Our program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
500 Montgomery Street, Suite 350
Alexandria, VA, 22314
703.535.5990
http://www.cacrep.org
The MHC Profession
Mental health counselors provide and coordinate services for people with a range of behavioral health concerns. Providing treatment and support to individuals and families, services are provided in both individual and group contexts. Assisting clients in developing strategies to cope with and recover from the symptoms of behavioral disorders, emphasis is placed on returning to optimal emotional functioning. Many mental health counselors work in facilities that involve interprofessional relationships with other healthcare providers. This is done through a range of activities, including appraisal, individual and group counseling, treatment planning, referral and coordination with other service providers, and assisting clients to cope effectively with their environment and function as independently as possible.
Program Description
This Mental Health Counselor education curriculum is designed to involve the learner as an active participant in the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for competent practice in the field; and conforms closely to the stated requirements for the graduate education of mental health counseling professionals as set forth by accrediting and certification bodies. It is the intent of the program to graduate students who are:
- Ready to acknowledge the importance of ensuring dignity, independence, and wellness for persons with behavioral disorders;
- Dedicated to adhering to the key values, standards, and codes of ethics as set forth by state and national licensing and certifying bodies;
- Engaged in reflective, creative problem-solving;
- Sensitive to the collaborative therapeutic relationship;
- Involved in leadership roles to develop and enhance service delivery systems;
- Able to act as a responsible advocate for affected clients and their families.
Graduates of the program can seek employment in behavioral or mental health centers, state agencies, hospitals, healthcare facilities, non-profit organizations, prisons, probation and corrections agencies, insurance companies, health management organizations, educational institutions, and research organizations. The program actively recruits students from diverse populations.
The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSMH) degree program is a distance education, 60 semester credit hour graduate program, designed to provide a comprehensive exposure to the field of Mental Health Counseling.
The MSMH program was designed specifically for people who experience barriers to attending traditional types of graduate programs. The program is ideal for people who are employed full-time, who live in rural or isolated areas; have family or personal responsibilities that prevent them from taking on-campus study; or who simply cannot take extended time off to attend school. TTUHSC uses a variety of methods and technologies to maximize the students’ educational experience, including web and internet-based technologies, web conferencing teleconferencing, hard copy, videotape/audiotape, and on-site practicum and internship experiences. These and other strategies are employed to ensure that all students, regardless of geographic location, are able to participate to the maximum degree possible in all aspects of their program. Students are not required to come to the TTUHSC campus.
Clinical Education
Clinical education is an integral aspect of the program. The MSMH program complies with all requirements for practicum and clinical internships as set forth by the relevant accrediting and certifying organizations. In order to meet these requirements, Mental Health Counseling students will be required to undertake two forms of practical education during their program. First, all students will participate in a 100 hour supervised mental health counseling practicum, which fosters personal growth, provides active learning experiences, enhances student insights into individual, group, and organizational behavior, and introduces students to counseling approaches and the issues that affect service delivery. Delivered on a distance basis, these experiences will combine applied instruction by faculty with supervised practicum experiences in off-campus settings, either at the student’s place of employment (when appropriate) or in designated clinical settings.
Second, all students are required to undertake a 600-hour supervised internship in a mental health focused clinical setting. Students employed in Mental Health Counseling settings may, with Program approval, utilize these locales for their internship experiences. Students not so employed shall be assisted in locating placements in appropriate, supervised clinical settings.
Professional Liability Insurance
All MSMH students are required to obtain and provide proof of individual counseling liability insurance before being allowed to participate in their clinical experiences. This requirement is in effect as of Fall 2020.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center forwards the mission of the University by providing a practitioner training program focused on the unique needs of diverse communities, especially in rural settings. We are committed to preparing entry-level Mental Health Counselors to work competently and ethically through the mastery of evidence-based counseling practices. Our focus centers on understanding the unique needs of persons with mental health concerns across their lifespans in the community, workplace, personal relationships, and activities.
Program Goals
The goal of the program is to prepare counselors with the counseling knowledge, attitudes, and skills to assist clients with mental health concerns to use their own resources and opportunities to meet their developmental, educational, and interpersonal needs.
The MSMH program strives to accomplish our mission, goals, and objectives by:
- Recruiting, educating, and graduating a diverse population of students who are prepared to provide mental health counseling services in a variety of employment settings.
- Providing a rigorous academic environment that provides a solid foundation to prepare entry-level Mental Health Counselors who meet national certification standards.
- Working closely with the public and private counseling communities to ensure well-trained graduates are considered valued employees.
- Developing a faculty that is valued by our students and the counseling community for our teaching, research, and service.
- Achieving the highest quality program possible within the constraints of available financial, human, technological, and time resources.
- Developing commitment within students to empower individuals with mental health concerns to identify and maximize their resources to meet their developmental, vocational, independent living, and educational needs.
- Instilling within students a commitment to developing a life-long commitment to learning professionalism continuing education throughout their career.
Certification and Licensure
Upon completion of the MSMH program, students will possess the competencies and experiences necessary to take the national certification examinations, and if successful, be credentialed as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). In addition, graduates of the MSMH program will be able to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and apply for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in most states.
Admission to the Program
The MSMH Program has a rolling admission policy, however, students applying for the Fall semester must submit an application by June 1 and those applying for the Spring semester must submit an application by November 1.
Individuals applying to the program should already hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, preferably in a related area such as psychology, social work, counseling, special education, sociology, nursing, and related disciplines, however, all disciplines are accepted.
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirement:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 from all previous institutions, OR
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours of courses or ANY graduate study.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Millers Analogies Test (M.A.T.) scores are NOT required for entry into the MSMH program. Prior work or volunteer experience in human service settings is considered a valuable attribute for applicants, but is not mandatory. Students may transfer up to 9 credit hours, if applicable, with program approval. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Process
Students will submit a completed application form, transcripts, letter from the applicant outlining their rationale for applying to the program, 2 letters of reference, and a resume. Qualified candidates may be contacted for an interview.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to assure that all supporting documentation is received by the Admissions Department. Application materials and detailed information on application procedures and Admission criteria can be accessed via the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Health Professions website at http://www.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/admissions/application.aspx. Applications for non-degree-seeking students wishing to participate in selected MSMH courses may be accepted with prior approval. Please contact the program director for more information.
