Adler Graduate School

Located in Richfield, Minnesota, Adler Graduate School is a non-profit educational institutions that offers a number of master’s degrees in psychology and counseling. The Adler Graduate School in Minnesota is separate from the Chicago-based Adler School of Professional Psychology, and they are institutionally unaffiliated. The majority of the faculty are practicing clinicians within local, state and federal agencies as well as other non-profit organizations, schools, shelters, hospitals and private practices.

Adler Graduate School Accreditation Details

Adler Graduate School is accredited by the North Central Association of The Higher Learning Commission (NCA). The HLC is an organization responsible for evaluating and accrediting based on factors such as administration and governance, admissions and student services, financial stability, student learning, institutional resources, relationships with external and internal constituencies and institutional effectiveness.

Adler Graduate School Application Requirements

An applicant seeking admission into the M.A. degree program must show evidence of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, a completed application file, nine semester credits in psychology or a related field, a cumulative grade point average of a minimum 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and must successfully complete an interview. Admission to a certificate program require official transcripts from previously attended academic institutions as well as a completed admission application. If a student does not meet the standard admission requirements, he or she may still be eligible for conditional admission.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students can expect to pay $550 per credit hour for tuition, with the average term containing seven credits, for a total yearly tuition of $15,400 excluding fees, books, supplies and living expenses. The school offers a number of payment options, including private and federal financial aid programs. Most M.A. candidates are eligible for federal financial aid, and degree-seeking students may qualify for alternative loans. Adler Graduate School participates in the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program to help offset the cost of living expenses, books, fees and tuition for period during which students are taking at least three credits per term.

Related resource: The Top 25 Low-Cost Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Psychology and Counseling Degrees Available

Adler Graduate School offers certificates in specialty area programs, post-master’s licensure options and several master’s degrees in psychology and counseling. Depending on the student’s current and previous education as well as his or her career goals, it is important to speak with a counselor who can determine whether a certificate, post-master’s or traditional master’s degree is appropriate.

Students may also receive a Certificate in Advanced Adlerian Practice. This program consists of 12 required credit hours and is only offered online. The Certificate in Advanced Adlerian Practice is designed for mental health professionals to study Adlerian psychology, its practical applications and its theoretical foundations and is based on the Master's in Adlerian Counseling degree. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling certificate is offered both online and on-campus and encompasses 16 to 24 credit hours. It is designed to add on as an endorsement for licensure and builds on the foundation of coursework taken from a prior master’s level counseling degree. Finally, the Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders certificate requires students to complete 18 to 23 credit hours and students learn the progressive approach to working with individuals who have both substance use and mental health disorders. Depending on the previous academic degree, internships and courses completed, graduates from this program may be eligible to sit for the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor licensure exam.

Student seeking to add a credential or licensure to an existing master’s degree may be able to do so through a specific credentialing/licensure process. Adler Graduate School offers a number of post-master’s degree licensure options, including marriage and family therapy, clinical mental health counseling, art therapy and school counseling. The Marriage and Family Therapy tract includes coursework in psychology, multicultural counseling, comparative theories of personality and psychotherapy, principles of research, clinical assessment and values, ethics and legalities. Students seeking an art therapy credential may expect coursework in art therapy assessments, family art therapy, group art therapy, multicultural art therapy, media explorations and advanced approaches to counseling. Graduates of the Mental Health Counseling program may be eligible to sit for licensure and will take courses in research and evaluation, family counseling and therapy, assessment and appraisal, professional ethics applied to clinical practice and cultural diversity. If a student possesses a prior master’s degree in counseling or a related field, he or she may be eligible to complete the requirements for the school counseling licensure. Coursework includes school counseling practicum, advanced school counseling skills, introduction to Adlerian psychology and child guidance, foundations of 21st century school counseling and comparative theories of personality and psychotherapy.

The M.A. in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy includes seven areas of emphasis, including general studies, school counseling, marriage and family therapy, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, clinical mental health counseling, art therapy and Adlerian studies. Students seeking a graduate degree may expect to complete coursework such as principles of research, developmental psychology, multicultural counseling, comparative theories of personality and psychotherapy, introduction to Adlerian psychology and child guidance and values, ethics and legalities. Three of the concentrations are available online, including marriage and therapy, clinical mental health counseling and Adlerian studies. Other areas of focus include multicultural counseling, comparative theories, essential interviewing skills, case management and treatment planning, clinical assessment, group didactic, group psychotherapy and counseling, developmental psychology, foundations of career development, systems of family therapy and evaluation methodologies in counseling and psychotherapy across the lifespan. Some field experience may also be required in order to successfully satisfy all degree program requirements, including internships, clinical supervisions and a course in field placement.

Students seeking an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling will complete a 60-credit master’s program that prepares them for the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) exam. The LPCC is designed for practitioners who wish to work with families, couples and individuals, and it is typically viewed as the more “generalist” licensure for mental health practice in the state. The degree can be applied to a number of fields and includes coursework designed to focus on the relationships between individuals and their families. Students who complete the program at Adler Graduate School receive an M.A. degree in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy with a clinical counseling emphasis.

See also: Top 10 Low-Cost Online Master’s Degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling