Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Benefits of the Program
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling option combines didactic and experiential coursework to give students grounding in theories and principles of mental health counseling appropriate for adult clients, as well as extensive experience in supervised application of those theories and principles. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepares students to enhance personal and professional development as counselors; to increase their ability to understand the characteristics and concerns of various client populations and their environments; to develop their knowledge and skills in use of theory-based counseling models; and to train them in the use of scientific methods of inquiry and evaluation. Up to 1500 hours of the supervised counseling experience obtained during training can be applied to the 3000 hours of supervised counseling experience needed prior to licensure in the state of Montana.
About the Curriculum
Required courses in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling curriculum are intended
to be taken sequentially to optimize students' acquisition of knowledge, skills and
personal development. The training is rigorous and requires a high level of professional
maturity and interpersonal skills. This option offers training in counseling methods
for the treatment of mental disorders, including adults with serious mental illness.
Competent counseling practice is informed and guided by theory. The program track
emphasizes thorough knowledge and application of theory-based approaches to working
with adult clients. Students engage in a counseling practica, and supervised practice
continues, and is expanded during internship.
This program is an approved Western Regional Graduate Program. The WRGP allows master's, graduate certificate, and doctoral students who are residents of WICHE-member states to enroll in 900+ graduate programs at 60 public institutions outside their home state, and pay up to 150 percent of resident tuition. To learn more, please see the WICHE/WRGP website.
