Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A.

The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) is intended to prepare students to counsel persons experiencing psychological disturbance due to developmental, educational, career, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, cultural, relational or environmental issues. Students develop competencies in diagnosis and assessment, evidence-based counseling/psychotherapy techniques, group processes, human development, cultural diversity and career counseling. Students who complete their degrees and meet state certification or licensing requirements may be employed in a variety of mental health settings.

All Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) students will complete a specified program that provides foundational knowledge and skills to be an effective clinical mental health counselor. Students may also choose a specialization in couple and family counseling. These students develop additional competencies in systems theory and in assessment and counseling techniques that pertain to couples, divorce and family problems, and family violence.

Students seeking admission to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree program who do not have an undergraduate major, or at least 18 semester credits in Psychology will be required to take a graduate course, PSYC 5342: Applied General Psychology during their first academic year in the program, . This course may be applied to the degree plan as an elective. The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree program requires 60 semester credit hours of graduate course work.

Certification and Licensure

Graduates of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) are eligible to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. In addition to the degree, the LPC requires successful passage of the National Counselor Examination (NCE) followed by 3000 hours of supervised practice in a counseling role. http://www.nbcc.org/directory/TX.

To be eligible to practice within the U.S. Military (Tricare) and Veteran’s Administration mental health care systems, graduates will also be required to take and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination, administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. http://www.nbcc.org/NCMHCE.

Sequence of Classes

In the first semester, students should take COUN 5312 Counseling Theories and Applications and COUN 5391 Essential Counseling Skills. These are considered to be qualifying courses for continuation in the program. Students must achieve a B or better in both of these courses to continue in the Clinical Skills Core course sequence and complete the degree program.

Following success in the qualifying courses, students should continue with the basic didactic counseling and psychology courses that provide the basis and foundation for the remaining Clinical Skills Core courses. These courses for Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) students include PSYC 5308 Advanced Psychopathology and Diagnosis, COUN 5328 Foundations and Ethics of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, COUN 5340 Research and Program Evaluation, PSYC 5384 Cognitive Behavior Theory and Application, PSYC 5320 Advanced Study in Human Growth and Development, PSYC 5345 Group Processes, and COUN 5324 Cultural Diversity and Advocacy.

The Clinical Skills Core courses are more specialized clinical applications and should be taken after all prerequisites and basic courses are taken. A student's formal degree plan (Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Degree Plan) should be completed and approved/signed by their Faculty Advisor and the Graduate Admissions Coordinator before 12 semester hours are completed. Students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) must successfully complete COUN 5391 Essential Counseling Skills, COUN 5392 Helping Relationship and Clinical Interviewing and COUN 5393 Practicum, with grades of B/CR or better, prior to enrollment in COUN 5396 Internship I, which is then followed by COUN 5397: Internship II Each Internship requires at least 300 hours (120 direct) of service on-site at an external site.

Comprehensive Exam: Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program are required to take and pass the national, standardized Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE) to graduate. http://www.cce-global.org/Org/CPCE.