Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts Counseling - U.S.A.

The MAC in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program is for students who want to work as licensed mental health counselors in Washington State. The CACREP-accredited program trains well-rounded clinicians for the realities of daily practice. It emphasizes application of theory to practice. Students are introduced to a broad range of clinical issues through a breadth of course work, delivered by practitioner faculty. Supported internships focus on the delivery of clinical services, and assist students to develop a coherent theoretical and ethical framework for practice.

Program Outcomes

This program will prepare students to:

Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice: Demonstrate understanding and apply professional ethical standards including clear and appropriate relationships with clients, colleagues, and the community.

Social and Cultural Diversity: Collaborate with people of diverse ethnicity, culture, gender identity, sexual identity, physical ability, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic status through a lens of social justice and advocacy.

Human Growth and Development: Develop understanding and awareness into what impacts personal development through a lens of resiliency and wellness for clients across the lifespan.

Career Development: Demonstrate knowledge and working application of career development in counseling practice.

Counseling and Helping Relationships: Establish and maintain effective counseling relationships, and employs theoretically grounded counseling techniques.

Group Counseling and Group Work: Apply methods, skills, and other group approaches in a multicultural society using theories of group counseling, principles of group dynamics, facilitation styles, and direct experiences.

Assessment and Testing: Gather information to assess needs and next steps in the counseling process, including assessment for suicide/homicide risk and reporting requirements for abuse/ neglect of vulnerable populations.

Research and Program Evaluation: Locate resources and critically evaluate research related to core areas of counseling to incorporate into clinical practice.

Social Justice: Demonstrate systemic understanding of the role of counselors in promoting social justice for the well-being of the greater community.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Apply counseling theory to client presenting problems and diagnoses, including co-occurring disorders, with appropriate theoretical-based treatment planning and interventions for projected outcomes.

Admission Requirements

In addition to City University of Seattle's graduate admission requirements, found under Admissions in the catalog menu, students in this program must also meet the requirements listed below:

• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 in undergraduate degree program.
• Three (3) confidential letters of professional reference.
• A writing sample defining professional goals and addressing past and current experience relevant to becoming a counselor. Guidelines for writing the sample paper will be sent from the academic advising office. The writing sample will be used to determine whether minimum qualifications have been met for admission to the program.
• CV/resume.
• A completed, signed background information form, with a history free of convictions for criminal misdemeanors and felonies. Applicants who have such a history may be denied a professional credential at the state level (see RCW 18.130 for US program). The background information form must be submitted prior to the interview process.
• Interview with the MAC counseling program’s admission committee. The MAC program's admission committee uses the interview, in conjunction with all of the other application documents, to determine whether an applicant meets the minimum qualifications and appropriateness to be admitted to the program.

Total Required Credits (90 Credits)

Core CACREP Areas (42 Credits)

COUN 501	Introduction to Counseling Practice	5
COUN 502	Systemic Theory: Multicultural Counseling	5
COUN 503	Human Growth and Development	5
COUN 510	Professional Ethics and Law	5
COUN 516	Career Counseling	3
COUN 524	Research Methods and Program Evaluation	4
COUN 525	Testing and Assessment	5
COUN 526	Counseling Theory	5
COUN 527	Group Counseling	5

Required Courses Outside of Core (28 Credits)

COUN 512	Systemic Theory: Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling	5
COUN 522	Systemic Theory: Crisis, Disaster and Trauma Counseling	3
COUN 530	Introduction to Psychopathology and Psychopharmacology	3
COUN 521	Psychopathology and Psychopharmacology II	5
COUN 532	Addictions and Co-Occurring Counseling	5
COUN 609	Systemic Theory: Human Sexuality	3
COUN 692	Capstone Project and Comprehensive Examination	4

Additional Required Depth Coursework (7 Credits)

COUN 600	Systemic Theory: Child and Adolescent Counseling	2
COUN 604	Counseling Older Adults	2
COUN 603	Expressive Arts in Counseling	3

Training Requirements (13 Credits)

COUN 621	Practicum I	1
COUN 622	Practicum II	1
COUN 632	Practicum III	1
COUN 633	Practicum IV	1
COUN 651	Internship I	3
COUN 652	Internship II	3
COUN 653	Internship III	3