/forms/index.php);
     
  • TOEFL scores (if English is not the applicant’s native language);
     
  • Official college transcripts in the original language accompanied by official translations into English.<
     

Applications will be considered only when all of the above documents have been received. For more detailed information and to download application forms, students may use the program website. Application forms also may be obtained from the UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions:

UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions
Student Services Building
200 West Kawili Street
Hilo, HI 96720-4091

TEL: (808) 974-7414 or (808) 897-4456
FAX: (808) 933-0861
uhhadm@hawaii.edu
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/admissions/

Transfer of Credits

Requests for transfer of credits must be made during the first semester in which the student is enrolled in the program. Students will need to obtain departmental approval for all credit transfers. Only credit hours with a grade of B or better from accredited universities are transferable. Credit hours for practicum and internship courses are not transferable. Transfer credit hours must have been completed within five years prior to admission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to apply by the priority deadline? In order to receive full consideration and to be eligible for scholarships, applications must be submitted by the priority deadline. However, applications can be accepted until the admission cap has been reached.

If I satisfy some, but not all of the minimum admission requirements, can I still apply and be admitted? No, applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements cannot be considered for admission.

What is the GRE? The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardized test, which has been traditionally used to assess cognitive preparedness for graduate study.   What do I need to do in order to take the GRE? The GRE is administered by the Educational Testing Service in an electronic format. The test can be taken on the UHH campus and at many other locations. For information and to sign up for the GRE, call 1-800-473-2255 or go to the GRE web site (http://www.gre.org). The test scores should be forwarded directly to the admissions office (enter the UH-Hilo code, 4869, when taking the test). GRE scores are valid for 5 years, but the test can be re-taken, in which case the Educational Testing Service reports all scores received over the past 5 years.

Is there a "passing" GRE score? No, whereas all applicants are required to take the GRE, the Department of Psychology does not require a particular score for admission. GRE is used as a source of complementary information about the applicants.

When taking the GRE test, where do I send the scores? How? When taking the test, please enter the UH-Hilo code provided in the test materials. You can also indicate that the scores should be sent to the Admissions Office. Your scores will be sent to the university within 2 to 3 weeks from the test date.

What is the TOEFL? TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) is a standardized test of fluency in the English language for non-native speakers. TOEFL is used to assess the applicant's ability to take graduate courses, which require advanced reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Where can I take the TOEFL test? Generally, you should be able to take TOEFL at your undergraduate institution. If at UHH, please contact the Student Support Services.

I have been born and raised in a foreign country, but attended an American college and graduated from that college with a bachelor's degree. Do I still need to take TOEFL? No, foreign students who have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college in an English-speaking country do not have to take the TOEFL test. 

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