The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a two-year graduate program housed in the Department of Counseling and Behavioral Health.
| Program Summary | |
|---|---|
| Credits | 60 |
| Program Start | Fall Term only |
| Program Length | 2 years (Year 1: Fall, Spring and Summer semesters; Year 2: Fall and Spring Semesters) |
| Clinical Field Placements | 100-hour practicum during the Year 1 Summer semester and a 600-hour internship during Year 2 Fall and Spring semesters |
| Average Class Size | 27 - 32 students |
Our Mission
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program strives to be a world class educational program, delivering a personalized educational experience for future professional counselors. We prepare our students to address the complex challenges faced by clients of diverse backgrounds, including individuals across cultures, across the lifespan, and those with disabilities and mental and behavioral health challenges. Our program emphasizes experiential training in evidence-based practices while advancing the field through clinical research. We are committed to community engagement, advocacy, and promoting diversity, inclusion, and cultural humility.
This program prepares students to practice the profession of clinical mental health counseling and is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) through March 2032.
This in-person program utilizes various instructional methods, including hands-on skills practice and role-plays that complement didactic learning and experiential learning activities. The curriculum includes courses on theories of counseling, foundations of professional counseling, ethics, multicultural counseling, individual and group counseling services, case conceptualization and treatment planning, case management, vocational and career development, assessment and diagnosis, evidence-based practice and research methods. Elective courses focus on trauma and grief counseling, child and adolescent counseling, and disability and assistive technology considerations. See curriculum for more information.
Graduates meet eligibility criteria for national certification as a national certified counselor (NCC) or as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) and the educational requirements for licensure as a professional counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania.
Graduates of the clinical mental health counseling program may be eligible for the CRC under Category 3. Earning the CRC requires the completion of several requirements, including the CRC examination. Students wishing to seek the CRC credential must take COUN 2714 Medical, Psychosocial, and Technology Considerations in Disability and complete their Practicum and Internship under the supervision of a CRC.
For more information on the CRC credential, see the CRCC website: https://crccertification.com/get-certified/.
Program Objectives
Program Graduates will:
- Integrate and perform essential skills in clinical assessment and interviewing, case conceptualization, and counseling interventions.
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior in real and simulated client interactions.
- Demonstrate competency with clinical research methods, including program evaluation and delivery of evidence-based care.
- Integrate personal, cultural, social, economic, disability-related, and environmental factors in case conceptualization and counseling interventions.
- Demonstrate their mental health counseling professional identity and values as evidenced by self-awareness, engagement with professional counseling organizations, and a commitment to advocacy and social justice.
Accreditation
The Pitt Counseling Program has been accredited since 2004. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is currently accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) through March 2032.