Clinical Mental Health MA
The master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a 60 credit program of study. This rigorous program provides students with the coursework necessary for becoming licensed professional counselors in the state of Montana. Consistent with CACREP national standards, the program requires that students obtain at least 700 hours of supervised counseling experience within an appropriate mental health agency setting. If you're interested in providing mental health counseling to children or adults, we hope you'll consider enrolling in this demanding but gratifying program.
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the Mental Health Counseling program in the Department of Counselor Education at the University of Montana College of Education and Human Sciences.
Program of Study
Core Courses: Required
____COUN 510 Introduction to the Counseling Profession 1 credit
____COUN 511 Theories and Techniques of Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 512 Fundamentals of Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 520 Group Counseling Theory 3 credits
____COUN 530 Applied Counseling Skills (AKA: Practicum) 3 credits
____COUN 540 Individual Appraisal 3 credits
____COUN 545 Counseling Research and Program Evaluation 3 credits
____COUN 550 Introduction to Family Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 555 Risk and Resiliency 3 credits
____COUN 560 Lifespan Developmental Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 570 Career Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 575 Multicultural Counseling 3 credits
____COUN 580 (495) Substance-related and Addictive Disorders and Recovery 3 credits (or similar course from another department with advisor approval)
____COUN 589 Comprehensive Exam 1 credit
____COUN 595 Psychopharmacology 1 credit
____COUN 610 Professional Ethics and Orientation 3 credits
Mental Health Counseling Track: Required
____COUN 585 Counseling Methods: Agency (AKA: Internship) 6 credits
____COUN 615 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 3 credits
____COUN 625 Intro to Mental Health Systems 3 credits
Electives
6 credits of graduate level electives are required. When applicable to our course load, the Department will offer Counseling Electives focused on a particular area of study. Students intending to pursue LAC or LMFT must take COUN 580 and/or COUN 550, respectively, before enrolling in advanced elective courses. Students may also consult with their faculty advisor for additional graduate course offering appropriate to their major. Students may wish to complete additional internship credits as part of their elective requirement. Please work with your advisor.
Total minimum graduate credits, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track: 60
MA Application Requirements
Prerequisites
The Department does not require a specific undergraduate degree for admission. Prerequisites are not required but may be recommended based on transcript reviews with an applicant’s faculty advisor once admitted:
- Developmental psychology or equivalent
- Abnormal psychology or child and adolescent psychological disorders
- Basic statistics and/or education measurement
Required Materials
- Current resume (CV)
- 3 Letters of recommendation
- Official academic transcripts from ALL higher-education institutions of previous study
- Personal statement - tell us more about you, your motivations to pursue a counseling degree, the qualities you would bring to the profession, and what you hope to do with the degree
Optional Materials
- Official GRE scores - these should be included if you feel they will strengthen your application to the program
Application Information
The application submission deadline for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA program is January 15th.
Graduate student applicants must apply online. Contact the Graduate School (406-243-2572) with further questions regarding the online application process. If admitted, students may begin their graduate program in either Summer Session or Fall Semester.
English Language Requirements: Applicants whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) scores. If the TOEFL score is below 580 (paper-based test), 237 (computer-based test) or 92 (Internet-based test), the IELTS score is below 7.0 or the MELAB score is below 82, applicants may be admitted provisionally into a graduate program or as a graduate non-degree student and will be required to complete English as a Second Language (ESL) courses before participating in Counselor Education courses.
Contact Us
Department of Counseling
counselored@mso.umt.edu
406-243-4850