Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling at Columbus State University will prepare you to work in a variety of community settings including, but not limited to, mental health centers, community agencies, hospitals, residential treatment centers, corrections, or other helping or human service-oriented programs. As a mental health professional, your diverse experience and training will empower others to transform their future. The program’s creative design offers a combination of hybrid, online, and face-to-face courses to facilitate multiple learning environments.

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at CSU is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The 60-semester hour degree program with flex your creative muscles in the eight areas of:

Human Growth and Development
Social and Cultural Foundations
The Helping Relationship
Group Dynamics and Processes
Lifestyle/Career Development
Appraisal of Individual
Research and Evaluation
Professional Orientation

Counselors inspire collaboration across fields by working with health professionals in a broad range of areas to provide therapeutic care at hospitals, nursing homes, community agencies, and even corporations. Many successful graduates also gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue private practice. Align your degree with your career goals, while making a difference.

Program Mission Statement

The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling program’s mission is to prepare professional counselors who are committed to providing culturally competent counseling services that enhance the mental health and well-being of families, groups, couples, and individuals, including school students across the lifespan, and to advocate on behalf of our clients and our profession. The program is committed to academic and clinical excellence through educating counselors to be leaders and practitioners.

The counseling program at Columbus State University is designed to prepare professional counselors to demonstrate the knowledge and experience necessary to be productive contributors to the counseling profession. Faculty members, with many years of practice, research and training, are contributing members of professional counseling organizations and provide direct training and supervision to students. The faculty’s primary objective is to serve the students in the program by providing a variety of learning opportunities (i.e. coursework, lectures, experiential activities and direct counseling experiences) that will prepare them to work as professional counselors in a variety of settings. The counseling program serves a diverse student population and the counseling faculty is committed to assisting students in the development of a strong counselor identity.

Career Opportunities

When you earn your Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree, you’ll be prepared for a broad range of careers including:

Licensed professional counselor
Licensed mental health counselor
Behavioral specialist
Client advocate
Counseling program manager
Rehabilitation counselor
Substance abuse counselor

Program of Study

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses - 19 courses required
COUN 6105	Psychological Aspects of Substance Abuse	3
COUN 6110	Research Methods and Design in Counseling	3
COUN 6115	Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling	3
COUN 6117	Diagnosis in Counseling	3
COUN 6118	Career Development Counseling	3
COUN 6119	Human Growth and Development	3
COUN 6155	Counseling Theory	3
COUN 6175	Cultural Perspectives in Counseling	3
COUN 6225	Counseling Skills I	3
COUN 6226	Advanced Counseling Skills	3
COUN 6245	Assessment in Counseling	3
COUN 6265	Group Techniques and Procedures	3
COUN 6405	Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling	3
COUN 6698	Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling	6
COUN 6785	Seminar in Clinical Mental Health Counseling	3
COUN 7165	Counseling Children	3
COUN 7215	Family Therapy Process and Practice	3
COUN 7225	Crisis and Trauma Counseling	3
COUN 6000	Portfolio/Exit Exam	0
Core Total		57
Approved Electives
Select one of the following courses		3
COUN 6255	Play Therapy
COUN 6555	Selected Topics in Counseling
COUN 6185
COUN 6899	Independent Study
COUN 7185
COUN 7275
COUN 7285
COUN 7286
COUN 7288
Electives Total		3
Total Credit Hours		60

Admission Requirements

An earned undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum grade point average (GPA) of A 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) cumulative undergraduate GPA
Resume
Statement of Purpose
Successful completion of an interview with departmental faculty

Deadlines: Priority deadline-December 1st; All applications and related materials are due no later than March 1st for consideration for Fall admission

Additional Program Requirements

Interviews will be conducted only after potential candidates have applied for admission and are qualified, based on an assessment of a completed application file. Applicants who reach the minimum scores designated above are not guaranteed admission or may be provisionally admitted since multiple factors are considered in these decisions.
Evaluation of the student's performance is continuous and involves consideration of the student's academic progress as well as professional dispositions.
In order to graduate, students must complete the required exit assessment/ comprehensive exam.

Academic Catalog 2026-2027