COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling requires the completion of a minimum of sixty credit hours and is designed to provide comprehensive training in counseling theory, practice, and professional development. The program includes a rigorous set of core courses that cover essential areas such as counseling theories, counseling skills and techniques, multicultural counseling, and group work. Students also study specialized topics including diagnosis in counseling, psychopathology, addictions counseling, assessment, career counseling, and case conceptualization with treatment planning. In addition, a course in life span development helps students understand human growth across different stages of life.A strong emphasis is placed on practical training through supervised clinical experiences. Students complete two practicum courses, which provide initial hands-on experience in clinical mental health counseling settings. These experiences allow students to apply theoretical knowledge, develop counseling skills, and work directly with clients under supervision.The program also includes nine credit hours of advisor-approved electives, allowing students to deepen their expertise in areas such as addictions counseling, counseling children or adolescents, couples and family therapy, motivational interviewing, and advanced counseling theories. This flexibility enables students to tailor their learning to specific career interests within mental health counseling.The culminating requirement consists of two internship courses, where students gain extensive real-world experience in professional counseling settings. These internships further develop clinical competence and prepare students for licensure. Overall, the program integrates academic knowledge with supervised practice, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for careers as professional counselors in a variety of mental health settings.