Located in Des Moines, Iowa, Drake University is a private, co-educational university that offers a number of graduate and undergraduate degree programs as well as professional programs in pharmacy, law and business. The law school at Drake is one of the 25 oldest in the U.S. and traces its history back to 1865. The University consists of six colleges: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Law School, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, School of Business and Public Administration, College of Arts and Sciences and a School of Education.
Drake University Accreditation Details
Drake University is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and it is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in School Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling are both accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE).
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Drake University Application Requirements
First-year students can choose between the Test-Flexible Application or the Standard Application. The first path requires an interview instead of an SAT or ACT score and is reserved for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and for those who are not pursuing pre-occupational therapy, pre-athletic training or pre-pharmacy. Students must submit a completed application, official high school transcripts, SAT and/or ACT scores as required and a personal essay. A high school recommendation, while not required, is strongly encouraged.
Students seeking admittance into the master’s degree program must submit a completed application and official transcripts from all previously attended applications. In addition, students are required to complete an essay which replaces the general admission essay required for other degrees. Admittance into a School of Education graduate program requires successful completion of a bachelor’s degree, and students must submit a copy of a professional resume, reference contacts and official scores from the Drake Writing Test, the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduates pursuing a degree from Drake University can expect to pay $19,458 per semester. Students may be eligible for certain types of financial aid such as Federal Stafford Loans, the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, employer tuition support, scholarships, fellowships and other types of assistance.
Psychology and Counseling Degrees Available
Drake University offers a number degrees in psychology and counseling at the undergraduate and graduate levels: a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology as well as an Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in School Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
The psychology department at Drake University encourages students to participate in experiential learning opportunities in the form of internships, independent study and research seminars in addition to traditional classroom studies. The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree program is designed for students who wish to seek a career in an area other than psychology or its related sciences. Students may complete the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology as part of many pre-professional programs of study such as pre-social work, pre-law and pre-business. Students are required to complete 39 credit hours of psychology coursework.
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree is designed for students who anticipate pursuing a graduate degree in psychology or its related sciences. The course requirements reflect the rigor and breadth necessary to prepare the student for graduate study as well as the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Students must complete 39 credit hours of psychology coursework as well as 12 hours of additional coursework in sciences other than psychology.
Upon graduation with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, students are prepared for careers in research, education, business, social work, medicine, law and psychology. Graduates may work as administrators, researchers, teachers, consultants and psychotherapists in a variety of settings including corporations, universities, elementary schools and community mental health agencies.
Drake University’s Master of Science in Counseling program allows students to learn from and interact with expert faculty. In addition to professional experiences and coursework, students can boost their resumes through attendance at national and state conferences, publication of research or participation in research projects overseen by drake faculty. The Master of Science in Counseling degree is designed for working adults, and classes are held on weekends and evenings, allowing students to work full-time while they earn their degree.
Students can choose from three specializations for their Master of Science in Counseling degree: School Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. First, a specialization in school counseling leads to licensure as a school counselor in the state of Iowa and prepares students for jobs in both secondary and elementary education. Students who do not currently have a teaching license may earn this degree after completing six additional credit hours of coursework. A 48-credit-hour option is also available to licensed Iowa teachers who are pursuing only elementary or only secondary licensure. Finally, teachers who have their Iowa teaching license complete a 48-credit-hour master’s degree to earn both secondary and elementary licensure.
The clinical rehabilitation counseling specialization prepares students to work in private practices, rehabilitation agencies, hospitals and state organizations as well as a consultant, for advocacy groups or in insurance rehabilitation. The program is accredited, so students are eligible to take the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor exam during the last semester of coursework. This exam leads to certification in all states. The 60-credit-hour program includes six courses devoted to hands-on learning and emphasizes field-based experiences. Graduate students may complete the program in two and a half years.
The clinical mental health counseling specialization at Drake University prepares students to seek licensure as licensed Mental Health Counselors in Iowa. It provides students with the experience and expertise they need to work in a variety of settings such as employee assistance programs, residential treatment centers, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, group practices and agencies. Students can benefit from service at established practice sites as well as experienced professionals from within the community such as instructors and guest lecturers. The program faculty work with local mental health counseling agencies through research, consulting and in-service training. Drake University students may complete the accredited 60-credit-hour Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in as few as two and a half years.