Mental Health Counseling, MS

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Program Director
Robyn Brammer, PhD
Psychology Building, room 118

The MS program in mental health counseling trains mental health professionals for careers in a variety of settings. The orientation of the program is eclectic, with particular emphasis on those active counseling skills which are appropriate to short-term counseling. In addition, the program’s scientist-practitioner emphasis may be useful to those students interested in pursuing doctoral study. The MS program in mental health counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP).
The student shall complete a comprehensive exam and an approved course of study filed with graduate studies and research. The course of study normally consists of the courses below.

Prerequisites: PSY 362 and 363 (or approved equivalent). Prerequisite courses may be taken concurrently with certain program courses. In addition, the following undergraduate courses are strongly recommended: personality or abnormal; social or developmental; learning; physiological, and a course in history and systems of psychology. Students not having these courses should expect to do additional work when prior course knowledge is needed. Please note the background check and liability insurance requirements described in the general departmental information section.

Required Courses

PSY 502 - Professional Orientation: Mental Health Counseling Credits: (2)
PSY 544 - Tests and Measurements Credits: (4)
PSY 552 - Human Growth and Development, Advanced Credits: (3)
PSY 555 - Design and Statistical Analysis for Applied Research Credits: (4)
PSY 560 - Theories and Practice of Counseling Credits: (4)
PSY 560 and 593A are taken concurrently. Successful completion of PSY 560 and 593A is required for final admission to the Mental Health Counseling Program.
PSY 561 - Group Counseling Credits: (3)
PSY 567 - Counseling and Assessment: Children and Adolescents Credits: (5)
PSY 568 - Counseling and Assessment Strategies for Adults Credits: (5)
PSY 571 - Counseling for Relationships and Families Credits: (4)
PSY 573 - Career Development and Counseling Credits: (4)
PSY 574 - Multicultural Counseling Credits: (3)
PSY 584 - Behavior Disorders and Psychopathology Credits: (4)
PSY 589 - Professional and Ethical Issues Credits: (4)
PSY 593A - Practicum in Counseling I: Interviewing Credits: (4)
Successful completion of PSY 560 and 593A is required for final admission to the Mental Health Counseling Program.
PSY 593B - Practicum in Counseling II: Assessment Credits: (4)
PSY 593C - Practicum in Counseling III: Advanced Credits: (4)
PSY 681A - Mental Health Internship I: Group Credits: (3)
PSY 681B - Mental Health Counseling Internship II: Advanced Credits: (1-12)
Students who take the MS degree and also seek school counseling certification must complete the remaining classes for the school counseling degree, including 12 hours of PSY 682B in a school setting. Students who take the master of science (MS) degree and also seek school psychology certification must complete an internship in mental health (PSY 681B) and in school psychology (PSY 683). Other courses required for certification in school counseling or school psychology will be determined through individual assessment.
PSY 700 - Graduate Thesis, Project Study, and/or Examination Credits: (1-6)
PSY 700 must be taken for 6 credits.

Mental Health Counseling, MS

Required Courses

Department-approved electives - Credits: 8

Total Credits: 90