Master of Arts in Counseling
Become a clinical mental health counselor in a range of clinical, community, and human service settings by completing our CACREP-accredited curriculum. The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree is a 60-hour program offered in combination of face-to-face and online courses to accommodate working professionals.
Click here to see the value of attending a CACREP-accredited program.
Students select the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program if they want to complete coursework needed in the State of Texas to apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
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.
CMHC Program - Preparation for Licensed Professional Counselor
Students completing the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program will have the academic and clinical experience requirements needed to apply for a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate (LPC-Associate) in the state of Texas. Students may also choose electives that provide them with more specific training for working with special populations (e.g., play therapy, trauma). LPC-Associates are qualified to work under supervision in a variety of mental health settings, including private practice, non-profit counseling agencies, hospitals, correctional settings, college counseling centers, and substance-abuse treatment centers. Once fully licensed (LPC), graduates of this program may work independently in private practice and other mental health settings. Additionally, CMHC students may earn Graduate Certificates in Play Therapy and/or Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling.
Additional information: Reference the Program Landing Page for additional information, such as cost, delivery format, contact information, or to schedule a visit.
Applications for entrance into the Master of Arts in Counseling (CMHC) are accepted for Fall and Spring admission. See program landing page for application deadlines. Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Counseling (CMHC) must submit the following items directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions through their Self-Service Portal, which will be activated after submitting your application through Apply Texas:
- Graduate Application
- Application fee
- Official transcript from undergraduate institution conferring the undergraduate degree.
- Three Reference Forms:
- at least two reference forms provided by former or current employers or professors.
- one reference from a professional acquaintance but cannot be a family member or an applicant's personal medical or behavioral health provider.
- Personal Statement that addresses identified prompts.
- Official GRE General Test scores
- The GRE requirement will be waived for applicants meeting the one of the following conditions:
- possess an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- have completed at least nine hours of graduate level course work with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- The GRE requirement will be waived for applicants meeting the one of the following conditions:
The Counselor Education master's admissions committee will consider all applications through a holistic review process. After reviewing the pool of applicants, the master's admissions committee will recommend the top candidates for interview process. Applicants invited for the interview will be given specific guidelines for the process.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Arts in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program (CACREP Accredited) | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| COUN 5011 | Counseling Profession & Ethics | 3 |
| COUN 5334 | Diagnostics and Intervention in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5336 | Advanced Behavior Pharmacology | 3 |
| COUN 5364 | Theories Of Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5370 | Career Counseling Across Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 5379 | Methods Of Research | 3 |
| COUN 5385 | Pre-Practicum: Techniques Of Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5392 | Cross Cultural Issues In Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5393 | Administrative Clinical Mental Health Services | 3 |
| COUN 5394 | Crisis and Trauma Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5397 | Human Growth & Development Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN 6332 | Theories: Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6350 | Counselor Ethics: Management, Law, and Practice | 3 |
| COUN 6363 | Assessment in Guidance and Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6364 | Counseling For Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 6374 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6376 | Supervised Practice In Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (First Semester) 1 | 3 |
| COUN 6386 | Internship (Second consecutive semester) 1 | 3 |
| Restricted Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Child & Adolescent Counseling | ||
| Sandtray Therapy | ||
| Play Therapy Basics | ||
| Techniques Of Couples Counseling | ||
| Counseling For Sexual Concerns | ||
| Techniques of Family Counseling | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
COUN 6386 is taken twice for a minimum of six hours.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The MA in Counseling is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
- Higher-order thinking.
- Oral and written communication.
- Professional conduct and ethical behavior.
- Multicultural and diversity competencies.
- Self-awareness of inter/intrapersonal relationships.
- Ability to apply counseling and development knowledge to professional practice.
