Clinical Mental Health, M.A.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program faculty is to provide counseling students with the most recent research, technology, necessary training, and supervision required to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Program faculty are committed to training students who are knowledgeable, ethical, competent, self-aware, and professionally mature, who hold a strong counselor identity, dedicated to advocacy efforts, and display a respect for diverse populations and multiculturalism in the role of counselors. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program will qualify students as counselors and provide them with the necessary skills to become fully functioning counselors who work in a variety of related settings and fields in an evolving diverse society. The program is teaching-centered with professors who are readily available to meet the needs of students. The Master of Arts with a major in clinical mental health requires 60 semester hours.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Clinical Mental Health with a concentration in School Counseling faculty is to equip the counselor with the knowledge and skill necessary to supply guidance and counseling services in a school setting.  The school counselor will be able to provide direct counseling to students; consult with parents, teachers and administrators; act as a liaison between the school and outside agencies; and facilitate classroom guidance activities.  The graduate program concentration in school counseling prepares students to be public school counselors and requires 63 semester hours.  Students are required to pass a comprehensive exam as a program completion requirement.  Texas Counselor certification requires completion of an approved master’s degree, two years of teaching experience, and a passing score on the state mandated examination, the TExES test and a practicum in a school setting.

Enrollment in courses with the COUN prefix requires admission to the Master of Arts in clinical mental health program or permission of the Counseling Program Coordinator.

The Clinical Mental Health track is 60 hours and the Clinical Mental Health with concentrations in School Counseling tracks is 63 credit hours. Both tracks are fully online and digitally delivered.

Students must receive a B or better within COUN 5283 COUN 5283 - Advanced Counseling Skills  , COUN 5293 - Practicum in Counseling  or COUN 5813 - Practicum for School Counseling , COUN 6043 - Graduate Internship I , and COUN 6053 - Graduate Internship II .

For Clinical Mental Health MA students, 12 hours each Fall and Spring is considered Full Time by the department.  For combined summer sessions 12 hours is considered full-time by the department.  Please be aware that overall University course load status and Financial Aid award status may differ.

School Counseling Certification Only: The school counseling certification only is for professionals who already have a master’s degree in a clinical mental health field that is at least 48 hours and want to acquire their TEA school counseling certification. Availability for this certification only depends on space available within the clinical mental health graduate program. Individuals coming back to this program are required to be placed within a Texas ISD system for their practicum site placement. 

The five courses that are mandated to acquire this school counseling certification only are COUN 5403 - Introduction to School Counseling, COUN 5233 - Comprehensive School Counseling Service, COUN 6023 - Counseling Individual Children, SPED 5013 - Exceptional Individuals, and COUN 5813 - Practicum for School Counseling. 

Program Objectives:

1. Students will be prepared to engage in ethical counseling practice, advocacy and develop professional identity.
2. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to serve clients with varied backgrounds and life experiences.
3. Students will apply human developmental concepts to counseling, and examine biological, social, and environmental influences on growth and well-being across the lifespan.
4. Students will understand career development theories, apply counseling strategies for career planning and life transitions, and integrate career counseling with mental health support.
5. Students will develop effective counseling techniques and therapeutic relationships, apply counseling theories and evidence-based interventions, and enhance interpersonal skills, goal-setting, and client outcomes.
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of group dynamics, processes,  and leadership styles, develop and facilitate effective group counseling sessions, and apply ethical responsive practices in group settings.
7. Students will demonstrate proficiency in selecting, administering, and interpreting assessments, apply knowledge of reliability and validity, and utilize assessment results to inform treatment planning and diagnosis.
8. Students will develop skills in understanding and applying counseling research, evaluate counseling practices, programs, and interventions, and utilize data-informed decision-making to enhance client outcomes.
9. Students will learn to identify and reflect on their strengths and limitations as a counselor and utilize consultation, supervision, and referrals when appropriate.
10. Students will develop the knowledge and skills to assess, intervene, and provide trauma-informed care in crisis situations, applying evidence-based strategies to support individuals experiencing psychological distress.