Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement

The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA CMHC) prepares counseling professionals with the current knowledge, skills, and competencies to provide multiculturally competent, ethical, and evidence-based counseling services to clients from all demographics across the lifespan. The 60-credit hour MA CMHC degree program has been CACREP-accredited continuously since 1998, and as such, the program meets and exceeds current national counselor education training standards. The program prepares students to deliver counseling services within a wide variety of settings, including outpatient, inpatient, specialty based agencies (e.g., addiction, eating disorders, etc.) and within private practices. Students are trained to deliver psychotherapeutic services in individual, group, couple, and family contexts. The program is highly experiential and developmental. Several classes entail laboratory components that involve the recording and evaluation of dozens of mock sessions, which allow students to practice session management on their way to providing face-to-face supervised counseling sessions to clients from our NAU campuses and to their respective local communities. Upon successful completion of their practicum semester, students then complete the final phase of their degree – Internship – which takes place anywhere in the USA under the careful supervision of licensed behavioral health professionals. Graduates enter the field ready to begin practicing counseling in any state of their choice (some states require a few additional postgraduate jurisprudence exams, etc.) as Licensed Associate Counselors on their way to independent practice as Licensed Professional Counselors.


Student Learning Outcomes

Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

• Professional orientation and ethical practice – studies that provide an understanding of all of the following aspects of professional functioning.
• Social and cultural diversity – studies that provide an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural society.
• Human growth and development – studies that provide an understanding of the nature and needs of persons at all developmental levels and in multicultural contexts. 
• Career development  – studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors.
• Helping relationships – studies that provide an understanding of the counseling process in a multicultural society.
• Group work – studies that provide both theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development, dynamics, theories, methods, skills, and other group approaches in a multicultural society.
• Assessment – studies that provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation in a multicultural society. 
• Research and program evaluation – studies that provide an understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation.
• Foundations, contextual dimensions and practice in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

See the full list of Student Learning Outcomes

Graduate Admission Information

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (“A” = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• • GRE® revised General Test for applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0.

• • Candidate interview

• • Three Letters of Recommendation

• • Responses to Specific Essay Questions

• • IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card

• • EPS 525 or upper-division undergraduate statistics course completed within the past three years.

Master’s Requirements

• This Master’s degree requires 60 units distributed as follows:

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling Coursework: 51 units
  • Clinical-Based Crisis Course: 3 units
  • Post-practicum Internship: 6 units

  
  Take the following 60 units:

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Coursework (51 units)

  • EPS 592, EPS 601, EPS 615, EPS 617, EPS 619, EPS 620, EPS 621, EPS 622, EPS 625, EPS 640, EPS 660, EPS 661, EPS 680, EPS 681, EPS 688, EPS 690 (48 units)
  • Select from the following (3 units): 
    • EPS 590, EPS 670, EPS 692
    • Other course chosen in consultation with your advisor.

• Clinical-Based Crisis Course (3 units)

  • EPS 669 (3 units)

• Post-Practicum Internship (6 units)

  • EPS 694 (6 units)

• This plan meets the coursework requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) of the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners and for the national counselor certification of the National Board for Certified Counselors.

Additional Information

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• Program Fee Information

• Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.