Academics
Students majoring in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling curriculum leading to a Master of Arts degree will take the courses listed below. This program is designed to meet the need for advanced preparation of counselors and other helping professionals who work in a variety of human service agencies (including mental health centers, social service agencies, business and industry employee assistance programs, and others). In addition to the core curriculum, students can select, in cooperation with their advisor, from a variety of elective courses that will help their individual career objectives. Specialized concentrations are available as listed below including a general concentration for students who choose to design, along with their advisor, their own emphasis.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Required Courses
| RES 5000 | Research Methods | (3) |
| HPC 5110 | Multicultural Counseling | (3) |
| HPC 5120 | Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling* | (3) |
| HPC 5140 | Psychological and Educational Testing | (3) |
| HPC 5210 | Life and Career Planning | (3) |
| HPC 5220 | Counseling Theory and Techniques | (3) |
| HPC 5272 | Individual and Family Development | (3) |
| HPC 5752 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling* | (3) |
| HPC 5790 | Group Methods and Processes | (3) |
| HPC 5900 | Practicum in Counseling**(Prerequisites: HPC 5120, HPC 5220, HPC 5752, HPC 5790 and approval of department chairperson; for clinical mental health counseling majors only) | (3) |
| HPC 6120 | Developmental Assessment and Diagnosis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling* | (3) |
| HPC 6900 | Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling**(Prerequisites: HPC 5120, HPC 5220, HPC 5752, HPC 5790, HPC 5900, HPC 6120, and approval of department chairperson; for clinical mental health counseling majors only) | (6) |
Subtotal Hours: 39
Concentration (dependent on selected concentration): 0-9
Guided Electives (dependent on selected concentration): 12-21
Total Hours: 54-60
Hours: 54 semester hours with thesis; 60 semester hours without thesis
* Please note these courses have prerequisites. Advise the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Handbook [PDF] for additional information.
** Both the practicum and internship have specific prerequisite requirements that must be met before enrollment. In addition, approval from the departmental chairperson is also required. Permission forms to take HPC 5900 and HPC 6900 are available in the HPC office and must be completed prior to registration.
Concentrations and Certificate Requirements
Many students will be interested in pursuing a specialized concentration as part of their program of study. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program offers specialized concentrations in the following areas:
Specialized concentrations require a minimum of 9 credit hours of study in the concentration area. Students are responsible for reviewing the department handbook to determine if prerequisites are required for courses required of each concentration. In addition to these course requirements, the student must complete the required internship (HPC 6900) designed to meet the objectives within each concentration.
Additionally, students can apply for and complete separate requirements for a Certificate in Addictions Counseling or Expressive Arts Therapy.
M.A. students who do not elect a specialized concentration will have a generalized concentration where they decide in conjunction with advising faculty upon appropriate elective courses to complete the 60-credit M.A. program.
Elective Courses
Students may take other graduate courses as electives provided that: (a) they have taken any necessary prerequisite for the course, and (b) the course is consistent with student's interests and career goals and is approved by his/her advisor. The following electives are seen as being particularly relevant for the "typical" student.
Common Electives
| PSY 5560 | Child Psychology | (3) |
| PSY 5565 | Adolescent Psychology | (3) |
| HPC 5130 | Women's Issues in Counseling | (3) |
| HPC 5680 | Counseling the Aging | (3) |
| HPC 5790 | Group Methods and Processes | (3) |
| HPC 5850 | Theory and Practice of Reality Therapy | (3) |
| HPC 5870 | Creative Process, Movement & Therapy | (3) |
| HPC 5860 | Dreamwork: Clinical Methods | (3) |
| HPC 6160 | Gestalt Therapy | (3) |
| HPC 6340 | Ecotherapy | (3) |
| HPC 6350 | Body/Mind | (3) |
| HPC 6360 | Therapy and the Expressive Arts | (3) |
| HPC 6370 | Intermodal Expressive Arts | (3) |
| HPC 6380 | Therapeutic Writing | (3) |
| HPC 6390 | Current Issues in Expressive Arts Therapy | (3) |
| HPC 6730 | Sexual Abuse Counseling | (3) |
Notes and Reminders
- It is the student's responsibility to develop a written plan of study with his/her advisor upon completion of nine semester hours. In planning this program, students should take all required courses (excluding the internship) prior to taking the comprehensive exam.
- Students are strongly encouraged (and may be required) to complete satisfactorily a small group activity designed to promote and improve students' self-understanding, self-analysis skills, and interpersonal skills. The activity is not used for or intended to provide counseling or therapy for students.
- A thesis option of 50 hours of approved course work plus thesis hours (4 s.h.)=54 s.h. total. Note: A 48-semester-hour program is the minimum required for licensing under the NC law.
- Internship: The internship (HPC 6900) is designed to be a full-time learning experience (600 clock hours) in an agency setting. These placements are arranged through consultation with the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Coordinator and student's advisor. In most cases these placements will be with agencies outside of the immediate Boone area. Students employed in agency settings may, with permission, complete their internship within the context of their work setting.
- Students should pre-register to insure their places in the courses they select.
- The ASU Graduate School Bulletin and "Selected Policies and Procedures" Handbook available in the HPC office provides information on liability insurance, academic appeals, retention policy, personal endorsement policy, admission policies, and placement services.