Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Post-Master's Certificate
The Post-Master’s Certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is open to applicants who have previously earned a graduate degree in Counseling, in a different specialty area, e.g. School Counseling. This certificate will provide students with the educational requirements to apply for licensure as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC (and most other states). The number of courses will be determined based on a transcript review and letter of requirements from the licensure board.
Certificate Course Requirements
The number of courses will be determined based on a transcript review and letter of requirements from the licensure board.
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COU 520 - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
This course is one of the first courses taken in the Clinical Mental Health Track (following Professional Orientation, Theories, and Techniques), in efforts to assist the student in obtaining an overview of theory, practice, methods, basic principles, and concepts used by counselors and to begin to develop a professional identity in the counseling field.
This course introduces the student to information and background essential for working in a community agency as a mental health counselor. It examines current trends and developments in the field of counseling with respect to ethical/legal issues and managed care. It also explores the history and development of community mental health systems and focuses on individual areas of interest to the student.
The class is interactive and applicable to the needs of the developing mental health and community counselor. Panel discussions, lectures, out-of-class assignments, field visits, case studies and guest speakers will be utilized in the learning process.
3 Credits.
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COU 566 - Advanced Counseling Techniques, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
The course content will emphasize the enactment of advanced counseling skills, use of a consistent theoretical orientation, and professional ethics. Class content may include a combination of didactic instruction, live demonstration, media, review of research, and experiential techniques. Students must be able to demonstrate basic and advanced skills, techniques, use of theory, and professional ethics. This course is a prerequisite for the practicum/internship clinical experience.
3 Credits. Pre-requisite: COU 505, 520, 524, 525, 530, 535, 540, 550, 560 and EDU 506.
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COU 592 - Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling I (300)
Supervised on-the-job experiences performing the duties of a clinical mental health counselor in a mental health setting. Internships are viewed as the culminating activity in degree programs and ordinarily follow the completion of coursework and the full complement of supervised counseling practices. Thus, by the time students enter the internship phase of their programs of study, they are prepared to provide valuable and culturally competent services to the consumers within a mental health setting.
COU 592 has a minimum of 300 hours of on-site internship experience in an approved mental health setting under the supervision of an approved supervisor licensed to practice independently (LPC preferred). Students must have counselor liability insurance in place prior to their internships. There is 600 hours of on-site internship graduation requirement for all counseling degree programs. The Specialty Area Capstone Project is to be completed at the end of the first 300 hours, Students who complete COU 592 must subsequently enroll in COU 593 to complete the balance of the 600 hours of internship required for graduation.
3 Credits. Pre-requisite: Students must be in their last two semesters of coursework AND have completed and PASSED the Core Comprehensive Examination and the following courses: COU 505, COU 510, COU 515, COU 520, COU 525, COU 530, COU 535, COU 540, COU 545, COU 550, EDU 505, EDU 506. Permission must be obtained from the Program Coordinator and Clinical Coordinator for any exceptions.