Master of Arts in Counseling

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit catalog.shsu.edu.

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.

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Counseling must submit the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  1. Graduate Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcript from the baccalaureate degree granting institution
  4. Official GRE scores with writing section or MAT scores (no older than five years)
  5. Three Reference Forms:
    1. one from a current employer/supervisor
    2. one from a former professor, certified school counselor or licensed counselor, marriage and family therapist, MSW, or psychologist
    3. one from someone other than a family member
  6. Essay
  7. Face-to-Face interview
Master of Arts in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track (CACREP Accredited)
Specified Courses
COUN 5011Counseling Profession & Ethics3
COUN 5364Theories Of Counseling3
COUN 5370Career Cnsling Across Lifespan3
COUN 6374Prac Group Counseling3
COUN 5088Special Topics in Counseling ((Effective Beh and Psychopharmacology I))1-3
COUN 5088Special Topics in Counseling ((Effective Beh and Psychopharmacology II)1-3
COUN 5088Special Topics in Counseling ((Counselor Ethics: Mgmt, Law, & Prof)1-3
COUN 5379Methods Of Research3
COUN 5385Pre-Practicum:Tcnq Of Counslng3
COUN 5392Cross Cultural Issues In Cne3
COUN 5393Community Counseling3
COUN 5394Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
COUN 5397Human Grwth & Dev Acrs Lfspan3
COUN 6332Theories Of Marr & Fam Therapy3
COUN 6363Assessment Guid. & Counseling3
COUN 6364Counseling For Addictions3
COUN 6376Supervised Prac In Counseling3
COUN 6386Internship (First Semester) 13
COUN 6386Internship (Second consecutive semester) 13
Restricted Electives
Select four of the following:12
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 Hours63-69
Master of Arts in Counseling - Marriage-Couples and Family Counseling Track
Specified Courses
COUN 5334Effective Human Behavior3
COUN 5364Theories Of Counseling3
COUN 5370Career Cnsling Across Lifespan3
COUN 5379Methods Of Research3
COUN 5385Pre-Practicum:Tcnq Of Counslng3
COUN 5392Cross Cultural Issues In Cne3
COUN 5394Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
COUN 5397Human Grwth & Dev Acrs Lfspan3
COUN 6332Theories Of Marr & Fam Therapy3
COUN 6333Techniques Of Couple Therapy3
COUN 6334Ethical Issues in MFT3
COUN 6337Counseling For Sexual Concerns3
COUN 6338Techniques of Family Therapy3
COUN 6363Assessment Guid. & Counseling3
COUN 6364Counseling For Addictions3
COUN 6370Family Therapy Applications3
COUN 6374Prac Group Counseling3
COUN 6376Supervised Prac In Counseling3
COUN 6386Internship (first semester) 13
COUN 6386Internship (second consecutive semester) 13
Total Hours60