Mar 15, 2025  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.


Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess an undergraduate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution. The applicant should follow instructions for General Requirements for Admission to Graduate Study as referenced on the Graduate Studies home page.

Admission requires a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is designed to prepare counselors and therapists for the mental health field, mandating a full academic year of field experience (internship and practicum) in a mental health setting. The program encompasses 60 semester hours and includes extensive clinical practice in various human service environments, such as community and private mental health agencies, correctional facilities, and gerontological settings. Emphasizing education, theory, therapy, and consultation, the program prepares students to provide mental health services to individuals, families, and community groups in the 21st century.

Upon completing this program, students become eligible for licensure as a professional counselor (LPC) in the State of Georgia, following the required supervised practice and successful passage of the National Counselor Exam (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) when approved by the Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapists. Additionally, program completion may lead to certification by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

Classes are held at the Warner Robins Center.

Eligibility Requirements for Practicum and Internship

Applications for field experience courses (MLHC 5770 Practicum,  MLHC 5772 Internship I and MLHC 5782 Internship II) should be approved and signed by academic advisors one semester prior to intended enrollment in a field experience course. To be eligible for any field experience course, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above and must have earned a “B” or higher in required core courses.  Students must successfully complete MLHC 5770 Supervised Practicum (100 field experience hours) before enrolling in any Internship course (MLHC 5772 and MLHC 5782). To be eligible for Internship I, MLHC 5772 (300 field experience hours), the student must have taken and satisfactorily passed MLHC 5770. Students must have taken and satisfactorily passed MLHC 5772 (300 field experience hours) in order to enroll in Internship II, MLHC 5782.  Field experience courses are offered each academic semester. Students are required to attend in-class supervision meetings at scheduled times.

Summer Scheduling: Courses offered in the summer term are determined on a per-year basis. Courses to be offered will be published during the spring term. Students should be aware that summer school courses may be canceled if the required minimum enrollment is not met.