Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSCMHC)

Program Location	Distance Education/Online or Hybrid
Program Credits	60 Credits
Program Length*	6 Trimesters, 120 Instructional Weeks
Time to Complete	29 Months

^* Program length may vary. WCU distance education programs may not be available to residents in all states.

Clinical Hour Requirement: this track requires a total of 135 hours of Supervised Clinical Practicum, 600 hours of Internship that does not count toward 3,000 hours of LPCI required hours. Coordinators will approve clinical site placements, assist with compliance training, and support students as they seek an appropriate site placement.

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes: 21-1012.00, 21-1014.00, 21-1015.00, 21-1011.00, 11-9151.00, 39-9041.00, 21-1013.00, 21-1019.00, 21-1093.00, 21-1094.00

Program Mission: The mission of the Master of Science in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSCMHC) program is to prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to be culturally competent, trauma informed, and stalwart advocates for social justice ensuring equity, and access to effective and affirmative clinical mental health care for all individuals.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Learning Outcomes 

1. Cultivate a Professional Identity:  The program helps students establish a strong professional identity as clinical mental health counselors who prioritize the value of the therapeutic relationship as a critical pathway to facilitate healing, empowerment, and the emotional and mental well-being of their clients. Moreover, students will learn to build counseling relationships from a strength-based, intergenerational trauma-informed perspective rather than a deficit or pathological approach.
2. Develop Comprehensive Knowledge and Competence:  The program helps prepare students to gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of essential areas in the counseling field, including ethical and legal behaviors, developmental theories, clinical interventions, psychopharmacology, substance use disorders, addictive behaviors, human sexuality, crisis and trauma, career counseling, psychopathology, and culturally competent assessment and evaluation methods.
3. Apply Evidence-Based Interventions:  The program helps prepare students to solely rely on evidence-based interventions for substance use disorders, addictive behaviors, co-occurring disorders, trauma, and various mental health conditions, while always considering cultural competencies and diversity to enhance the effectiveness of their clinical practice.
4. Cultivate a Culturally Competent Identity:  The program helps students to establish a professional identity as culturally competent clinical mental health counselors, emphasizing the use of the therapeutic relationship to promote healing, empowerment, and emotional and mental well-being while working effectively and affirmatively with diverse individuals, couples, families, and communities.
5. Demonstrate Proficiency in Clinical Skills:  The program teaches students how to use effective and affirmative clinical skills when working with individuals, couples, families, and groups and communities across the lifespan. Students are taught how to develop expertise in providing comprehensive and culturally competent mental health services to clients from diverse backgrounds.
6. Foster a Commitment to Social Justice and Advocacy:  The program compels students to become social justice advocates and clinical mental health professionals who serve their communities in various capacities, including clinical practice, administrative roles, and other leadership positions. Students will be taught how to use their counseling knowledge, attitudes, and skills to contribute positively and effectively to the well-being and positive development of the broader community.

Admission Requirements

A student applying for admission to the MSCMHC program at West Coast University must:

1. Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher
2. Submit a copy of official transcripts and/or International Transcript Evaluation, prior to the end of the add/drop period of the first term
3. Provide a Statement of Purpose
4. Provide two (2) professional letters of recommendation
5. Complete the Interview Process
6. Complete an enrollment agreement, consisting of program policies, costs, completion requirements, and other student obligations, if accepted into the program

Language Verification Requirements

Students with foreign degrees applying to the MSCMHC program must possess proficiency in English at a level to enable them to succeed in graduate-level studies. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test (DET) must be taken if the applicant’s native language is not English. Results must be sent directly from TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo to the West Coast University admissions department. Copies are not acceptable. Your application will not be considered until you have achieved at least the minimum score.

• TOEFL - minimum composite score of 100, with sub-scores of 21 or higher.
• IELTS - minimum overall band score of 7.0, with a speaking band score of 7.0 or higher and other band scores of 6.0 or higher.
• DET - minimum score of 125.

Probationary Admissions Requirements

Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 2.79-2.99 may be considered for probationary admission after meeting the following admissions requirements:

• The applicant must provide a letter of intent.
• The applicant must be approved for admission following an interview with the Program Director/Dean.
• The applicant must satisfy program prerequisites.

A student admitted under the probationary admissions pathway must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all coursework attempted over the first semester (two terms). Students who meet this standard will be converted to a full admit status and will be subject to the standard Satisfactory Academic Progress requirement for the duration of their program. Students failing to meet this requirement by the end of the first semester (two terms) will be withdrawn from the university.

Students accepted under the probationary admissions pathway will be considered regular students and eligible for Title IV, if the student otherwise qualifies for funding, for the first semester of their program of study while completing the requirements for full admission to their program.

MSCMHC Curriculum

 

CMHC 505	Foundations of Clinical Mental Health and Counseling	3
CMHC 510	Professional Orientation: Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling	3
CMHC 515	Counseling Theories and Practice	3
CMHC 520	Crisis/Trauma Response and Intervention	3
CMHC 525	Social and Cultural Foundations	3
CMHC 530	Individual Counseling Skills and Practice w/ Immersive I	3
CMHC 535	Human Growth and Development	3
CMHC 545	Career and Lifestyle Assessment	3
CMHC 550	Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling	3
CMHC 560	Research Design and Program Evaluation	3
CMHC 645	Group Counseling and Practice	3
CMHC 650	Addictions and Substance Abuse Counseling	3
CMHC 655	Human Sexuality	3
CMHC 665	Psychopathology	3
CMHC 670	Individual Evaluation and Assessment	3
CMHC 680	Psychopharmacology	3
CMHC 683	Contemporary Topics Advanced Skills, Theories and Ethics w/ Immersive II	3
CMHC 685	Fieldwork Practicum	3
CMHC 690A	Fieldwork: Internship I	2
CMHC 690B	Fieldwork: Internship II	2
CMHC 690C	Fieldwork: Internship III	2
Total Credit Hours:		60

Master of Science, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Costs

For program costs, please see the Graduate Tuition and Fees section.