Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University was originally founded in 1923 as Fenn College in honor of the YMCA president Sereno Peck Fenn. Today, CSU is a public, co-educational research university endowed for $66.2 million.

Cleveland State educates more than 17,700 students annually in 200+ diverse academic programs. Spread across 85 urban acres, CSU is located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, on Lake Erie's southern shoreline.

Cleveland State University was ranked the 256th best public college and 251st top research university nationally by Forbes magazine. The Brookings Institution also named CSU the #3 public university in Ohio for value and return on investment.

Cleveland State University Accreditation Details

Last reaffirmed in 2011, Cleveland State University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA), one of six agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CSU's specialized accreditations include:

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (APA CoA)
• International Association of Counseling Services (IACS)

Cleveland State University Application Requirements

Admission to Cleveland State University is selective with a 67.1 percent acceptance rate. For the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, first-year students must have completed a diploma from a licensed high school. Finishing the Ohio Core curriculum, an out-of-state equivalent, or GED is mandatory. Freshmen must have maintained a cumulative secondary GPA of 2.3 or better. The School of Science and Health Professions requires a minimum SAT (reading and math) score of 770 or ACT score of 16. Transfers from other regionally accredited colleges must have a 2.0 GPA on all attempted coursework.

Graduate psychology and counseling programs will require holding at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent. The Ph.D. in Urban Education requires a master's degree in counseling, clinical psychology, or similar field. In general, CSU applicants must achieve a minimum collegiate GPA of 2.85. Ph.D. candidates need a 3.5 graduate GPA for consideration. Competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores would be 156 (verbal) and 151 (quantitative). International students from non-English speaking countries must score 213 or higher on the computer-based TOEFL.

During the rolling admissions, interested students should apply to Cleveland State University by sending:

• Completed online application
• Check or money order for $30 fee
• Transcripts of all academic work
• College entrance exam scores
• Two to three letters of recommendation
• Resume or curriculum vitae (graduate)
• Proof of English language proficiency

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time undergraduates from Ohio pay $4,818 per semester at Cleveland State. Non-resident students enrolled full-time must afford $6,843 each term. Part-time undergraduates are charged $401 (in-state) or $570 (out-of-state) per credit. Total annual cost of attendance ranges from $26,436 to $29,678. Graduate programs at CSU bill Ohio residents $6,908 per full-time semester. Out-of-state master's students must pay $11,770 each term. Enrolling part-time will require paying $531 (in-state) or $905 (out-of-state) per credit.

Approximately 89 percent of beginning, full-time CSU students earn assistance. Financial aid packages value $6,486 on average. Those taking 6+ credits could borrow Federal Perkins, Stafford, or Grad PLUS with interest. Free gift money is available with the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Residents with EFC below $2,190 could obtain the Ohio College Opportunity Grant. Federal Work-Study is granted to student employees for 10-20 hours weekly. Graduate assistantships also provide tuition waivers. Many institutional awards are given, including the Viking Voyager Scholarship, Ruth Ann Moyer Scholarship, and Athletic Scholarship.

Psychology and Counseling Degrees

The College of Sciences and Health Professions partners with the College of Education to award seven accredited degrees in psychology and counseling disciplines. Cleveland State University's learner-faculty ratio of 18:1 means students work closely with experienced psychologists. Research in CSU's 10 state-of-the-art labs, including the Mood and Emotion Regulation Laboratory, is ongoing. Students fascinated with human behavior can pursue:

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Cleveland State's Bachelor of Arts in Psychology contains a 42-credit major to equip undergrad students with the behavioral science knowledge for human services or graduate study. Along with the four-year, daytime program, there are evening-only and transfer partnership options with Lakeland Community College. Several bachelor's courses are accessible online.

Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

Requiring 50 credits, the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program gives CSU graduates two tracks: Practitioner or Doctoral Preparation. Over two years full-time, students master the methods for assessing mental and behavioral development in clinical contexts. Courses like psychopharmacology and clinical interviewing culminate in a 450-hour field experience.

Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Research

Rooted in personnel psychology, the Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Research program spans two years full-time to prepare CSU graduates for studying workplace climates. The 39-credit curriculum involves researching job training, recruitment, corporate leadership, teamwork, employee motivation, and more. Students with SIOP-member faculty to complete a master's thesis project.

Master of Arts and Psy.S. in School Psychology

Featuring dual NASP and NCATE approval, the Master of Arts and Psy.S. in School Psychology program at Cleveland State focuses on children's functioning in school systems, especially urban. The 51-credit, lock-step curriculum produces licensed school psychologists within three years full-time. School-based practicum leads to a nine-month supervised internship.

Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Satisfying Ohio Counselor license laws, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepare students to deliver customized, consumer-oriented therapy in diverse mental health capacities. The 60-credit, CACREP-accredited program includes courses from personality and intelligence testing to psychopathology with 600 internship hours. Cleveland State maintains a 95 percent LPC exam pass rate.

Master of Arts in School Counseling

For 48 credits, the Master of Arts in School Counseling program at CSU trains students for passing the Ohio Assessments for Educators School Counselor Exam. Students can further their preparation for PreK-12 positions with certificates in Early Childhood Mental Health Counseling or Chemical Dependency. The second-year internship requires 600 total hours in school districts.

Ph.D. in Urban Education - Counseling Psychology

APA accredited since 2010, the Ph.D. in Urban Education - Counseling Psychology program follows a scientist-practitioner model to train skilled psychologists for therapeutic interventions in multicultural, urban communities. The five-year program includes four semesters of practicum, dissertation research, and a predoctoral internship. Cleveland State University has placed Ph.D. candidates in top facilities like Cleveland Clinic and Wexner Medical Center.

See also: The 50 Best Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology