The Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program offers a 60-hour fully online program that prepares students to work in human service settings. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is designed to meet, and in some instances exceed, professional licensing requirements in many states. It is the individual student’s responsibility to determine the licensure requirements for their own state.

Mission Statement:

The faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) graduate program at University of the Southwest (USW) is committed to the education and training of professional, competent mental health counselors who are dedicated to the ideals of servant leadership, diversity, and social justice.

PLOs:

• PLO 1: Counseling Orientation and Professional Practice - Understand the history, philosophy, and ethics of the counseling profession and become active members in professional counseling organizations.

• PLO 2: Social and Cultural Diversity - Apply and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and practices to counsel and advocate for individuals, families, and groups through culturally appropriate practice promoting social justice, equity, and access.

• PLO 3: Human Growth and Development - Understand the importance of individual and family development across the lifespan and how this affects functioning and behavior.

• PLO 4: Career Development - Understand the interrelationship between work and mental well-being and strategies for individual career development.

• PLO 5: Counseling and Helping Relationships - Employ culturally appropriate practice in the education, prevention, evaluation, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.

• PLO 6: Group Counseling and Group Work - Understand the foundations, approaches, and strategies to working effectively with clients in groups.

• PLO 7: Assessment and Testing - Identify and implement appropriate and holistic clinical evaluation and assessment of normal and abnormal development and behavior, including the treatment of trauma and addictions.

• PLO 8: Research and Program Evaluation - Utilize mental health research and evidenced-based treatments and apply models of program process and outcome evaluation to professional practice.

• PLO 9: CMHC Specialty Area - Understand and apply a broad range of mental health techniques and interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental health concerns.