Quick facts about the FGCU counseling graduate programs

Some quick facts about the FGCU counseling graduate programs and our graduates:

• There are more school and clinical mental health counseling jobs available in Southwest Florida right now than we have available professionals.
  
• Virtually ALL our graduates are hired before they even graduate! All of our students seeking jobs are hired within 3 months of graduation.
  
• The FGCU graduate program in school counseling is DOE approved and both the school counseling and clinical mental health counseling programs are CACREP accredited. This is a big deal. It means that you can get to work right away and your degree is highly portable.
  
• Typically students attend their courses in the early evenings.
  
• Several of our courses are "blended" or "hybrid" which means that some traditional face-to-face classes are replaced by online learning activities. This way, we can take advantage of the best features of both face-to-face and online learning.
  
• The department offers dual major tracks for students who aspire to become both licensed as clinical mental health counselors and certified school counselors.
  
• The Department of Counseling also offers a certificate in Relationship, and Family counseling, beginning in 2017.
  
• School Counseling: Graduates from this program work in public and private schools that serve PK-12 students and some work in post-secondary institutions including career and technical centers, special training programs for youth, colleges, and universities.
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Graduates from this program work in community agencies, mental health settings, and private practices after graduation and most seek and achieve licensure.
• The Department offers a part-time option for students who are working and need more time and a full-time track for students who can take on a greater work load.
• If you already have a Masters degree in counseling (or related field), you might be interested in our transition certificates.

The deadline to apply is February 15 of each year although students are encouraged to start early. Applications will be considered for admission on a space available basis to qualified applicants beyond the deadline. Applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee and interviews are scheduled between February 15th and March 15th. Initial notices of acceptance, deferred decisions or denial of admission are mailed by the first week in April.

For more information, contact Dr. Russ Sabella at 239-590-7782 or via email at rsabella@fgcu.edu. Also, please visit our website at http://www.fgcu.edu/mariebcollege/Counseling/