Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program philosophy is predicated on the belief that an effective counselor must be a whole person and works through a diversity, equity, and inclusive (DEI) lens. Self-reflection is a necessary and required part of the training program. Being able to acknowledge, understand, and apply a DEI lens is also an integral characteristic of empathic and effective professional counseling, which is encouraged across the learning environment in our CMH program. Since the person of the counselor is an important component in the healing of a client, self-reflection and a DEI lens allows the helping professional to understand and to empathize with clients’ experiences with an appreciation of the whole person from a culturally responsive approach. Thus, it is customary that many of the courses in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program will involve assignments that require self-disclosure and personal reflection, study, and development. This lends to the development of competency in areas of professionalism and other awareness that centers on cultural humility, sensitivity, and higher standards of care within the counselor's scope of practice. Essentially, students are expected to reflect on and to share relevant past, present, and aspirational experiences across the CMH curriculum and program-related activities. In our learning environments, confidentiality is strictly respected and adhered to. Moreover, students’ progress in the program is not based on the disclosure of any specific information. This philosophy allows for a richer training experience than standard lecture or written materials, which do not include the person of the counselor in training.
This 60-credit program is intended for those who wish to pursue licensure in the profession of counseling. Emphasis is placed on development of knowledge, skills, and advocacy of multiculturalism and social justice that prepares students to apply for and obtain licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and/or to enter into a doctoral program in Counselor Education.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Upon successful completion of the program of studies for Clinical Mental Health Counseling, the student will receive M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and will have given evidence of the following outcomes and goals:
- Knowledge and theories of the counseling profession, including its history, professional practices, and application to current societal needs, as evidenced with course testing, Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) and departmental comprehensive case study. (CACREP Standards 2016 2F: 1, 3)
- Development of practitioner skills of counseling and appraisal in a variety of modalities and relationships as evidenced by successful field placement experiences. (CACREP Standards 2016 2F: 2, 4, 5, 6)
- Self-identity as a counseling professional and ethical professional behavior as well as advocacy on behalf of clients and the profession as evidenced by the departmental ethics qualifying exam and the CPCE exam. (CACREP Standards 2016 2F:1; Mercy core values and critical concerns)
- Effective communication skills that include empathy, right judgement, and clarity of thought and expression as evidenced in triadic supervision and successful field placement experiences. (CACREP Standards 2016 3: A-M)
- Awareness of personal culture and bias and the ability to respectfully engage with diverse perspectives through reflection on immersion experience. (CACREP Standards 2016 2F: 2)
- Engagement with academic research and evaluation of programs and practices as evidenced by course examination and successful completion of capstone research project. (CACREP Standards 2016 2F: 7, 8)
Requirements for Admission
Admission is contingent on the outcome of an interview with the program faculty. Candidates will be notified in writing as to their status.
Students are only admitted to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program for the fall semester, although they may be allowed to take courses on a nonmatriculated basis starting in the spring semester. The application deadline is March 31 prior to the fall semester in which the student wishes to begin study; applications received after this date will be considered conditional, based upon space in the program. Only complete applications are considered. Applicants are notified of admissions decisions within two weeks of the interview. No information concerning admissions decisions will be given in the case of rejection, and no information will be given by telephone.
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; applicants with a GPA below 3.0 and special circumstances will be considered; however, they must provide Miller Analogy Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores taken within the last five years.
- An introductory psychology course and a course in statistics for the behavioral sciences.
- Applicants with deficiencies may be required to register for appropriate undergraduate course(s) without graduate credit as a condition of their acceptance.
- Completed self-managed application packet (see below).
The completed self-managed application packet must include:
- A check or money order for $40 (nonrefundable) made payable to Georgian Court University.
- A completed graduate application form
- A reasonably complete statement of the applicant’s reasons for undertaking this program of study. An explanation of what factors influenced applicant’s decision and how this program will facilitate attainment of the applicant’s professional goals for the future should be addressed.
