Requirements for Admission to the Program
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Step 1: Acceptance by the Graduate Program
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Students must be admitted to the Graduate School before enrolling in any graduate course, whether or not they are pursuing an advanced degree. A completed application must be filed with the Graduate School at least one month before the beginning of the first term of graduate work. Students apply for Special Student (non-degree) status must also complete an application and be admitted to Graduate School. NOTE: Being admitted to the Graduate School does not admit a student to the CHRD Department, it is simply the first required step toward admission.
Admission to the Graduate School requires that the applicant be a graduate of an Institution of higher learning. The institution must be one of recognized standing (regional accreditation) whose requirements are substantially the same as those of the South Dakota State University department(s) in which the advanced degree will be taken.
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 A completed application form must be submitted and accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $35. |
| For degree-seeking students, official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work must be sent directly to the Graduate School. |
| For those students not actively pursuing a degree, the Bachelor's degree must be stated on the application forma and the degree will be verified. Students will be withdrawn from graduate coursework if a degree cannot be verified. |
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If application is filed before the Bachelor's degree is completed, an incomplete transcript must be filed. When the Bachelor's degree is awarded, a final transcript must then be sent. This final transcript must be filed during the first semester of graduate work.
International students who cannot provide original transcripts may submit notarized or certified copies at the time of application. A Provisional degree will be accepted. Contact the department for more information about the application procedures for international students.
After an application for admission and all supporting documents are received and evaluated by the Graduate School, they are sent for review to the CHRD Department. Using recommendations made by the department, the Dean of the Graduate School acts on the application and notifies the applicant, department, and/or committee concerned.
If accepted to the Graduate School, those seeking admittance to the CHRD Department will be given an initial "unconditional acceptance" to the department contingent upon the successful completion of the Department's admission procedures. At this stage, the "unconditional acceptance" does allow students to seek Graduate Asistantships and financial aid. Please note, however, that no more than 10 credits can be taken before completing Step 2 described below. This is an important point in that it limits the number of credits students may take in the department before being formally accepted.
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Step 2: Admission to the Counseling and Human Resource Development Department
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Formal application to the CHRD Department.
To be considered for formal admission a file containing the following items must be submitted to the Counseling and Human Resource Development Department office by April 1 for Fall admission or by October 1 for Spring admission:
1) A one page, typewritten goal statement including one or more of the following:
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| your aspirations related to the field of counseling |
| one significant life event that contributed to the development of these aspirations |
| the single greatest personal asset that will serve you in realizing your aspirations |
| the one personal characteristic or quality that you most need to modify, improve or change in order to realize your aspirations |
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2) A current, typewritten resume that includes all previous work experience, volunteer service, and educational activity that you believe has contributed to your desire to enter the counseling profession.
3) Two completed CHRD Reference Evaluation Forms. These are in addition to the Graduate School reference forms. Click below to access a copy of the form.
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Participation in Group Interview.
Applicants are required to participate in a group interview that is held approximately one month after the deadline for formal application to the department. (Typically, this means the interviews are held in June for Fall admissions and in November for Spring Admissions). If your application is complete by the deadlines, you will be notified by the department of the exact date, time and place for the interview.
Soon after the interview, each applicant will receive a letter granting or denying admission. If granted admission, students will have one calendar year from the time of acceptance to begin taking courses. If a student does not begin her or his coursework during that time, re-application is required.
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