Admission into the program occurs in the summer, fall and spring semesters. For admittance in the fall semester, applications must be received by May 1, for summer semester by April 1, and for the spring semester applications must be received by November 1. Completed applications received after the official deadline may be given consideration pending program capacity. Individuals whose credentials are not complete by the due date (with the exception of GRE and MAT results) cannot be guaranteed the required admissions interview.

The following criteria must be met:

1. Complete the general Master degree application requirements;
2. An undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Applicants who have completed graduate level courses must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their graduate courses;
3. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended;
4. Two current professional letters of recommendation;
5. Participation, along with other applicants, in a group interview session facilitated by counseling services faculty. The purpose of this meeting is to help determine the applicant’s fitness and compatability for a career in this field;
6. An on-site writing sample must be completed on the day of the group interview. The purpose of this writing activity is to assist faculty in assessing the applicant’s likelihood of success in meeting the written expression demands of the program;
7. Submission of results from either the General Records Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants who are unable to submit these scores as part of their application may be granted conditional admission by the program faculty. Such conditionally admitted students must fulfill this requirement by the time they complete nine (9) credits at Rider University. Students who fail to fulfill this requirement shall not be permitted to continue taking courses in the M.A. in counseling services program until their GRE or MAT scores are reviewed and evaluated by program faculty.

The counseling services faculty will evaluate each applicant’s potential for success in the program by taking into consideration all the factors listed above in arriving at admissions decisions.

Please see the Academic Catalogs for more information, including course descriptions.

Disclaimer: This information is taken from a recent published version of a Rider University academic catalog or manual, though not necessarily the most recent. Please be aware that, while the University makes reasonable efforts to keep website material current and correct, this information is subject to the University's academic policy committees, relevant accreditation organizations, and (in some instances) state and federal laws and regulations. For this and other reasons it may be subject to change at any time without notice and without being immediately reflected on the website.