M.S. in Clinical Psychology

The M.S. in Clinical Psychology program is based on the new American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation standards for master’s programs in health service psychology. APA is currently in a pilot phase of accrediting master’s programs and not accepting new applications. The program will submit an accreditation application as soon as possible. Please note, there are no guarantees the program will be approved for accreditation.

Graduates of the M.S. in Clinical Psychology program may pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). The specific licensure requirements vary by state, are subject to change periodically, and may include specific requirements such as educational or degree requirements, work experience, background checks, or more. 

Students are responsible for confirming licensure requirements prior to enrolling in any Saint Mary’s program.  For more information, please visit our Professional Licensure page.

• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution and have maintained an overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
• Applicants must have completed a minimum of 3 credits in undergraduate psychology coursework or a graduate-level psychology course that is approved for transfer.
• Applicants complete an interview with a program staff member as part of the admission process.

Students with transcripts from universities located outside of the United States, unless from a waiver country listed here, are required to take and pass English Proficiency testing.

Saint Mary’s accepts: 

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 72 
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0 
• International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0 or Pearson Test of English with a score of 51 
• Duolingo with a minimum score of 100. Please see our academic catalog for a list of all approved waiver countries.

Your application must include the following items: 

1. A completed application form 
2. An official transcript(s) issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor’s degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution. 

You have two possible options for obtaining official transcripts:

• 1. Order official transcripts from all institutions yourself.
• 2. Saint Mary’s can order and cover the cost of transcripts from institutions that allow third-party requests for eligible degree-seeking applicants. Contact your enrollment counselor for more information.

Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards). Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted. 

3. An admissions essay addressing the following question in 500 words or less:

Why are you applying to the M.S. in Clinical Psychology program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota? Please include discussion of faith integration in your essay.

4. Three letters of recommendation that verify professional and/or volunteer experience and academic ability (letters from faculty and work supervisor(s) are strongly preferred).
5. A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.

6.Applicants will need to complete an interview with a program administrator as part of the admission process.

• Official Transcripts should be sent to Office of Admission: 

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota 2500 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404 Or electronically: tcadmission@smumn.edu 

Please reach out with any questions about the application process.

Phone: (612) 728-5100
Toll-free: (866) 437-2788
E-mail: tcadmission@smumn.edu

Fall 2025: July 1, 2025

Spring 2026: Dec. 1, 2025

You can expect to be notified about your acceptance approximately two weeks following your application completion date.

At Saint Mary’s, we want you to succeed, and we help you do so, inside and outside of the classroom: 

Student Central: Your one-stop for student services.

Library: Resources and services are available 24/7 to all students.

Writing Center: Offers virtual and face-to-face services to support students. 

Career Services: Can help you develop your career-readiness skills at any point in your education. 

No, the M.S. in Clinical Psychology program welcomes students of all faith backgrounds. However, students should be open to learning about the Catholic faith and incorporating its principles into their education and practice.

No, students from all educational backgrounds are welcome to apply to the program. For students who do not have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, applicants must have taken one 3 credit course in psychology as a prerequisite prior to potential admission. Please see the section of the website related to admissions for more information about this prerequisite requirement.

Master’s programs in Clinical Psychology are typically designated as either a Master of Arts (M.A.) or a Master of Science (M.S). While both degrees cover core principles of theory, method, and practice, the distinction often lies in their focus:

• The focus of the new MS program at Saint Mary’s is that it has a Catholic integrated curriculum. It also has a particular focus on psychological assessment, treatment of mental health disorders, and research. 
• The M.A. in Counseling & Psychological Services Program curriculum explores a variety of theoretical orientations and models for understanding, assessing, and treating a range of mental health concerns rather than integrating a singular meta model. The curriculum focuses on applied practice and has an emphasis on the importance of the therapeutic relationship, evidence based practice, and the development of counseling skills and techniques.

Yes, all students must complete a minimum of three semesters of supervised, sequential, and developmentally-appropriate clinical training, totaling 9 credits and 720 hours: Practicum (3 credits, 120 total hours, 40 of which are direct service hours); Internship I (3 credits, 300 total hours, 120 of which are direct service hours), and Internship II (3 credits, 300 total hours, 120 total hours of which are direct service hours). Clinical training provides students with opportunities to demonstrate and achieve program-wide competencies consistent with American Psychological Association accreditation standards.

Prospective students will want to carefully consider if this component of the program will be feasible for them to complete and they should plan ahead accordingly.

Applicants should request letters from professional references who can speak to their potential for success in graduate school and counseling. Suitable references include former faculty, employers, volunteer supervisors, or colleagues. Personal references, such as family, friends, or personal therapists, should be avoided. Strong recommendations often include:

• A statement regarding how the recommender knows you, how long they have known you, and how familiar they are with your work in a professional setting (i.e. school, work, volunteer work)
• A brief explanation of their opinion, and what supports their opinion, of your potential to be successful in graduate school and in the field of professional counseling.
• A summary of what they have witnessed to be some of your key strengths, qualities, and/or abilities

A strong recommendation letter is about a page long. AI-generated letters are discouraged, as personal wording is more compelling.