Master of Arts in Counseling
Program Description
The Master of Arts in Counseling degree offers two tracks of study, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage-Couples and Family Counseling. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling track is a CACREP-accredited program. Students select the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track if they want to complete coursework needed in the State of Texas to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The counseling faculty are in the process of applying for CACREP-accrediation for the Marriage-Couples and Family track. Students select the Marriage-Couples and Family Counseling track if they want to complete the Marriage and Family Therapist license academic coursework requirement for the state of Texas.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Students completing the Clinical Mental Health degree will have the academic requirements and practical skills needed to apply for a temporary license as a Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. Students may choose electives that provide them with more specific training about working with special populations (i.e. play therapy, couples and family). Typically, students graduating from the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track secure employment in service agencies, mental health centers, the prison system, community college counseling centers, treatment centers, etc. Once fully licensed, the graduates of this program may also work in private practice.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Students selecting the Marriage Couples and Family Counseling track will be prepared for employment in settings that focus on family systems. Once graduated, student may pursue the Marriage and Family Therapy license with the state of Texas and work in private practice, agencies serving families, home based family therapy programs and other employment opportunities servicing couples and families. Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track wanting to specialize in marriage and family counseling may take electives in this area.
Both degree tracks, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage Couples and Family Counseling are sixty semester credit hours for completion. A comprehensive examination is required for graduation and is taken when enrolled in Supervised Practicum (COUN 6376). Students must be enrolled in the university when taking the comprehensive examination and when applying for graduation.
Admissions
Applicants seeking admission to the MA in Counseling must submit the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Graduate Application
- Application fee
- Official transcript from the baccalaureate degree granting institution
- Official GRE scores with writing section or MAT scores (no older than five years)
- Three Reference Forms:
- one from a current employer/supervisor
- one from a former professor, certified school counselor or licensed counselor, marriage and family therapist, MSW, or psychologist
- one from someone other than a family member
- Essay
- Face-to-Face interview
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Arts in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track (CACREP Accredited) | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| COUN 5011 | Counseling Profession & Ethics | 3 |
| COUN 5334 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 |
| COUN 5364 | Theories Of Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5370 | Career Cnsling Across Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 6374 | Prac Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5379 | Methods Of Research | 3 |
| COUN 5385 | Pre-Practicum:Tcnq Of Counslng | 3 |
| COUN 5392 | Cross Cultural Issues In Cne | 3 |
| COUN 5393 | Community Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5394 | Crisis and Trauma Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5397 | Human Grwth & Dev Acrs Lfspan | 3 |
| COUN 6332 | Theories Of Marr & Fam Therapy | 3 |
| COUN 6363 | Assessment Guid. & Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6364 | Counseling For Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 6376 | Supervised Prac In Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (First Semester) 1 | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (Second consecutive semester) 1 | 3 |
| Restricted Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Chld & Adolescent Counseling | ||
| Play Therapy Basics | ||
| Advanced Play Therapy | ||
| Techniques Of Couple Therapy | ||
| Ethical Issues in MFT | ||
| Counseling For Sexual Concerns | ||
| Techniques of Family Therapy | ||
| Family Therapy Applications | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
| 1 | COUN 6386 is taken twice for a minimum of six hours. |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Arts in Counseling - Marriage-Couples and Family Counseling Track | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| COUN 5334 | Effective Human Behavior | 3 |
| COUN 5364 | Theories Of Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5370 | Career Cnsling Across Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 5379 | Methods Of Research | 3 |
| COUN 5385 | Pre-Practicum:Tcnq Of Counslng | 3 |
| COUN 5392 | Cross Cultural Issues In Cne | 3 |
| COUN 5394 | Crisis and Trauma Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5397 | Human Grwth & Dev Acrs Lfspan | 3 |
| COUN 6332 | Theories Of Marr & Fam Therapy | 3 |
| COUN 6333 | Techniques Of Couple Therapy | 3 |
| COUN 6334 | Ethical Issues in MFT | 3 |
| COUN 6337 | Counseling For Sexual Concerns | 3 |
| COUN 6338 | Techniques of Family Therapy | 3 |
| COUN 6363 | Assessment Guid. & Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6364 | Counseling For Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 6370 | Family Therapy Applications | 3 |
| COUN 6374 | Prac Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6376 | Supervised Prac In Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (first semester) 1 | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (second consecutive semester) 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
| 1 | COUN 6386 is taken twice for a minimum of six semester credit hours. |
