Master of Science in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Counselors play a vital role in supporting individuals through the many challenges and stages of life. As the needs of clients evolve, counselors remain steadfast in strengthening their communities through their ongoing commitment to social, emotional, and educational well-being. If you feel called to this profession, the Department of Advanced Education Programs offers a CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that provides a comprehensive, high-quality educational experience aligned with state licensure requirements.
The 60-hour M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to help you build the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to effectively serve future clients. Our curriculum meets CACREP standards and approved by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB), ensuring that you receive a rigorous education that meets both national and state-level requirements for licensure. Through a blend of intensive coursework and dedicated faculty mentorship, you will be equipped for success in both online and on-campus classes. To accommodate your need for flexibility, 50 percent of the required courses are available online, while the remaining courses are delivered through on-campus sessions held on Fridays and Saturdays or virtual meetings.
This program fully prepares you to apply for licensure in the State of Kansas as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), providing the necessary educational foundation to pursue a meaningful career in mental health counseling.
THE COUNSELING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Counseling Program at Fort Hays State University are as follows:
- To prepare counselors to identify the philosophy, trends, ethics, and professional standards of the counseling profession, and understand the contextual dimensions of the clinical mental health and school counseling professions.
- To prepare counselors to differentiate social and cultural characteristics across diverse groups, identify theories and models of multicultural counseling, and will understand the impact of diverse clients and the counseling process.
- To prepare counselors to relate theories of human development to the counseling practice, and design developmentally appropriate counseling interventions.
- To train counselors to identify the major theories of career development, and apply the concepts of career counseling.
- To train counselors to make and use observations of the helping relationship, and apply the concepts of counseling skills to work effectively with individuals possessing diverse characteristics and strengths. To prepare counselors to identify and apply the major counseling theories.
- To prepare counselors to identify the major techniques and theories of the group counseling process, and apply the concepts of group counseling.
- To train counselors to identify the major assessment instruments innate to clinical mental health counseling, legal and ethical use of assessments, and show their ability to apply the use of assessment techniques.
- To prepare counselors to apply best practices of research and program evaluation. To train counselors to critique and contribute to research in counseling.
- To prepare counselors to assume the roles of their specialization area by training counselors to understand, identify, and practice counseling in the areas of school or clinical settings.
- To develop the ability, through practicum and internship experiences, to integrate knowledge and skills for competent counseling practice.
- To develop, through self-reflection and critical thinking, a further self-awareness and understand roles in the counseling process. Develop a personal counseling orientation and ability to assume roles as advocates in the field while maintaining professionalism throughout the program and as future professional counselors.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program of Study
Learn more about the M.S. in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health Counseling:
For more information, please see Licensure Disclosure.
Information for Current Students
Accreditation Reports
If you have any questions or would like additional information about the M.S. in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program, you may contact Mrs. Kristin Hernandez at krhernandez@fhsu.edu