M.S. in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling

What You'll Learn

In-person classes meet in the evenings or on weekends, so you can continue to work full-time while you work towards your degree. Customize your path with a wide variety of elective classes.

The Mental Health Counseling program provides extensive training in the core functions of therapy, and graduates are license-eligible across the country. In addition, since Iowa is a member of a Counseling Compact, counselors living in Iowa can serve clients in more than 30 different states.

Our CACREP-accredited curriculum consists of core courses in human development, psychopathology, trauma, counseling methods, career counseling, understanding diverse populations, and assessment, delivering a comprehensive view of the counseling profession.

You’ll develop expertise and acquire clinical skills through hands-on exercises, discussion- and project-based classes, and supervised practicum experiences while learning from expert faculty who have broad, extensive clinical experience.

You will better understand yourself and the diverse backgrounds of your clients and students through the multicultural competence and commitment to social justice that is woven throughout the program.

You will explore areas of counseling that inspire you, connect your interests to the needs of clients and communities, and create a plan for ongoing development in our student-centered program.

As you progress from the core courses to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization, you’ll study advanced theory and counseling techniques, diagnosis and treatment planning, telehealth, and ethics in counseling. You will gain extensive therapy experience with a 100-hour supervised practicum and a 600-hour supervised internship in a clinical setting that matches your career goals. You can choose from a small private practice, a large outpatient agency, a hospital, or a community mental health center for your practical experiences.

Throughout, the Counseling program’s ongoing commitment to equity and access helps you understand how to authentically empower each client and progressively nurture their personal growth.

Admission Requirements

Objectives

• Students will develop skills to form therapeutic relationships with clients that lead to healing and growth.
• Students will deliver clinical mental health counseling services to diverse clients in a variety of settings.
• Students will demonstrate commitment to professional, ethical, and legal standards in the practice of counseling.
• Students will articulate ways to advocate for and empower individuals through openness to clients regardless of identity, ability, or any difference.
• Students will apply knowledge of historical and contemporary biological, psychological, social, and cultural foundations in the practice of counseling across the lifespan of the profession.

Program Facts

• Mix of evening and weekend classes
• Part-time program designed for working adults
• Go at your own pace; complete one to three classes per semester
• Two to three years to complete, including summer sessions
• Start in the fall, spring, or summer
• 700+ hours of hands-on experience
• 60 credits