CACREP Accredited Program
The Master of Science in Professional Counseling’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through 2031.
CACREP is the national accrediting body for graduate-level programs in the counseling field. Graduates of CACREP accredited programs can more easily obtain state counseling licensure, will find greater portability between state licensing boards, and are eligible to complete work for the three federal agencies that have made graduation from a CACREP accredited program a requirement for independent practice in counseling (See CACREP Federal Regulations). Students with a CACREP-accredited counseling degree are also more easily able to be accepted into doctoral programs.
The program offers specialized coursework in trauma counseling, addictions counseling
- Licensed Professional Counselor – Initial Training (LPC-IT): You qualify for this upon graduating from the program.
- Substance Abuse Counselor – Initial Training (SAC-IT): You qualify for this while you are enrolled in the program.
I FEEL LIKE I GOT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROCESS THAN I WAS ABLE TO GET FROM CONVENTIONAL COURSEWORK. HE HELPED ME SEE THINGS FROM THE CLIENT’S POINT OF VIEW, AND THAT HAS STUCK WITH ME.
Matt George
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Requirements
The 60-credit clinical mental health counseling concentration requires you to:
- complete all required and elective program coursework (see below)
- perform 700 on-site hours of clinical/internship experiences at selected clinical mental health practicum sites
- prepare a professional counselor portfolio and self-assessment
- complete a comprehensive exam
To become a fully Licensed Professional Counselor, you will need to complete 3,000 of
Clinical Mental Health Post Master's Certificate
Post-Master’s Certificates in Counseling are designed for students who have previously received a master’s degree in the counseling field and who seek an additional area of concentration in which to be licensed. In most cases, specific licenses are granted by state regulating and licensing boards and in some cases licensing or credentialing may be awarded by a national professional organization. See the curriculum requirements based on your previous degree.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum Sites
Our faculty will help you secure practicum and internship sites. You will need to complete 700 hours of clinical/internship experiences: one semester of supervised practicum (10 hours per week for a total of 100 hours on-site) and two semesters of counseling internship (20 hours per week, for a total of 300 hours each semester on site).
Practicum and internship sites for clinical mental health counseling students are located primarily in southeastern Wisconsin.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of 9 credits or 30 percent of total program credits, whichever is greater, may be transferred from other regionally accredited institutions with the approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be at a grade B or better, and must be documented with official transcripts. Credit earned prior to admission will be evaluated during the admission process only.