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Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS: Curriculum

Overview

60 TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is a 60-credit curriculum that leads to the Master of Science degree and fulfills all the educational requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. The curriculum is divided into four categories: Foundations of Professional Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Courses, Clinical Experience, and Electives for Specialization.

Required credits include coursework in the principles and practice of counseling, three credits of practicum (100 hours of supervised counseling experience), and six credits of internship (600 hours of supervised counseling experience). Six credits of electives are offered to provide students with opportunities for additional study in individual areas of interest and for development of skills in working with specific client populations.

Courses

Foundations of Professional Counseling (27 credits required):
COUN 501: Counseling and Interviewing Skills 
COUN 502: Counseling Theories
COUN 503: Group Process and Practice 
COUN 504: Appraisal Techniques
COUN 505: Research Methods
COUN 506: Diversity and Social Justice
COUN 507: Career and Lifestyle Development
COUN 508: Lifespan Development
COUN 509C: Professional Issues: Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Courses (15 credits required):
COUN 540: Family Counseling and Therapy
COUN 549: Assessment and Diagnosis
COUN 560: Addictive Behaviors
COUN 563: Crisis Intervention
COUN 577: Evidence-Based Practice

Elective (3 credits required)

Clinical Experience (9 credits required):
COUN 590: Practicum: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (100 hours)
COUN 595: Internship: Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Electives for Specialization (9 credits required)
Elective courses may be selected from other graduate counseling courses in the Department of Counseling and Human Services

COUN 589: Comprehensive Exam

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Professional Counseling

Our department offers a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Professional Counseling (CAGSPC).

This is a post-master’s degree program designed to supplement the educational requirements for a licensed professional counselor.

Requirements for licensure were legislated in Pennsylvania Act 136 – The Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act. This certificate allows students to obtain 12 additional graduate credits in professional counseling that can fulfill educational requirements for counselor licensure.

All applicants for the certificate program must apply for formal admission to The University of Scranton. Applicants must possess:

  1. A master’s degree in counseling from a counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); or
  2. A master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from a program accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) or Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); or
  3. A master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field that includes graduate-level course work in each of the following areas:
  • Human Growth and Development: Includes studies that provide an understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels.
  • Social and Cultural Foundations: Includes studies that provide an understanding of issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society.
  • Helping Relationship: Includes studies that provide an understanding of counseling and consultation processes.
  • Group Work: Includes studies that provide an understanding of group development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods and skills, and other group-work-approaches.
  • Career and Lifestyle Development: Includes studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors.
  • Appraisal: Includes studies that provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.
  • Research and Program Evaluation: Includes studies that provide an understanding of types of research methods, basic statistics, and ethical and legal considerations in research.
  • Professional Orientation and Ethics: Includes studies that provide an understanding of all aspects of professional functioning, including history, roles, organizational structures, ethics, standards, and credentialing.
  • Field Experience: A minimum of 700 hours of supervised counseling experience in an appropriate work setting.
An applicant whose master’s degree is not from a CACREP or CORE accredited program and whose course work does not meet the criteria in Item 3 (above) may be admitted after the Licensing Board reviews their application.


A minimum of 60 graduate credits in professional counseling must be attained before the certificate is granted. Twelve graduate credits in professional counseling beyond the prerequisite 48 graduate credits must be completed in the Department of Counseling and Human Services at Scranton in order to obtain the certificate.

Each student will design a plan of study in conjunction with their program director that addresses licensure education requirements and the student’s unique needs. The post-master’s degree coursework needs to be related to the practice of professional counseling congruent with the applicant’s specialization.

CAGSPC applicants who completed their master’s degree at Scranton should consult the Admissions Office for the Second Degree or Program Request Form. The length of time since completing the master’s degree determines the specific application materials needed.

OPEID:
003384

CIP:
13.1101 School Counseling
51.2310 Rehabilitation Counseling

CIP Program Name:
Counselor Education/School Counseling and

Guidance Services
Vocational Rehabilitation 
Counseling/Counselor

Our Program Name: 
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Professional Counseling

Level: 
Graduate Certificate

Program Length: 
12 credits - 1 year

Normal Time to Complete: 
Up to 1 year

Number Completed in Year 2014 to 2016:
7

Tuition and Fees: 
$9,084

Books and Supplies: 
$600

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