Master of Arts (M.A.) - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Dr. Harris Ty Leonard, Program Coordinator
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is currently accredited under the 2016 standards.
Mission
The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track is to prepare students for licensure and certification as knowledgeable and ethical professional counselors to meet the increasing demand for mental health services in a complex society with a diverse population by offering a curriculum that combines theory and concepts with skills development and meets the educational requirements as set forth by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The Master of Arts Degree with Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of academic preparation over a two-year and a half year period. The degree includes a required core curriculum of 51 academic hours and 9 hours of clinical experience, which meets the education eligibility criteria of the licensing exam for Texas Licensed Professional Counselor and National Board of Certified Counselor.
CMHC Goals
Goal 1: Prepare clinical mental health counselors to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and changing society.
Objective 1. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop counselors firmly grounded in the practice of Multicultural Counseling Competencies with an understanding of the impact of heritage, attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences on an individuals’ views of others. (CACREP Common Core Area 2)
Objective 2. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop counselors with a broad knowledge of the internal and external factors that affect clients’ human development, functioning, and behavior, and an ability to utilize this knowledge to competently serve clients. (CACREP Common Core Area 3)
Goal 2: Prepare qualified clinical mental health counselors who are proficient in written and verbal communications.
Goal 3: Prepare professional mental health counselors to practice effectively in collaborative and interdisciplinary environments.
Objective 3. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop and train counselors who develop a base to grow a personal model of counseling based in sound theory and practice, and with the ability to assess and addresses crisis, especially suicide (CACREP Common Core Area 5)
Objective 4. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop and train counselors in how to develop and provide group counseling based on effective therapeutic factors and characteristics. (CACREP Common Core Area 6)
Objective 5. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop counselors who understand concepts essential to understanding and administering assessments. (CACREP Common Core Area 7)
Objective 6. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop and train counselors who understand statistics and research methods used in counseling research, and how to use that data to more effectively serve clients. (CACREP Common Core Area 8)
Goal 4: Promote the development of counselor professional identity and an understanding of professional ethical standards and the appropriate legal statues.
Objective 7. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop and train counselors who understand the ethics of our professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies, and they understand how to self-evaluate their own performance in relation to these ethical standards. (CACREP Common Core Area 1)
Goal 5: Provide Clinical Mental Health program students with the academic and practical experiences that satisfy the program accreditation standards set forth by the Counsel for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) and satisfy the licensure requirements of the State of Texas’s Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
Objective 8. The Master of Arts in Counseling Program seeks to develop and train counseling students who have a holistic understanding of career development and the multifaceted factors that affect the development of self and career. (CACREP Common Core Area 4)
A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) renders professional counseling services to individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies, or the general public for compensation. He or she assists one or more clients through the therapeutic relationship, using a combination of mental health and human development principles, methods, and techniques, including the use of psychotherapy, to achieve the mental, emotional, physical, social, moral, educational, spiritual, or career-related development and adjustment of the client throughout the client’s life. The Licensed Professional Counselor is a trained and experienced expert who holds a valid license issued under the Texas Licensed Professional Counselor Act, Title 71, Art. 4512g.
A National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC) is one who has advanced knowledge of mental health, psychological, or human development principles and can apply these through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic intervention strategies to address wellness, personal growth, or career development, as well as pathology. This national certification requires that a person who has completed the 48 hour program and has met the requirements for the general practice of professional counseling take and pass a national certification examination.
Course Requirements 60 Hours
Core Counseling Courses (36 hours)
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialized Courses (12 hours)
| CNSL 6305 | Addictions Counseling and Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| CNSL 6330 | Trauma and Crisis Counseling with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| CNSL 6355 | Advanced Psychopathology & Treatment Planning | 3 |
| CNSL 6370 | Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
Elective (3 credits from any of the following or other counseling courses with approval)
Clinical Instruction (9 hours)
Comprehensive Examination (0 hours)
Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). The policies and procedures for the administration and scoring of the comprehensive examination for each specialization are available through the Director of the Professional Counseling Program.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Plan
This section identifies how the UMHB Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program meets the 10 academic content areas required in Rule §681.83 and §681.84 Academic Course Content of Title 22, Texas Administrative Code, Part 30, Chapter 681, effective February 28, 2019 for meeting the course requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in the State of Texas:
Human Growth and Development
Abnormal Human Behavior
| CNSL 6305 | Addictions Counseling and Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| CNSL 6315 | Abnormal Human Behavior | 3 |
| CNSL 6355 | Advanced Psychopathology & Treatment Planning | 3 |
Appraisal or Assessment Techniques
| CNSL 6326 | Marriage and Family Assessment & Treatment | 3 |
Counseling Theory
Counseling Methods or Techniques
Counseling Individuals
| CNSL 6316 | Applied Counseling Techniques in Individual & Family Counseling | 3 |
| CNSL 6394 | Pre-Practicum | 3 |
Theory and Types of Groups
Research
Lifestyle and Career Development
| CNSL 6302 | Career Development and Information Sources | 3 |
Social and Cultural and Family Issues
| CNSL 6318 | Marriage and Family Theories in Counseling | 3 |
| CNSL 6330 | Trauma and Crisis Counseling with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| CNSL 6351 | Diversity Issues | 3 |
Professional Orientation & Ethics
| CNSL 6308 | Professional Orientation & Ethics | 3 |
| CNSL 6353 | Consultation, Prevention, & Supervision | 3 |
| CNSL 6370 | Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
Elective (3 credits from any of the following)
Practicum (Internship)
*NOTE: In addition to completing all degree requirements, students who want to become a
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in Texas must, after graduation, complete a 3000 clock hour internship approved by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. Prior to beginning this internship, graduates must apply to take the National Counselor Exam and apply to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors for a temporary license. Graduates must also take and pass the Jurisprudence Exam administered by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. More information on LPC and NBCC can be found at
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.