• Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice

Students will acquire knowledge of the history and philosophy of counseling; professional roles, collaboration, professional organizations, credentialing, and ACA and AMHCA ethical standards as a means to developing a counseling identity and an advocacy mindset.

• Social and Cultural Diversity

Students will acquire knowledge of how the elements of diversity and societal factors impact individuals; while, gaining self-awareness regarding their culture and developing a personal understanding of how their own perspectives may affect the counseling relationship.

• Human Growth and Development

Students will acquire knowledge of adaptive and maladaptive development, developmental crises, disability, psychopathology, and theories development and will apply theories of learning, personality development, and strategies for helping individuals throughout the lifespan in an ethical and developmentally appropriate manner.

• Career Development

Students will know and apply career development theories, decision-making models, vocational and occupational information to career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation.

• Counseling and Helping Relationships

Students will demonstrate basic and advanced counseling skills, including developing goals and interventions for the purpose of working directly with or indirectly in consultation with various stakeholders in various settings to improve the lives of those they serve.

• Group Counseling and Group Work

Students will know group theory and gain an experiential understanding of group development, dynamics, and leadership styles for use in an ethical and legal manner in various types of groups.

• Assessment and Testing

Students will know statistical concepts, reliability, validity, multicultural issues in assessment, ethical and legal issues, as well as learn bio-psychosocial assessment, case conceptualization, principles of diagnosis, and use of the current DSM so that they have the ability to conduct individual and group assessment and evaluations.

• Research and Program Evaluation

Students will acquire knowledge of research methods, statistical analyses, needs assessment, and program evaluation, including qualitative and quantitative methods, technology uses, and ethical and legal issues.

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Students will have knowledge of integrative systems of care; fiscal and legal issues; collaboration; community needs assessment; interventions and outreach; individuals and communities served; and clinical mental health counseling services.

• Professional Practice

Students will develop and demonstrate clinical skills through supervised practicum and internship experiences and an integration of the knowledge and skills needed to be successful as practicing counselors.

Courses are offered in 12-week terms. For full course descriptions, contact Casey Walker.

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (60 credits)

Term 1

COUN 5000 Introduction to Counseling
COUN 5510 Counseling Theories and Techniques
COUN 5140 Human Growth and Development

Term 2

COUN 5520 Skills in Helping Relationships – Residency
COUN 6190 Social and Cultural Foundations
COUN 5920 Assessment and Assessment Techniques

Term 3

COUN 6120 Research Methods and Program Evaluation
COUN 6350 Career and Lifestyle Development
COUN 5210 Psychopathology and Diagnostic Systems

Term 4

COUN 6170 Substance Use Disorders and Process Addictions
COUN 6910 Crisis and Trauma Counseling
COUN 5530 Group Counseling

Term 5

COUN XXXX Advanced Skills in Helping Relationships – Residency
CMHC XXXX Treatment Planning and Advanced Assessment
CMHC 5910 Professional Issues and Ethics in CMHC

Term 6

CMHC 6960 Practicum in CMHC – Field Placement
Elective

Term 7

CMHC 6970 Internship I in CMHC – Field Placement
Elective

Term 8

CMHC 6980 Advanced Internship in CMHC – Field Placement

Electives (select 2 for your state)

COUN 7010 Counseling Couples and Families
COUN XXXX Human Sexuality
COUN XXXX Counseling Special Populations
COUN XXXX Psychopharmacology and Advanced Psychopathology
CMHC XXXX Advanced Internship II in CMHC – Field Placement

• Our M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program aligns with the degree and coursework requirements for professional counseling licensure in:

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas  |  Colorado, Connecticut |  Delaware, the District of Columbia  |  Georgia  |  Hawaii  |  Idaho, Indiana, Iowa  |   Kentucky  |  Louisiana  |  Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana  |  Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota  |   Oklahoma, Oregon  |  Pennsylvania  |  Rhode Island  |  South Carolina, South Dakota  |  Tennessee, Texas  |  Vermont, Virginia  |  Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming

• Applicants for licensure in the states listed above may be required to complete a minimum number of hours of post-master’s professional counseling experience within a specified time period, as well as other state-specific requirements.

• Our M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program does not meet current state requirements for professional counseling licensure in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin.

• The M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program was not designed to meet professional counseling licensure standards outside of the United States of America.

• It is the student’s responsibility to determine the licensure requirements for any state not listed above. Students should contact the specific state licensing board directly to verify information regarding professional licensure. A list of state board contact information is available via the National Board for Certified Counselors.