- Sealed and signed envelopes containing official transcripts of each undergraduate and graduate institution the applicant has attended. If the official seal has been broken, the transcript is considered to be unofficial and cannot be accepted for use toward the application. Official transcripts electronically transmitted directly from the Office of the Registrar of each institution will be accepted in lieu of a paper copy.
- Three letters of recommendation written by professors, deans, supervisors, or other persons engaged in or familiar with the profession for which the applicant wishes to prepare.
Accepted students will receive a health form that must be completed and submitted to the Office of Health Services.
Transfer of Graduate Credits
A student who has completed an M.A. degree or who has taken graduate courses in counseling or in a field closely related to counseling may transfer up to 30 graduate credits toward the 60 graduate credits required to receive an M.A. degree in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. This is done on a case-by-case basis, and involves the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program director’s review of the student’s transcript and the student’s program course catalog to see which courses would be appropriate substitutes for Georgian Court Clinical Mental Health Counseling courses.) Courses acceptable for transfer must be closely aligned to Georgian Court courses and must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution within the last five years of GCU matriculation. Only courses in which grades of B or above have been achieved are eligible for transfer. Transfer credits will be counted toward the degree credit total, but will not be included in the Georgian Court grade point average. Previous credits from non-regionally accredited institutions will be considered for acceptance on a case-by-case basis. Courses are evaluated for transfer based on the following criteria: accreditation status of the institution; the course description, syllabus, and outline (including topics covered and time spent on each); student learning goals and objectives; assessment methods; instructional materials used (textbook, etc.); instructor credentials; level (e.g., 500 level, 600 level, etc.); and credits. Course content evaluation will be made by the program director. Students wishing to transfer credits from another institution while attending GCU must secure written request approval from both the program director and Office of the Registrar. Credit will be given only if credit has not already been awarded or earned for the related course content. Transfer credit forms are available on the Office of the Registrar’s web page at http://www.georgian.edu. Official transcripts must be sent to the Office of the Registrar within four weeks of completion of the course(s).
Professional courses are open only to students formally admitted to the program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CMH5100 | Introduction to Counseling Skills | 3.0 |
| CMH5101 | Advanced Psychpathology&Diagnosis | 3.0 |
| CMH5200 | Multicultural Issues in Counseling | 3.0 |
| CMH5300 | Counseling Theories | 3.0 |
| CMH5301 | Clin Mntl Hlth Cnslng Interven | 3.0 |
| CMH5302 | Appraisal of the Individual | 3.0 |
| CMH5303 | Techniques of Group Counseling | 3.0 |
| CMH5400 | Lifespan Development | 3.0 |
| CMH5500 | Orgn Cnsling & Career Dev | 3.0 |
| CMH5600 | The Counseling Profession | 3.0 |
| CMH5700 | Applied Research Methods | 3.0 |
| CMH5800 | Practicum in Counseling | 4.0 |
| CMH5802 | Internship in Counseling I | 4.0 |
| CMH5804 | Internship in Counseling II | 4.0 |
| CMH6000 | Proseminar | 3.0 |
| or CMH5357 | Sem Addict Trtmnt & Prev | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits of electives | 12.0 | |
| Total Credits | 60.0 | |
Students intending to pursue doctoral training are strongly urged to register for CMH6001 Thesis Seminar I and CMH6002 Thesis Seminar II.
Students intending to be dually licensed as mental health counselors and addictions counselors are advised to select CMH5355 Introduction to Addictions Counseling, CMH5356 Treatment of Addictive Disorders, CMH5601 Psychopharmacology, and CMH5357 Sem Addict Trtmnt & Prev.
A comprehensive examination is required of all candidates, which consists of a national standardized test (the CPCE) and a case study. Students are allowed two opportunities to pass each section of the comprehensive examination. If a student passes one section and does not pass the other, he or she will not be required to retake the passed section. If a student fails to complete the comprehensive exam sections successfully after two attempts, the student may be subject to academic dismissal. Students who fail either section of the comprehensive examination must arrange to meet with their advisor or their program director within two weeks of results notification.