Graduate Studies
Master of Arts in Education - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program prepares students to work professionally in various public and private counseling agencies. In Nebraska, as well as most states, persons must be licensed by the state to engage in counseling or therapy. A teaching degree is not required for admittance into the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Students will be expected to be on campus for some of the program.*
Entrance requirements
- Complete application
- Earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.75 or better on a 4.00 scale
- Official transcripts from the college/university which issued bachelor's degree.
- Official transcripts from any institutions attended after receiving bachelor's degree (if applicable)
- Application to the Counseling program is a 2-step process. All students are required to:
- Successfully complete the interview for the purpose of assessing candidate qualities in the areas of motivation for professional development, communication skills, self-awareness, confidence, and experience working with diverse populations, and
- Attend the Counseling Program's Orientation.
Students must successfully complete the Counseling Interview prior to completing their first semester of the Counseling Program. The Counseling Interview is an individual student interview with the Counseling faculty. Only Counseling students accepted by the Counseling faculty following the Counseling Interview will be invited to attend the Counseling Orientation. The Counseling Interview is conducted in Chadron, NE while the Counseling Orientation is offered each semester in both North Platte and Chadron, NE. Graduate Counseling students must attend both meetings (Counseling Interview and Counseling Orientation) to continue to be a degree seeking student.
Program of Study
This concentration requires the successful completion of 60 credit hours of graduate education. EDCI 631: Research Design & Data Analysis should be completed within the first 12 hours of a student’s program of study.
Courses
Required Education Core
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDCI 631 | Research Design & Data Analysis | 3 |
Required Core Courses
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 523 | Diagnosis and the DSM | 3 |
| COUN 531* | Counseling and Communication Skills | 3 |
| COUN 532 | Treatment Issues in Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 533 | Counseling Ethics and Professional Identity | 3 |
| COUN 534 | Fundamentals of Assessment | 3 |
| COUN 535 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 536 | Family Development | 3 |
| COUN 541 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| COUN 629 | Counseling Children | 3 |
| COUN 630 | Crisis Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 631 | Principles & Practices of Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 632 | Career and Lifestyle Development | 3 |
| COUN 634* | Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 636 | Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 637 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| COUN 639a* | Practicum in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 639b* | Practicum in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 640* | Internship in Counseling | 6 |
| Total | 60 | |
*Not available online
Course Requirements
Counseling Practicum is a key course in the curriculum of the counseling department. Therefore, certain courses are instrumental for the experience of practicum. As practicum is a developmental process it will be offered for 3 credit hours both fall and spring. In order to register for COUN 639A or 639B a student needs to have completed the following courses with a grade of A or B
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 531 | Counseling and Communication Skills | 3 |
| COUN 533 | Counseling Ethics and Prof Identity | 3 |
| COUN 541 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
The following courses may be taken concurrently with COUN 639A, Practicum I only:
| Number | Course Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 535 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 634 | Group Counseling | 3 |
All other courses may be taken at any point in the program prior to COUN 633: Internship, which is the capstone course and must be the last course completed.
Note: Students who are unable to finish their Internship in 3 credit hours may need to enroll in additional hours for completion of this requirement. The Credentialing Division of the Department of Regulation and Licensure, Nebraska Health and Human Services System, generally approves our counseling courses for professional counseling continuing education (CE) credit.