Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.

Program Description

The Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling consists of 60 semester hours of graduate studies. It is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is also designed to meet the academic requirements of the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board for the licenses of Professional Counselor (PC) and Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC). The program is designed to meet the needs of the part-time student while also accommodating full-time study. Counselors licensed as PCCs function at an independent practice level, which allows them to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders without supervision. Additionally, with the supervision designation, they may supervise other counselors. Counselors licensed as PCCs may maintain a private practice.

If an applicant already has a master’s degree in counseling and is seeking licensure as a clinical mental health counselor, it is possible to be admitted to a post-master’s licensure program. Please see the bulletin page for Post-Master's Clinical Mental Health Counseling Licensure Pathway.

Students must bear in mind that academic requirements are only part of the overall licensure requirements, which also include an application procedure, state examinations, and verified clinical work experience. These licensure requirements are met after the conferral of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Program Learning Goals

Students will:

1. Identify as a clinical mental health counselor who is knowledgeable about the history and development of the clinical mental health counseling profession, is aware of the challenges facing the profession, and is prepared to advocate for the profession.

2. Assess, evaluate, and diagnose clients using assessment instruments and the DSM.

3. Determine, based on the assessment and diagnosis, an appropriate treatment plan for clients.

4. Implement interventions and treatment plan, and continuously assess the effectiveness of the intervention.

See also the CACREP  Standards.

Note: The Graduate Studies Learning Outcomes also apply to students in this program.

Admission Criteria for Degree Programs

• An undergraduate major in a recognized area.

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for the role of counselor are required. Ideally, these letters will come from former professors and/or employers who can comment on the suitability of the applicant for graduate study.

• A letter of intent from the applicant outlining career objectives and goals. The letter should be 400-600 words in length. It will be evaluated for content and grammatical and mechanical correctness. 

• Resume which includes both work and volunteer experience. 

• Applicants must participate in an interview process that may include: 

  • A writing sample composed in response to a provided written prompt.

  • An individual interview.

  • A group interview.

On-campus group interviews may be scheduled during each semester. Applicants will be notified of the date when they apply. The letters of recommendation, letter of intention, and resume should be submitted to the Office of Graduate School.

No application will be evaluated until all of the materials listed above, along with a Graduate Application form and appropriate official transcripts, are submitted.

The Department of Counseling accepts applications on a rolling basis. For best consideration, applications should be received by May 1 for fall semester and February 1 for summer semester. Applicants applying for graduate assistant positions should submit all materials for admission by the February 15 deadline.

The application material will be evaluated by the admissions committee. Possessing the minimum admission requirements, e.g., a 2.75 GPA, does not guarantee admission.

Retention Criteria

The unique interpersonal nature of the counseling profession requires that counseling students should be evaluated for their fitness as counselors. This comprehensive evaluation focuses on assessing the student’s academic achievement, the student’s demonstration of the personal dispositions needed in order to be an effective counselor, and the student’s adherence to the ethical standards of the profession defined by either the ACA (American Counseling Association) or the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) code of ethics.

If a student is found to be deficient, a concern conference will be held with the student in order to implement a remediation plan. If, after attempts at remediation, the student is still demonstrating inappropriate behaviors, or not achieving at an appropriate academic level, the student will be asked to leave the program. More detailed information about the department’s retention criteria can be found in its Graduate Student Handbook. Students should also review the Policies and Procedures section of this Bulletin.

Assessing students in this way is a requirement of both the major counseling accreditation body, CACREP, and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Required Courses

Core Sequence

Clinical Sequence

Field Experience Sequence

Electives

Nine hours of electives are needed. Students can fulfill the elective requirement by completing nine hours of electives that fit their academic plan. Completing the Substance Use Disorders Concentration will fulfill the elective requirement.

Subtotal: 9

Substance Use Disorders Concentration*

*Students who complete the Substance Use Disorders Concentration and appropriate field experience may be eligible for licensure as an LCDC-III or as an LICDC.

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration**

**Students who complete the ABA Concentration will have basic level knowledge of behavior change procedures, but the Concentration does not make students eligible for licensure in Applied Behavior Analysis.

To qualify for Practicum (CG 5592), a student must receive a grade of B- or greater in Counseling Techniques and Practice (CG 5562). A student who has not received a B- or greater in CG 5562 after taking the course twice may be dismissed from the program. All Clinical Mental Health Counseling students complete Practicum at the department's Practicum Lab at Moore Counseling and Mediation Services. Students must apply for Practicum (CG 5592) by October 1 for the spring semester, by February 1 for the summer semester, and by March 1 for the fall semester. CG 5592 and Internship (CG 5596) can be taken sequentially, with CG 5596 possibly being taken in the final semester before graduating from the program. Site placements for Internship are subject to University approval. The University will not approve site placements in situations that violate human rights, demean human dignity, or operate according to principles directly opposed to those for which the University as a Catholic institution must stand.

Candidates are carefully reviewed in their work and evaluated during their entire internship experience. The Master of Arts degree is conferred upon the satisfactory completion of the above courses, submission of logged contact hours during Practicum and Internship, and a Master's Comprehensive Examination.

The candidate must also successfully pass the required exam through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board for licensure as a Professional Counselor.

Integrated Graduate Program (B.S./M.A.) - Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Integrated Graduate Program between Psychology and Counseling is designed for students who wish to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Undergraduate students may apply for admission to the integrated program during their junior year and must be on track to satisfy the undergraduate credit requirements outlined for the integrated program by the conclusion of their junior year. For students who are accepted, up to nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level coursework for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program will be completed during their fourth year and will count toward combined undergraduate/graduate requirements.  Upon completion of 120 undergraduate credit hours, students will earn their B.S. in Psychology. Upon final completion of the integrated program, students will earn their M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and will be eligible to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Ohio through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board.

Integrated Graduate Program Courses Taken to Satisfy Undergraduate Graduation Requirements*

*These courses will be taken in a student's fourth year as they transition to only taking Counseling courses. CG 5360 and CG 5435 will be crosslisted with existing courses offered through the Department of Psychology. Successful completion of those courses will satisfy the Department of Counseling requirements for CG 5561 and CG 5530, respectively.

Program Faculty