M.Ed. Counseling and Development Admissions Requirements

Admissions Step 1 – University Application

Complete the application form via ApplyTexas and pay a one-time application fee of $25. Find out more information about admissions to the online program.

Submit official, sealed transcripts from each institution attended to the Admissions Office. All degrees must be from a regionally accredited institution. Transcripts are required from each institution you list on your ApplyTexas application.

Mail to: Lamar University Online Admissions – P.O. Box 10017, Beaumont, TX 77710, or

Submit transcripts electronically to gradadmissionsedu@lamar.edu.

Admissions Step 2 – Department Application

Complete and submit the departmental application 24-48 hours after submitting your ApplyTexas application, you should receive an automated email with a link and instructions to complete the department application; please select the link for your intended program:

Department Application for M.Ed. Counseling and Development – School Counseling

Department Application for M.Ed. Counseling and Development – Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling

The department application includes:

Important information about the program and licensure acknowledgement
Professional informed consent
Essays: you will have the opportunity to discuss your career goals and motivation for pursuing clinical mental health counseling through structured essay questions
Your professional reference that you list on the department application will be contacted directly via email with instructions for completing the reference form.

Department application essay and reference are due by noon 10 business days after the ApplyTexas deadline – Critical Dates and Deadlines

Our department application process is designed to meet the goal of recruiting, enrolling and graduating a high-quality, diverse student population. The admissions committee appreciates your attention to detail and commitment to your counseling career goals.

Admissions FAQs

Graduate Admissions Appeal Process

Additional Admissions Requirements for the M.Ed. in Counseling and Development Professional School Counselor
(Texas applicants only):

- - Valid teaching certificate
  - Two years teaching experience at the time the application is submitted
  - Employment at a Texas Education Agency-approved public or private school campus. Is your school is TEA approved? View these directories of public schools or private schools.

*Please note that out-of-state students may not be required to meet this criterion. You must determine whether our program will meet state credentialing requirements by contacting your respective state's Department of Education.

*Non-Texas residents are not eligible to take the Texas certification exam or to apply for school counseling certification in Texas.

*The school counseling concentration does not meet requirements for LMFT licensure, but it does meet requirements for LPC licensure in Texas and some other states.

*Upon admission to the school counseling program, you will be required to sign and submit a formal acceptance to the program, as well as submit a teaching certificate, service records and details about your TEA campus before being enrolled in coursework. Instructions will be emailed to you after you are admitted.

Additional Admissions Information (all programs):

It is your responsibility to confirm the requirements for certification and/or licensure in your home state. You may be denied at the department level if it is determined that the chosen program will not meet your state’s standards.
Returning students: you are not required to re-submit department application documents if you have completed at least one course in the program. We will review your academic progress in the program and the appropriate admissions decision will be based on your academic standing.
Incomplete department application packets will not be reviewed or considered for admission. If you do not complete all application components within the semester initially applied for must re-apply to the program through ApplyTexas for the next available start date.

In the online programs, each traditional 15-week semester is broken down into three sessions – i.e. Spring I, Spring II and Spring III. Summer is broken down into two sessions – Summer I and Summer II.

A list of upcoming admissions deadlines and start dates for online programs is available.

We reserve the right to review individual applicant qualifications for admission. Final determinations for admission are based upon a number of criteria. We reserve the right to refuse your entrance or terminate after admission to a program if, in the judgment of the faculty, you demonstrate unacceptable professional fitness to practice in your particular field of study with children, youth and/or adults.

Graduate Admissions Appeal Process

For More Information:

Online Admissions Support – Professional School Counseling

Online Admissions Support – Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling

Out of State Students

Out-of-state applicants are generally eligible for our online counseling programs. Any known issues with program delivery by state is listed on our website. Please check your state.