UT Tyler Psychology and Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

First Semester Candidacy Interview

A formal evaluation will occur at the end of each CMHC student’s first semester enrolled in the program upon completion of COUN 5312 Counseling Theories and Applications, COUN 5328 Foundations and Ethics of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and COUN 5391 Essential Counseling Skills (note: for six credit hour first semester students COUN 5328 and COUN 5391). This formal evaluation occurs at the Candidacy Interview. The Candidacy Interview committee will be comprised of at least three CMHC faculty members. During this interview, the student and committee will review the student’s academic progress, dispositions related to work as a professional counselor, and any intra/interpersonal elements that pertain to work as a professional counselor. The purpose of this interview is to recommend continuation in the program (i.e., Candidacy) or determine areas of improvement needed to continue. The following areas are considered for admission to Candidacy: 

• Academic Progress – All students must demonstrate adequate academic progress. During the Candidacy Interview students need to demonstrate that they are in good academic standing in their courses (i.e., their grades indicate that they are projected to earn a grade of B or better in each of their initial courses). 
• Counselor Dispositions – Counseling is a profession that requires interacting with a diverse population. Professional counselors must be able to interact with individuals, families, and groups and demonstrate unconditional positive regard, an attitude of respect for individual values and beliefs, good interpersonal skills, and effective communication skills. Due to the nature of the work and ethical obligations to protect future clients, faculty must evaluate an individual’s fitness for the profession. This is an ongoing process and concerns are addressed as they arise. Depending on the nature, severity, frequency, and duration of a concern, members of the faculty may develop a remediation plan to provide an opportunity for the student to demonstrate growth and improvement. Ultimately, if the student does not meet the goals of the remediation plan or demonstrates a lack of fitness for the profession, dismissal from the program can occur.
• Personal Concerns – There are times in which the training processes trigger intra/interpersonal concerns that may interfere with the ability to be an effective counselor. When this occurs, faculty members may develop a remediation plan which may include a requirement that the student engages as a client in personal counseling related to the concern(s). Counseling services are available at no cost to students through the UT Tyler Student Counseling Center. At the request of the student or the discretion of the counseling faculty, the counseling faculty may provide referrals to three appropriate alternatives. The student is fully responsible for any costs associated with partaking in counseling services other than the UT Tyler Student Counseling Center. Serious or persistent impairments and/or violations of personal or professional ethics can result in dismissal from the program. This includes issues related to a violation from the UT Tyler Student Standards of Academic Conduct. All counseling students are expected to adhere to the current version of the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics.

Students will be notified via email of the faculty’s decision regarding their status which are as follows:

• Approved for Candidacy to the CMHC program
• Approved for Candidacy with reservations. These students will be required to meet with their academic advisor to address areas of growth or concerns identified during the Candidacy Interview.
• Denied Candidacy provided a remediation plan and a timeline for completion. A copy of the remediation plan will be signed and retained by the student’s faculty advisor, the Department Chair, and student. Thorough documentation of communication between the student and facilitating advisor during the remediation process will be kept. Once the remediation plan has been completed, students may sit for the Candidacy Interview one additional time. If admission is denied a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
• Dismissal from the CMHC program may result due to serious concerns in the aforementioned categories (i.e., counselor dispositions, personal concerns), or violations of the Graduate School’s academic policies, the University’s Code of Student Conduct, the Department of Psychology and Counseling Graduate Student Code of Conduct, the ACA Code of Ethics, or as deemed necessary to protect the public.