Graduate Studies

Master of Arts in Education - Community Mental Health Counseling

The Community Mental Health Counseling Program prepares students to work professionally in various public and private counseling agencies. In Nebraska, as well as most states, persons must be licensed by the state to engage in counseling or therapy. A teaching degree is not required for admittance into the Community Mental Health Counseling Program. Students will be expected to be on campus for some of the programming.*

Entrance requirements

Complete application
Earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.75 or better on a 4.00 scale
Official transcripts from the college/university which issued bachelor's degree.
Official transcripts from any institutions attended after receiving bachelor's degree (if applicable)
Interview/Orientation with the faculty is required to be fully accepted into this program, however, course work can be started prior to the interview.

Program of Study

This degree program requires the successful completion of 54 credit hours of graduate education. EDCI 631: Introduction to Graduate Study should be completed within the first 12 hours of a student’s program of study.

Courses

Number	Course Title	Hours
COUN 523	Diagnosis and the DSM	3
COUN 531*	Counseling and Communication Skills	3
COUN 532	Treatment Issues in Addictions	3
COUN 533	Counseling Ethics and Professional Identity	3
COUN 534	Tests and Measurements	3
COUN 535	Multicultural Counseling	3
COUN 536	Family Development	3
COUN 541	Counseling Theories	3
COUN 631	Consultation and Program Development	3
COUN 632	Career and Lifestyle Development	3
COUN 634*	Group Counseling	3
COUN 636	FamilyCounseling	3
COUN 637	Advanced Human Development	3
COUN 639a*	Practicum in Counseling	3
COUN 639b*	Practicum in Counseling	3
COUN 640*	Internship in Counseling	6
EDCI 631	Introduction to Graduate Studies	3
Total		54

*not available online

Course Requirements

Counseling Practicum is a key course in the curriculum of the counseling department. Therefore, certain courses are instrumental for the experience of practicum. As practicum is a developmental process it will be offered for 3 credit hours both fall and spring. In order to register for COUN 639A or 639B a student needs to have completed the following courses with a grade of A or B

Number	Course Title	Hours
COUN 531	Counseling and Communication Skills	3
COUN 533	Counseling Ethics and Prof Identity	3
COUN 541	Counseling Theories	3

The following courses may be taken concurrently with COUN 639A, Practicum I only:

Number	Course Title	Hours
COUN 535	Multicultural Counseling	3
COUN 634	Group Counseling	3

All other courses may be taken at any point in the program prior to COUN 633: Internship, which is the capstone course and must be the last course completed.

Note: Students who are unable to finish their Internship in 3 credit hours may need to enroll in additional hours for completion of this requirement. The Credentialing Division of the Department of Regulation and Licensure, Nebraska Health and Human Services System, generally approves our counseling courses for professional counseling continuing education (CE) credit.