Accelerated Dual-Degree Program (B.A./M.A.) – Sociology & Criminology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Accelerated Dual-Degree Program between Sociology & Criminology and Counseling is designed for students who wish to earn a B.A. degree in Sociology & Criminology and a M.A. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 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. Typically, nine credit hours of graduate-level coursework taken for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program will be double-counted between the undergraduate BA and MA programs. Students will also typically complete an additional 9 credits of graduate coursework, with no more than 18 graduate credits being completed in total by the end of their fourth year. By the end of this fourth year, students will have completed 111 undergraduate credits and 9 double-counted UG/GR credits, and will therefore earn their B.A. in Sociology and Criminology.

Upon completion of the integrated graduate program, typically at the end of the fifth summer, 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.

This accelerated program also allows students to simultaneously complete the Graduate Concentration in Substance Use Disorders. Students can opt to choose other electives (9 cr.), and still complete the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Sociology & Criminology

Program Description

Studying sociology will expose you to theoretical insights about human behavior and teach you critical analytical thinking and skills to work with, and help understand, people. You will learn about ways people interact, organize, and act as societies, cultures, families, ethnic/racial groups, socioeconomic classes, religions, and other types of groups. As a sociology student, you will take courses in the foundations of sociology, research methods, and sociological theory. You will also explore contemporary social issues such as: crime, drugs, law, poverty, health, prejudice and discrimination, inequalities, the environment, and sexuality and gender, both within the U.S. and globally.

SC 1010 is usually taken in either the first or the sophomore year. Upper-division courses are advanced courses and should ordinarily be taken during junior and senior years for a total of 37 credits. Depending on their career interests, majors can choose to focus their studies in specialized concentrations: 1) criminology, law, and justice, 2) forensic behavioral studies, 3) social work, community and health, or 4) diversity, justice and social change. Many of our students also complete internships to gain professional experience in a variety of fields.

Program Learning Goals, Courses, and Faculty

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

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 for Degree Programs

• An undergraduate major in Sociology & Criminology at John Carroll University.

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

• Two references. Once must be the undergraduate academic advisor. The other should also be familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and 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 Studies, College of Arts and Sciences.

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 1 deadline.

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, Courses, and Faculty

Please see the program page 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 Sociology & Criminology Requirements

Total: 37 credits

Please note that students are required to take DATA 1220 or PO 1500 as a prerequisite for SC 3510. This does not count toward the 37 major credit hour requirements. Students may take their eight elective courses in the four specialized concentrations within the Department of Sociology and Criminology or choose from a variety of sociology courses. Concentration requirements can be viewed on the program major page.

Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Requirements

Three graduate-level courses will apply toward the general 120 credits required to earn the Bachelor's degree. These courses will not apply toward Sociology & Criminology major requirements. These will be the first three graduate courses taken, and generally will be those indicated (*) below--course, course, and course.

Graduate Clinical Mental Health Counseling Requirements

Counseling Core Sequence

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.