Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling
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duration
2 years (60 credit hours)
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format
Online
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location
Online
Program Overview
The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is to provide quality instruction and training that produces competent professionals who provide effective mental health services to those in need.
The Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling is a 60-hour program of study designed to prepare students to enter the field of counseling. The primary objective of the program is to prepare ethical, compassionate professionals who are equipped with the knowledge, values, and skills to promote wellness in the area of mental health. Graduates of the program will meet the academic requirements for counselor licensure in the state of WV. In addition to traditional coursework, students are required to complete a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship to meet graduation requirements.
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (NOTE: A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained while in the program.)
- Have at least 9 semester credit hours (or 12 quarter hours) in social sciences that includes Introduction to Psychology and Lifespan Development or their equivalent.
- Submit 2 letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic sources. Suitable examples include professors, employers, or organizational leaders who can address the applicant’s ability to complete graduate-level coursework, motivation, and ethics.
- Applicants will compose a Statement of Purpose of 750 – 1,000 words that addresses the following:
- Discuss why you desire to become a counselor, including factors that influenced you as well as professional goals.
- Discuss your strengths and weaknesses in terms of academics as well as interpersonal relationships.
- Describe your perspective on diversity and ways to show respect to individuals from cultural backgrounds different from your own.
Program Highlights
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Prepare students to pass the National Counselor Exam.
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Graduates of mental health counseling programs are employed in a variety of settings such as outpatient mental health centers, private practices, psychiatric hospitals, inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment centers, correctional facilities, and group homes.
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Our program faculty have a wide range of clinical experiences to help students understand how course content applies to the real-world practice of counseling.
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling requires 60 semester hours of study. Students may complete the program in two full years, including summer terms. This first example describes a two-year plan.
| FIRST YEAR | |||
| FALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
| COUN 500 Professional Counseling Orientation | 3 | COUN 504 Introduction to Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 501 Human Growth and Development | 3 | COUN 505 Counseling Techniques | 3 |
| COUN 502 Social and Cultural Foundations | 3 | COUN 506 Theories and Techniques of Assessment | 3 |
| COUN 503 Counseling Theories | 3 | Counseling Elective | 3 |
| Total | 12 | Total | 12 |
| SUMMER SEMESTER | |||
| COUN 508 Research and Program Evaluation | 3 | ||
| COUN Elective | 3 | ||
| Total | 6 | ||
| SECOND YEAR | |||
| FALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
| COUN 507 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | 3 | COUN 602 Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention | 3 |
| COUN 600 Group Counseling | 3 | COUN 603 Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 601 Career Counseling | 3 | COUN 698 Practicum | 3 |
| Counseling Elective | 3 | Counseling Elective | 3 |
| Total | 12 | Total | 12 |
| SUMMER SEMESTER | |||
| COUN 699 Internship | 6 | ||
| Total | 6 | ||
The degree plan below describes a more typical degree plan that includes 3 full years of study.
| FIRST YEAR | |||
| FALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
| COUN 500 Professional Counseling Orientation | 3 | COUN 502 Social and Cultural Foundations | 3 |
| COUN 501 Human Growth and Development | 3 | COUN 504 Introduction to Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 503 Counseling Theories | 3 | COUN 505 Counseling Techniques | 3 |
| Total | 9 | Total | 9 |
| SUMMER SEMESTER | |||
| COUN 508 Research and Program Evaluation | 3 | ||
| Total | 3 | ||
| SECOND YEAR | |||
| FALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
| COUN 506 Theories and Techniques of Assessment | 3 | COUN 507 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | 3 |
| COUN 600 Group Counseling | 3 | COUN 601 Career Counseling | 3 |
| Counseling Elective | 3 | COUN 602 Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention | 3 |
| Total | 9 | Total | 9 |
| SUMMER SEMESTER | |||
| COUN Elective | 3 | ||
| Total | 3 | ||
| THIRD YEAR | |||
| ALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
| COUN 603 Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 | COUN 699 Internship | 6 |
| COUN 698 Practicum | 3 | COUN Elective | 3 |
| COUN Elective | 3 | ||
| Total | 9 | Total | 9 |
Additional Requirements
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling majors must meet all University of Charleston graduation requirements, complete all program and course assignments, and must take and pass a comprehensive examination during the final semester.
