Counseling, M.S. - Florida

NLU’s counseling program provided from the Florida campus prepares students from all over the country to be professional counselors. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at NLU Florida provides coursework that meets the educational standards for licensure as an LMHC in Florida as well as many other states. It also meets the educational requirements for certification as a Board-eligible National Certified Counselor. The program prepares students to sit for the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE), the two most popular state licensure exams.

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.  

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

PLO1. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply code of ethics and legal standards in the profession.  

PLO2. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the multicultural competencies in diversity, multiculturalism, and advocacy.

PLO3. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe and apply theories of individual and family development across the lifespan.

PLO4. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe and apply theories and models of career development, counseling and decision-making.

PLO5. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe, compare, contrast and apply major counseling skills and approaches to practice.

PLO6. Students will demonstrate the ability to select and utilize assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes.

PLO7. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe, compare, contrast and apply major counseling theories to practice.

PLO8. Students will demonstrate effective group leadership through the application of theoretical foundations and techniques of group counseling, process and development.

PLO9. Students will demonstrate awareness of personal characteristics and behaviors that influence the counseling process and engage in ongoing personal and professional self-evaluation and implications for practice.

PLO10.  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of evidence-based, ethical, and culturally relevant research in advancing the counseling profession.

In addition to the College of Professional Studies and Advancement Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:

• Submit three letters of recommendation
• Complete an admission interview with a faculty member
• Submit a written response to questions provided by the Office of Admissions

Program Details:

• Requires 60 SH in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling major for completion
• Only courses from CACREP accredited universities may be accepted for transfer into the Counseling program
• Requires a grade of “B” or better in all coursework
• Requires a minimum 100 hour practicum
• Requires a minimum 600 hour internship
• Students may transfer a maximum of 15SH upon approval of the Program Chair and Faculty

Required Courses

Clinical Mental Health Counseling - 60 SH

HSC 501	Fundamentals of Counseling	3
HSC 503	Counseling and Human Development in a Multicultural Society	3
HSC 504	Clinical Techniques of Counseling	3
HSC 505	Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis	3
HSC 506	Introduction to Theory and Practice of Family Therapy	3
HSC 509	Human Development Theory	3
HSC 510	Theories of Counseling	3
HSC 511	Professional Practice and Ethics in Counseling	3
HSC 512	Theories and Techniques of Group Counseling	3
HSC 514	Counseling for Career Development	3
HSC 519	Psychological Assessment in Counseling	3
HSC 520	Human Sexuality	3
HSC 524	Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling	3
HSC 533	Counseling Practicum	3
HSC 541	Trauma and Crisis Intervention Theory, Response Models and Techniques	3
HSC 581	Counseling Internship I	3
HSC 582	Counseling Internship II	3
HSM 508	Research and Evaluation Methodology	3
HSS 534	Perspectives on Substance Abuse	3

Note: Student must also complete 3SH of elective with an Advisor approval.