Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA

MA in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Location: AU Seattle
Credits for Degree: 60 semester credits
Standard Mode of Instruction: In Person
Standard time to completion: 40 months

This program is designed to lead to state licensure.

Program Overview

This CACREP-accredited counselor education program, with a specialty area in clinical mental health counseling, trains students in eight (8) core areas: professional counseling orientation and ethical practice, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, career development, counseling and helping relationships, group counseling and group work, assessment and testing, and research and program evaluation.

The program is offered in an in-person, weekend model (75% of classes offered in person; 25% of the classes offered online) on the Seattle campus. Elective courses targeting special focus areas are mostly offered online in the summer and shared by students from both delivery models. Students include a Capstone Seminar in the final semester that is a culmination and synthesis of the student’s knowledge, experience, skills and growth during the program. The CMHC Program is designed to be a full-time program, with students entering in the fall semester. Students in the online delivery can also enter in the spring semester. The CMHC Program typically takes students three and 1/2 years to complete; part-time study is available upon request. Students can expect to commit approximately 10 hours per class per week to readings, viewings, assignments, and class preparation.

The program begins with courses introducing the student to the counseling profession while also learning and practicing basic counseling skills and techniques. During the second year of the program, students continue to develop knowledge through more advanced coursework and practice counseling skills through a variety of experiential learning opportunities. The program concludes with clinical field experience totaling 700 - 1,000 hours, depending on state licensure requirements and career goals.