Indiana State University

Initially founded by the Indiana General Assembly in 1865 as a teachers' college, Indiana State University has since evolved into a comprehensive public higher learning institution. ISU is classified as a doctoral-granting research university by the elite Carnegie Foundation. From a main 235-acre campus in the small city of Terre Haute within the thriving Wabash Valley, ISU offers a blend of traditional on-site and online programs. Indiana State is divided into six academic colleges providing more than 100 different majors. Each year, Indiana State University enrolls more than 11,200 undergraduates and 2,300 post-graduates. It's renowned for being the first public college in Indiana to carry out a Laptop Initiative.

Thanks to its illustrious history of academic excellence, Indiana State University has been named on the Princeton Review's "Best in the Midwest" list for 12 straight years. ISU was chosen as one of the "322 Green Colleges" for its commitment to sustainability. In addition to being placed on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, ISU was crowned the Non-Profit Leadership Campus of the Year in 2013. Washington Monthly magazine also ranked Indiana State #1 for community service and #3 for service learning in America. In particular, the U.S. News and World Report has honored ISU for housing the country's 129th best graduate education school.

Indiana State University Accreditation Details

Last reaffirmed in 2010, Indiana State University has formal accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA), one of six regional accrediting bodies approved by the U.S. Department of Education. ISU is wholly licensed by the Indiana Commission on Higher Education. Furthermore, the Bayh College of Education has received discipline-specific accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). All school-related programs have approval from the Indiana Department of Education for certification. Counseling degrees also meet the standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Indiana State University Application Requirements

Even though ISU has a less selective acceptance rate of 82 percent, incoming students must fulfill certain criteria for admissions. For the master's program in school counseling, applicants are required to already hold a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all undergraduate coursework or minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of studies is mandated. Graduates should have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.0 in their major. It's preferred that students have a background in education, counseling, psychology, sociology, and/or anthropology. Teaching experience will be viewed favorably.

Applicants will be reviewed by the admissions committee based on their achievement, previous experience, willingness to grow, and motivation for career success. Meeting the above minimum standards doesn't guarantee admissions. All prospective school counseling students must pass an interview and show great promise in the behavioral science of education. Before the annual February 1st deadline, interested applicants must submit the following materials to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies:

• School Counselor Program departmental application
• Official transcripts for all college coursework
• Current, up-to-date professional resume
• Three letters of recommendation
• A maximum 1,000-word personal statement
• Graduate Record Examination scores (optional)
• Payment for the $45 application fee

Tuition and Financial Aid

Indiana State University has been ranked as the 12th most affordable public non-profit college in Indiana. Graduate students who reside in-state can expect to pay $388 per credit hour. Eligible out-of-state learners will pay higher at $762 per credit hour. Thanks to the Midwest Consortium, graduates residing in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin can pay $485 per credit. Online courses will also be $485 per credit hour for all out-of-state students regardless of residence. However, online graduate students must budget for an extra $50 online education delivery fee for each course. Textbooks and other learning supplies aren't included.

For help covering these expenses, 93 percent of matriculated, degree-seeking students at Indiana State University are supported by some form of financial aid. Filing the FAFSA form between January 1st and March 1st is required. Graduate students can borrow money that must be repaid through Perkins loans, Direct Stafford loans, Graduate PLUS loans, or private alternative loans. Certain learners may qualify for free gifted money with the Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, TEACH Grant, or Indiana National Guard Supplement Grant. Federal Work-Study (FWS) and graduate assistantships are available to fund tuition in exchange for employment. Indiana State also provides abundant scholarship opportunities, including the Minority Teacher Scholarship, Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship, and 21st Century Scholars Award.

Online Degrees Available

Through Indiana State University's Extended Learning Division, it's possible for graduate students to select from 17 fully online master's degrees. Six doctoral programs can also be completed online with little campus requirements. Indiana State Online offers access to the same quality, accredited education via high-speed Internet connections. Most courses utilize web-based video conferencing to interact from a distance. Full-time working adults can fit learning within their busy schedules thanks to 24/7 online contact with course materials. In the Bahr College of Education, students can pursue the:

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling

Highly regarded for being one of the nation's first "Transforming School Counseling Programs," the M.Ed. in School Counseling at ISU is designed to provide rigorous training that prepares competent counselors for K-12 school environments of the 21st century. Graduate students develop the skills to become advocates and agents of change in closing the educational achievement gap in diverse schools. Within the 48-credit program of study, students will progress through courses in lifespan development, counseling techniques, individual appraisal, group dynamics, multicultural counseling, career development, program evaluation, and counseling children. Students are admitted each spring and remain together as cohorts over two years.

Featuring a unique hybrid format, the School Counseling M.Ed. blends predominantly online coursework with on-campus cohort meetings just one weekend per month. Class will be held from 9am - 5pm on a chosen Saturday in Terre Haute. Gaining extensive hands-on school counseling experience is built within the program. Students will develop a two-year relationship with an elementary, middle, or high school in their local region. The entire program requires at least 160 hours of practicum and 540 hours of supervised internship starting in the first semester. Graduates from this CACREP-accredited program at Indiana State University will be qualified for receiving initial school counselor licensure in Indiana.