Accelerated Dual-Degree Program (B.A./M.A.) – Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Accelerated Dual-Degree Graduate Program between Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) is designed for students who wish to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in GSWS and a Master of Arts degree in CMHC. Students must have at least 90 undergraduate credit hours completed, which may include transfer credit, before starting graduate courses. When applying to an accelerated dual degree program, students should have at least 75 credits completed and clearly be on track for the required 90 credit hours. For students who are accepted, nine credit hours of graduate-level coursework for the CMHC program will be completed during the fourth year and will count toward GSWS undergraduate major and/or toward the 120 credits required for the undergraduate degree as well as graduate requirements. Upon completion of 120 credit hours, students will earn their B.A. in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and upon 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.

Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

Program Learning Goals in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

Students who complete a major or minor will be able to:

1. Articulate a critical understanding of the impact of gender and sexuality within their own lives.

2. Describe how constructions of gender/sexuality have socially, historically, and globally shaped the experiences of both women and men.

3. Describe the importance within people’s lives of the intersections of gender and sexuality with other social hierarchies such as race, ethnicity, class, religion, and disability.

4. Analyze gender and sexuality using interdisciplinary and feminist theories, methodologies, and paradigms.

5. Identify ethical and social justice dimensions and implications within the study of gender/sexuality.

6. Demonstrate the development of knowledge and skills to deal positively with gender and sexuality-based inequality within their communities.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Program Description

The Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling consists of 60 semester hours of graduate studies and is designed to meet the academic requirements of the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and 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 or school counseling and is seeking licensure as a clinical mental health counselor, it is possible to be admitted to a post-master’s licensure program.

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.

Admission Criteria

A declared undergraduate major in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at John Carroll University.

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two references. One must be the undergraduate academic advisor. The other should also be familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for the role of counselor are required. Ideally, these references 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.

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 the 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.

The application material will be evaluated by the admissions committee. Possessing the minimum admission requirements, e.g., a 3.0 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 State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Program Learning Goals

Please see the Bulletin entry for program for a full description of learning goals, required and elective courses, and faculty.

See also the CACREP Standards.

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

Required Courses

Undergraduate Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Requirements (36 credits)

At least 18 credit hours in the major must be taken at John Carroll University.

Subtotal: 12

Career Development Program

All majors in the Humanities and Social Sciences complete a 0 credit course, CE 2001, “Professional Development Program,” as one of their degree requirements. In this course, students are introduced to resources and strategies for finding internships, articulating transferable skills, and preparing for employment or graduate/professional schools after college. Students typically complete this course in their sophomore year. Opportunities for ongoing Professional Development will be provided within the major, in collaboration with Career Services.

Additional Major Requirements (24 credits)

Complete one course from Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 below (9 cr.).

Group 1: Core Gender courses:

Group 2: Core Sexuality courses:

Group 3: Global/Diversity courses:

*HS 2059, PL 2050: These courses may be used for either group, but not both.

List of courses offered in other departments approved for the GEND major/minor:

Please see the program webpage, http://sites.jcu.edu/womensstudies/ for updates to this list and special topics courses being offered. Scheduling needs across the University may determine when these courses are offered.

Complete course and any other four additional courses from the approved electives above (15 credits total).

Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Requirements

Applicable to the undergraduate GSWS major:

An additional two courses (6 credits) can apply toward the dual degree as part of the 120 credits required for the Bachelor's degree. Students should pick one course from each of the following two sets of courses:

Graduate Clinical Mental Health Counseling Requirements

Counseling Core Sequence

*Whichever have not already been completed as part of the dually counting credits.

Clinical Sequence

Field Experience Sequence

Electives

Nine hours of CG 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.

**Optional 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. Students who choose not to complete these courses, should choose 9 credits of other elective credits to complete the Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A.