The CACREP Accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts program is designed for the student planning to seek licensure in Mental Health Counseling and to work in agencies, private practices, and other settings.
As part of the program's pragmatic approach to preparing professional counselors, in addition to classroom studies, students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center. Clinical Mental Health Counseling students then complete their internship/clinical experiences in a program-approved clinical setting in Central Florida, earning 600 total hours, 240 of which must be direct service hours.
The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center serves as a hub for training and research in the Counselor Education program, with graduate students providing counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults through the provision of individual, couples, and family therapy. The CCRC annually serves more than 1400 individuals, couples, and families in the Central Florida community.
The CACREP Accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts (MA) program prepares students for licensure as a mental health counselor. As such, students must be formally admitted to the program to take any program area courses. The program requires a minimum of 63 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 39 credit hours of specialization (including a 3-credit hour elective), 12 credit hours of professional clinical experiences, and 6 credit hours of additional electives (in either the nonthesis or thesis option). Electives must be approved by faculty advisors, be graduate level courses, and align with future professional goals.
Total Credit Hours Required: 63 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
45 Total Credits
Core
6 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- EDF6155 - Lifespan Human Development and Learning (3)
- EDF6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3)
Specialization
39 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- MHS5005 - Introduction to the Counseling Profession (3)
- MHS6020 - Mental Health Care Systems (3)
- MHS6070 - Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling (3)
- MHS6220 - Individual Psychoeducational Testing I (3)
- MHS6400 - Theories of Counseling and Personality (3)
- MHS6401 - Techniques of Counseling (3)
- MHS6420 - Foundations of Multicultural Counseling (3)
- MHS6450 - Addictions Counseling (3)
- MHS6470 - Human Sexuality and Relationships (3)
- MHS6500 - Group Procedures and Theories in Counseling (3)
- MHS6702 - Ethical and Legal Issues (3)
- SDS6347 - Career Development (3)
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Elective approved by adviser.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: EGC 6971 - Thesis
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: Two approved electives.
Professional Clinical Experience
12 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- The clinical experiences are comprised of two sections, Practicum and Internship. Both are experiential in nature and are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program to their work with actual clients. The practicum is conducted on campus in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and the internship is conducted at various clinical sites around central Florida.
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- MHS6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education (3)
- Prerequisites for MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education are the following: MHS 5005, MHS 6070, MHS 6400, MHS 6401, MHS 6500, and MHS 6702. A minimum of 27 credit hours are required prior to beginning the practicum.
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- MHS6830 - Counseling Internship (1 - 6)
- The prerequisites for MHS 6830 Counseling Internship include MHS 6420 and earning a "B" or better in all sections of MHS 6803.
Grand Total Credits: 63
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Additional Program Requirements
- Achieve at least a GPA of 3.0 throughout the degree program.
- Achieve a "B" or better in MHS 5005, MHS 6401, MHS 6803 and MHS 6830.
- Complete a total of 800 hours of clinical experiences, 200 of which will be in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and 600 of which are field-based experiences in the community.
- Submit all required documented evidence in a Canvas Graduation Portfolio and be approved by the assigned faculty advisor or Counselor Education faculty.
- Complete a professional exit examination (the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination [CPCE]).
- Given the experiential, competency, and performance-based nature of the courses taken by Counselor Education students, students are limited to taking a maximum of three (3) courses per semester. However, if students believe that they can verify a need to take more than three courses, they should consult with their academic adviser for additional guidelines. Students who have not received prior approval and who register for more than three courses per semester will be administratively dropped from any courses over the maximum allowed.
Independent Learning
Practica and internships are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program. The internship experience provides students with the practical experience of providing hands-on services for a variety of clients and presenting concerns. Such services may include, but are not limited to, individual, couple, family, and group counseling with children, adolescents, and adults. Client concerns range from developmental and relational concerns to more severe pathology. All clinical experiences are performed under the direct supervision of a licensed/certified professional counselor and include both individual and group supervision on a weekly basis.
