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Assignment 1: Applying to Graduate School

In the first two modules, you explored your career options and identified available positions related to your interests. You also determined which of these positions requires a master’s or a doctoral degree. For this assignment, research graduate school programs for the selected career using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet.

For this assignment, you will need to complete the following:

• Select one of the careers that require graduate-level degrees.
• Identify at least three graduate school programs you would consider attending. For example, if you hope to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC), you would first need to earn a master’s degree at the very least. You would want to research programs that provide master’s degrees in counseling. Include research on whether you would fulfill the requirements for licensure in your state of residence if you completed those specific programs. Cover the following:
• Indicate which license you would seek and which programs would or would not prepare you to be eligible for licensure.
• If you want to become licensed, ensure that these programs meet your state’s requirements for licensure. For example, if you wish to become an LPC, you would have to review the American Association of State Counseling Boards and locate your state’s licensing board website address.
• For each of the three graduate school programs, research and discuss the institution’s accreditation. Is it nationally or regionally accredited? Most state licensing boards require the higher-level of those two options, which is regional accreditation.
• You might want to review the US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to determine whether the school is regionally accredited.
• Most states also require a specialized accreditation for licensure as an LPC or a psychologist. For counseling licenses, most states honor programs that have the CACREP designation. For psychology licenses, APA accreditation is usually required. Click here to find programs with the CACREP designation.
• Discuss any concerns you may have about applying to or attending graduate school. List any questions you have about the application or licensure process.
• Provide at least two authoritative references or sources for the information you have discussed. One of these can be the textbook.

Submission Details:

• Write your initial response in a minimum of 300–400 words. Apply APA standards to cite sources.
• By Saturday, April 11, 2015, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, April 15, 2015, review and comment on at least two classmates’ responses. Provide a statement of clarification or a point of view with a rationale, challenge a point of the discussion, or draw a relationship between two or more points of the discussion.

Discussion Grading Criteria and Rubric

All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. This assignment is worth 40 points. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.