Discussion—Applying to Graduate School

In the first two modules, you explored your career options and identified available positions related to your interests. You also determined which of those positions required a master’s or doctoral degree. For this assignment, research graduate school programs for the selected career using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet.

For this assignment, you will need to complete the following: 

• Select one of the careers that require a graduate-level degree.
• Identify at least threegraduate school programs you would consider attending. For example, if you hope to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC), you would first need to earn a master’s degree at the very least. You would want to research programs that provide master’s degrees in counseling. Include research on whether or not you would fulfill the requirements for licensure in your state of residence if you completed those specific programs. Cover the following:
  • Indicate which license you would seek and which programs would or would not prepare you to be eligible for licensure.
  • If you want to become licensed, you want to ensure that those programs meet your state’s requirements for licensure. For example, if you wish to become an LPC, you would have to review the American Association of State Counseling Boards at: http://www.aascb.org/ and locate your state’s licensing board Web site address.
• For each of the three graduate school programs, research and discuss the institution’s accreditation. Is it nationally or regionally accredited? Most state licensing boards require the higher-level of those two options, which is regional accreditation.
  • You might want to review the following Web site to determine if the school is regionally accredited:
    • US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. (2011). Retrieved from http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
  • Most states also require a specialized accreditation for licensure as an LPC or psychologist. For counseling licenses, most states honor programs that have the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs designation. For psychology licenses, the American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation is usually required. Go to the following to find programs with the CACREP designation:
    • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2011). Welcome to Cacrep. Retrieved from http://www.cacrep.org/template/index.cfm
• Discuss any concerns you may have about applying to or attending graduate school. List any questions you have about the application or licensure process. 
• Provide at least two authoritative references or sources for the information you have discussed. One of these can be the textbook.

Write your initial response in a minimum of 300–400 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.