Application and Admissions

The Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling is located in the northwest corner of the Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) building, room MHC 1632. At another site there is a USF Map available for downloading. The mailing address and telephone number for the Department are:

Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
University of South Florida
13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MHC 1632, Box 12
Tampa, FL 33612-3807
Telephone: (813) 974-2855
Fax: (813) 974-8080

Prospective students should contact:
Dr. Gary DuDell, Director of Graduate Studies
Telephone: (813) 974-1257
E-mail: gdudell@bcs.usf.edu

The Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling admits students both Fall and Spring semesters, but not during the Summer sessions. The application deadline for Fall semester is February 15th of each year, and for Spring semester October 15th. All students applying to the Department must submit GRE scores that are no more than five years old.

The application process involves the following:

1. Submit an application to the Graduate School indicating Rehabilitation Counseling as the selected major.

2. Have Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and transcripts sent to USF

3. Complete and submit the Online Department Application including a personal statement.

4. Have three letters of recommendation sent to the Department via the U.S. Postal Service.  Complete the Department Letter of Recommendation Request Form and give to each of your recommenders.

5. Personal interviews are required at the discretion of the Department.

6. Applicants without an undergraduate statistics course or an equivalent research methods course must take one before admission or during the first semester after admission to the program. This course is not part of the 60 semester hours required for the degree.

Enrollment is limited and applications are judged competitively. Meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Most students are admitted after earning a bachelor's degree in a social, behavioral or health sciences area, but no specific undergraduate major is required. Students enrolled through the Five-Year Program (REF) must have completed 90 hours of work and have satisfied General Distribution, CLAST, and Rule 6A-10.30 (Gordon Rule) requirements. Minimum admission requirements include a combined (verbal and quantitative) score of at least 1,000 on the GRE, or a "B" average on all work beyond 60 hours. All applicants must take the GRE. Five-Year Program students may earn a baccalaureate degree in another major under the conditions specified in the USF Undergraduate Catalog.