Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Become a Clinical Mental Health CounselorLimited Residency | 2.5 – 3 Years | Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Dual Degree Options
Onsite Visits
Semesters
Credit Hours
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Designed for the Working Professional
Earn a Master’s of Science in Mental Health Counseling while maintaining your current professional lifestyle. We have designed a limited-residency education model to provide you with an accessible, manageable experience. We empower your education, whether you are branching into a new profession or building on your current career.
Students will have a weekly class over Zoom to better integrate the material they learned throughout the week. This will also be a great opportunity to ask questions and facilitate discussions with the rest of your cohort.
Meet the Highest Professional Standards
We have designed our program to meet professional standards. Our commitment to providing the most rigorous education will position you to practice at the highest professional level with the greatest flexibility.
Diverse Degree Combinations
Pair your Master’s of Science in Mental Health Counseling with counseling expertise in another subject. Diversify your practice and your client population with dual-degree options in addiction counseling, school counseling, clinical rehabilitation counseling, and marriage, couples, and family counseling. Continuously refresh your practice while helping as many clients as possible.
Become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor
We provide the theory framework and hands-on experience required to become a licensed mental health counselor. Gain the prerequisites and skills to maximize your performance on crucial licensure exams.
Serve in a Critical Area of Need
In the midst of a nationwide mental health crisis, Utah is one of the most underserved populations in the U.S. Provide critical counseling services for communities in dire need of assistance. Position yourself to help others, while joining an in-demand, up-and-coming profession.
DUAL-DEGREE MASTER’S OPTIONS
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions offers 5 separate counseling master’s degrees that you can pursue alongside one another. Our dual-degree programs allow you to pair clinical mental health counseling with a master’s in either school counseling, addiction counseling, clinical rehabilitation counseling, or marriage, couples, and family counseling. This 72-credit dual-degree option requires only 12 extra credits—alongside the additional corresponding clinical hours—to equip you with a rare and flexible skillset.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/School Counseling
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING/SCHOOL COUNSELING
Schools are an environment where a good counselor can make a lifelong impact on their clients. Pair your skills as a clinical mental health counselor with a master’s in school counseling to be able to make a difference in nearly every clinical context.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Addiction Counseling
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING/ADDICTION COUNSELING
Especially if you plan to practice in Utah, where the population faces a dire battle with drug use, having a strong background in addiction counseling could enormously benefit your future clients. Courses in biopsychosocial aspects of addiction, addiction treatment, and other areas train you to serve people facing this all-too-common struggle.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING/MARRIAGE, COUPLES AND FAMILY COUNSELING
Combine your mental health counseling expertise with a focus on family therapy. Explore complex family dynamics to help empower your clients to cultivate their most meaningful relationships.
Learn how to apply system theories for families and couples while also helping children and adolescents within the family framework.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING/CLINICAL REHABILITATION COUNSELING
Assist clients with physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities to craft and achieve personal goals based on their unique circumstances. Develop a client-centered perspective that assists clients to function effectively within their vocations and overall environments.
Examine the biopsychosocial aspects of impairment and disability, and create systems of support that empower the differently-abled, and learn treatment plans that help clients maximize their potential.
CURRICULUM
This 60-credit course of study, designed to meet CACREP standards, prepares you to counsel a wide range of client populations in a variety of professional environments. Work in community agencies, such as mental health centers, private counseling agencies, substance abuse treatment centers, and child and adolescent counseling clinics. Or provide counseling within business, industry, or private practice. You’ll become a flexible, capable counselor ready to serve nearly wherever you see an opportunity.
Counseling Core
Our 36-credit core counseling curriculum teaches the fundamentals of clinical mental health counseling practice. Learn the foundations of human development, psychodiagnosis, social and cultural counseling, and other areas as you gain a versatile base of practical knowledge. These theoretical frameworks and techniques will sustain your practice for years to come.
Practicum & Internships
Work with faculty to secure a preceptor and clinical location that enables you to develop your skills under professional supervision. Gain a combined total of at least 700 clock hours and 280 client contact hours to grow into an independent clinician. Practice within a context that fits your professional interests and goals.
Learn Mental Health Counseling Frameworks
Specialize your expertise through targeted clinical mental health counseling courses that help you develop a nuanced understanding of the field. Courses in mental health counseling systems, psychopharmacology, and other impactful areas build a foundation for you to thrive in myriad professional contexts. Classes that link mental health counseling to family and marriage counseling also enable you to become a well-rounded, flexible clinician.
Integrate Your Skills and Knowledge
Become a complete counselor by combining all facets of your practice into a cohesive skillset. We embrace periodic opportunities to assess our students’ knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions to prepare you for the complete clinical experience. This helps you identify your weaknesses and build on your strengths to develop your personal counseling approach.
3 Onsite Immersions
Over the course of our roughly 2-year program, you will make three trips to our campus in Provo, Utah for a 2-day academic immersion experience. Connect with faculty and students, gain intensive in-person training, and take advantage of RMU’s many on-campus resources. It’s an opportunity to build your skills, make lasting professional connections, and fully focus on your long-term career goals.
Semester Starts
Winter 2024
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
Summer 2024
Priority Application Deadline
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
Fall 2024
Priority Application Deadline
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- An overall minimum 2.75 undergraduate grade point average on a 4.0 scale
- An acceptable undergraduate statistics course with a grade of a C or higher
- Acceptable test scores from one of the following standardized tests: GRE, MAT, or PLT. (This criterion is waived for applicants who have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better or hold a conferred master’s degree or higher)
- Three letters of recommendations (at least 2 from professional references)
Faculty
PROGRAM ACCREDITATION
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling master's degree programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and have been determined to be ... “in full compliance with all applicable accreditation standards and policies.” The accreditation cycle for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling specialty areas runs through October 31, 2031.
Noted limitations – Post masters counseling certificate programs are not accredited by CACREP, nor are the additional three MS degree programs offered (Addictions Counseling, Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling).
UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (8060 165th Avenue NE Ste 100, Redmond, WA 98052-3981), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the US Department of Education.
Tuition & Financial Aid
There are many ways you can pay for your education and receive aid. See how our Financial Aid Office can help you fund your education.
Cost of Attendance
The cost of attendance (COA) is the cornerstone of establishing a student's financial need, as it sets a limit on the total aid that a student may receive. Learn more...