Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Get an in-depth look at ECPY's Counseling and Personnel Services specialization, Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MED)
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Application Deadline (Spring): October 1
Meeting GRE score and GPA minimums does not guarantee a student will be accepted to the program.
The Master of Education (M.Ed) in Counseling and Personnel Services with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed for those who wish to engage in the practice of professional counseling in a community-based setting.
The program provides students with the knowledge base and clinical skills to provide mental health services through counseling and consultation in a variety of work settings.
View the general admission requirements, degree requirements, and other curriculum information for Counseling and Personnel Services M.Ed and concentration requirements for this program.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization In Depth
Graduates of the program find employment in various human service and counseling agencies including mental health agencies, residential treatment centers, drug/alcohol treatment facilities, family resource and youth service centers, hospitals, employee assistance programs, and career placement centers.
Graduates work with a variety of client populations across all age groups performing a variety of job tasks including individual, group, and family counseling; intake assessments; psychoeducational groups; program development; and consultation.
Graduates of the program secure employment in private school settings, medical hospitals, inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities, drug and alcohol treatment centers, and forensic correctional institutions.
Click on a course name (ex. "ECPY 676" or "ECPY 640") in the degree requirements or concentration requirements for further information about courses.
Information includes class description, prerequisites (if any), terms offered, among other information.
Department Coordinator
Department of Counseling and Human Development
Room 320
College of Education & Human Development
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Office: 502-852-0628
ECPYinfo@louisville.edu
Program Faculty
FAQs: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MED) Specialization
Once you are admitted to the program, you may request to transfer up to 6 credit hours if your UofL advisor approves the request. Transfer requests are then submitted to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies.
The masters program in Counseling Psychology prepares a student to engage in the practice of psychology at the master's level. Students who complete the masters program in Counseling Psychology can apply to the Kentucky State Board of Psychology for the psychological associate license (Licensed Psychological Associate-LPA), which allows those credentialed as such to practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. The masters program in Counseling Psychology includes coursework and a practicum in psychological assessment that is not included in the masters program in Mental Health Counseling.
The masters program in Mental Health Counseling prepares a student to engage in the practice of professional counseling. Professional counselors typically seek membership in the American Counseling Associaton (ACA) and its state affiliates such as the Kentucky Counselors Association (KCA) and the American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA) and its state affiliates such as the Kentucky Mental Health Counselors Association (KMHCA).
Graduates of the program find employment in colleges and universities as entry-level student affair practitioners. Examples include: Admissions Counselor, Financial Aid Advisor, Academic Advisor, Resident Director, Coordinator of Student Activities, Greek Advisor, Career Counselor, Student Leadership Programs Coordinator, International Student Advisor, and Service Learning Coordinator. These provide only a few examples. For more information on job opportunities in student affairs, take a look at http://chronicle.com/jobs/ or www.higheredjobs.com.
The field of student affairs administration does not have a formal licensure or certification process. The master's degree is the entry-level credential for employment in this field. The University of Louisville's CSP program meets or exceeds the standards set by the Council on the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education for professional preparation programs.
Students enroll in the CSP program both full- and part-time. Students enrolled full-time (9-12 credit hours per semester) can complete the program in 4-5 semesters (approximately 2 years). For part-time students, completion of the program depends upon the number of credit hours taken per semester. Most part-time students complete the program in approximately 3 years. Because certain courses need to be taken in sequence, a student should meet with her/his faculty advisor early in the program to develop a course of study in order to graduate by a designated semester. Students may choose to complete some courses during the summer term.
The master's program in CSP prepares a student for administrative positions in student affairs according to standards embraced by the student affairs profession as set forth by the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS Standards). The program focuses on the skills, competencies, knowledge, and experience needed to work effectively with college students, to be an effective educator in the out-of-class curriculum of the college or university, and to competently administer student affairs programs and services. The length and content of the program are determined by the CAS standards; the design of the program and the curriculum is intended to meet appropriate educational objectives and to prepare our graduates to be competitive with graduates from other CAS compliant graduate programs.
The master's program in Higher Education offered through the ELFH department is “intended for those already employed or seeking to be employed in staff or administrative positions in colleges and universities.” There is also an Instruction concentration which is “intended for those employed or preparing for employment in higher education faculty positions, wishing to develop skills in teaching and research on teaching.” The Higher Education program does not focus on the area of student affairs administration and does not follow the CAS standards for master's level preparation in student affairs.
Although the master's degree is a criterion for most entry-level jobs in the field of student affairs, there are some institutions that will employ bachelor's level practitioners, especially if they are pursuing a graduate degree in CPS with the College Student Personnel (CSP) concentration. A number of students in the CSP program are enrolled part-time and are working full-time at a college or university in student affairs or related area. Some are in staff positions seeking to move to professional positions, while others have obtained an entry-level professional position and are seeking to obtain the appropriate education in order to be maximally effective in their positions or to be able to advance in the field.
Students in the CSP concentration also work in the field of student affairs through graduate assistantship positions or internship positions as part of their academic coursework.