Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Requirements
The Master of Arts Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MACMHC) program comprises 60 credit hours of coursework and 700 hours of supervised clinical training experiences. Students learn to promote mental wellness, prevention, and resilience in individuals and communities. Students will receive a strong foundation in counseling theory, acquire an understanding of the profession’s legal and ethical responsibilities, and master the skills necessary for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of clients. Students can apply for licensure as a licensed professional counselor upon program completion.
Graduates of North Park’s CMHC program can work in a range of professional counseling settings. The curriculum follows a generalist counselor training model, in which students can define areas of particular interest based in part on their internship site selection. Some potential areas of specialization include counseling children and adolescents, working in integrated behavioral healthcare, rehabilitation counseling, career counseling, couples and family counseling, community mental healthcare, pastoral counseling, and addictions prevention and treatment.
The counselor education faculty at North Park are committed to dynamic and rigorous training for professional counselors. The program follows meets all of the academic requirements for professional counselor licensure in Illinois. Additionally, the curriculum is based on the eight core counseling content areas outlined by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to prepare those students seeking professional counselor licensure and desiring to begin professional practice at the master’s level. The program is in the process of applying for specialized accreditation through The Council of Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). North Park University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
In alignment with North Park’s commitment to spirituality and diversity, the program embraces integrating multicultural education and diversity across its curriculum. The program welcomes students from all backgrounds and faith perspectives, recognizing that multicultural practice is essential for competent clinical practice.
Degree Requirements for MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required Semester Hours: 60
Courses are offered in primarily online formats. While the campus is in Chicago, CMHC students can take courses from all over. When enrolled in a full-time course load the program can be completed in two years. There is also an option to take a slower pace and complete the program in three years. The clinical training courses (Practicum and Internship) include a weekly virtual meeting for group supervision throughout the semester.
Core Courses:
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- 5010 Counseling Theory
- 5020 Counseling Techniques
- 5025 Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- 5110 Psychopathology and Maladaptive Behavior
- 5120 Group Dynamics
- 5210 Social and Cultural Foundations in Counseling
- 5220 Professional, Legal, and Ethical Responsibilities Relating to Counselling
- 5310 Research and Evaluation
- 5320 Human Growth and Development
- 5410 Integrating Spiritual and Religious Issues in Counseling
- 5420 Appraisal of Individuals
- 5510 Advanced Multicultural Counseling Techniques
- 5520 Substance Use Disorders
- 5540 Trauma and Healing
- 5610 Career Development
- 5620 Family Dynamics
- 5640 Child and Adolescent Counseling
- 5960 Practicum
- 5970 Internship I
- 5971 Internship II
Internship
All MACMHC students must complete 700 hours of supervised clinical work (100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship) under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional, delivering counseling, and related professional services. The practicum experience is completed in one semester and the internship lasts an additional two semesters. However, one can lengthen the clinical experience to accommodate work and life schedules. North Park has partnerships with various internship settings, or you can seek your own that closely aligns with your interests. Along with on-site clinical hours, the practicum and internship courses meet weekly throughout the semester to provide feedback and support during your clinical training.
Courses
Click on the links below for course descriptions of all graduate clinical mental health counseling psychology courses. For a complete list of all North Park’s programs and course offerings, review the academic catalog.
Examines the major philosophical bases of counseling theory, including psychodynamic, humanistic/existential, cognitive behavioral, person-centered, and systemic approaches. Develops theoretically focused case conceptualizations and treatment plans for diverse client populations.
Introduces the principles, procedures, and techniques of the intentional interviewing that occurs in professional counselor-client interactions. Through experiential exercises, students learn specific interviewing skills, the goals, and stages of interviewing, as well as strategies for therapeutic change. Explores the importance of nonverbal behaviors, values, working alliance, the role of emotions and cognitions, as well as cultural factors in counselor-client communication.
Explores the history and professional identity of clinical mental health counselors. Attention is given to the role of counselors in collaboration and consultation with other professional disciplines. Principles of advocacy, prevention, and social justice are emphasized. Consideration is given to the development of a personal model of counseling.
Introduces the general principles of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders. Explores the use of pharmacological interventions used in the treatment of mental health disorders. Emphasis is placed on the mental status assessment and diagnostic classification systems.
Overview of the dynamics related to the group counseling process. Emphasis on counseling theories as applied in group work; the phases of group development; therapeutic factors in group work and group work with diverse populations. This course includes 10 hours of group participation experience.
Examines the varied ways in which culture and identity impact mental health and the clinical counseling process. Specific exploration of counseling dynamics related to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religious belief, immigration status, class background, and sexual identity.
An overview of ethical principles and standards for counseling practice. Examines legislation and regulatory processes relevant to professional counseling, ethical decision-making processes, and the application of the professional code of ethics.
Focuses on the statistical principles, research designs, methods, techniques, and tools used in performing and interpreting research in counseling. Including the ability to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses in research design and application of counseling research to clinical practice. Explores program evaluation and the use of program outcome measures.
Provides an advanced overview of the various stages of the human growth cycle and multiple theories of development, such as physical, personality, social, cognitive, moral and faith identity. Emphasis is on how these developmental processes interact with presenting issues in the clinical context for diverse populations.
Explores the vital role that faith, spirituality, and religion play in an individual's life. Topics include faith development theories, assessing the spiritual worldview of the client, the implicit and explicit integration of spirituality into the counseling process, ethical issues of addressing spirituality in counseling, collaboration with clergy during the counseling process, and the potential role of religious beliefs in psychopathology.
Explores individual assessment theories and methods of appraisal. Includes an overview of statistical concepts related to test standardization, administration, interpretation, and intervention planning. Engages the use of a variety of assessment tools for examining personality, abilities, interests, and mental wellness.
Provides in-depth opportunities to deepen and expand multicultural counseling skills for working with diverse belief systems and populations. Focus will be on the pedagogy of the oppressed, decolonizing therapy approaches, social justice perspectives, and advocacy action planning.
Examines the chemical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of drug use, abuse and dependency, and broader effects on the family and community. Focuses on counseling skills in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment intervention.
This course focuses upon current theory and research related to traumatic events and their survivors. Attention will be given to the special skills and dynamics involved in counseling survivors of trauma. The course will place emphasis upon the role of spirituality in the recovery process.
Explores the lifelong processes that lead to work values, occupational choices, career path, decision-making style, and integration of self- and career-identity with patterns of work adjustment. The course is designed around the concepts of career development and includes an overview of the major career development theories.
Focuses on family systems theory and its applications, treatment planning and intervention approaches for working with families, and specific problems that impede family function.
Explores counseling services for children and adolescents including diagnosis, case conceptualization, and intervention skills. It focuses on the acquisition of theoretical, applied, and collaborative techniques required to understand and help children and adolescents' function effectively within their social and emotional worlds.
Introduces students to professional counseling practice. Students apply counseling theory and techniques in practicum placements and must complete 100 hours of supervised counseling practice. Faculty approval is required prior to registration. This is a Pass/Fail course.
Focuses on the development of counseling skills through direct supervised clinical practice. Students will complete 300 hours of supervised internship experience. Faculty approval is required prior to registration. This is a Pass/Fail course.
A continuation of Internship I, focuses on the development of professional counseling practice through supervised clinical hours. Students will complete 300 hours of supervised internship experience. Faculty approval is required prior to registration. This is a Pass/Fail course.