Clinical Mental Health Counseling / Master of Arts
Program: MA-CMHC-3
CMHC Program Mission
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is an accredited program with the Council for Accredited Counseling Related Programs (CACREP). The program is designed for students seeking to develop or refine job-related counseling skills and knowledge. It is our goal to provide our students with relevant, practical, and applicable learning experiences. In addition to the CACREP certification, the program is also approved by the Illinois Certification Board to offer an Advanced Training Program in Addictions (ATP). Students will develop as counselors, scholars, and ethical professionals throughout their tenure in our program. Our CMHC program provides students with a well-rounded, engaging learning environment in which students receive real-world experiences easily transferable from the classroom to various clinical settings. Courses are taught by instructor-practitioners who use their current clinical experiences to enhance students’ classroom learning and comprehension of the field of clinical mental health counseling. Students are well-grounded in culturally, theoretically, and ethically sensitive practices.
CMHC Program Goals
Upon graduating from the CMHC program, students will have acquired the following:
- Knowledge of relevant areas in clinical mental health counseling, including personality, life span development, multicultural issues, counseling theories, and evaluation and assessment.
- Skills in interviewing, assessment, and counseling techniques.
- Awareness of clients' individuality, multicultural sensitivity, and the importance of flexibility in their work with clients.
- Development of appropriate ethical behavior and clinical mental health counselor professional identity.
Admission Standards
Admission to the graduate program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is based on academic and personal qualifications of the applicant. Students are admitted without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, irrelevant handicap, national or ethnic origin, or disability.
All students must submit a final official transcript documenting evidence of a baccalaureate degree awarded by a regionally-accredited institution of higher education and a completed application which includes a personal statement of professional goals. Because this program is directed toward adults, it is expected that personal maturity and experience are prime indicators of success in the program. Although the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program does not require a criminal background check, applicants should be aware that many internship sites and potential employers will. There are three enrollment categories for students in the program: full, provisional, and at-large.
Transfer of Credit after Matriculation
Students who are already matriculated at Lewis University and wish to transfer in a course must seek written approval from the Graduate Program Director before the course is attempted. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted. Students may transfer in up to 2 courses.
Course of Study Overview
To obtain a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, students must specialize in one of two concentrations. Concentration A, Adult Clinical Mental Health Counseling, offers a traditional clinical mental health curriculum designed to prepare the student to work in a wide variety of mental health settings. Concentration B, Child and Adolescent Clinical Mental Health Counseling, offers a clinical mental health curriculum designed to prepare students to work with children, adolescents, and families in both public and private settings. In addition to concentration A or concentration B, students also have the option to add the Advanced Training Program in Addictions (ATP) concentration. The ATP concentration is taken along with concentration A or concentration B. Students who complete the ATP concentration are prepared to take state testing post-master's degree for the Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certificate (CADC).
Course Formats and Credit
Courses are offered in the evening and online and workshops are offered on weekends and online each semester. The normal load for a full-time graduate student is 3 courses, or 9 semester hours. For those who are working full-time, the normal semester load is 2 courses, or 6 semester hours.
Good Academic Standing
Academic Probation and Dismissal
See Academic Probation and Dismissal.
Time Limitations and Resident Requirement
Students must complete all requirements within 7 years from the time of completion of the first graduate course at Lewis University. Students remain under the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of matriculation unless they discontinue attendance for two consecutive years or more, in which case they will follow the catalog in effect upon their return.
Graduation Requirements
Students will be awarded the Master of Arts degree when they have:
- Completed at least 60 hours of graduate study as stipulated previously.
- Successfully passed the comprehensive examination. (The comprehensive examination is normally attempted after 48 hours are completed; the comprehensive examination should be attempted in the student’s penultimate semester.)
- Assembled materials for a portfolio review consisting of, at a minimum, a supervisor’s clinical assessment, the comprehensive examination, and one case study from practicum or internship.
- A GPA of 3.0 or above.
Child and Adolescent Distinction
The Child and Adolescent distinction is embedded within the Child and Adolescent concentration in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Students will complete 18 credit hours of specific coursework on their way to finishing their MA and will receive a department-issued certificate as well as a notation on their transcript upon graduation denoting a concentration in child and adolescent counseling.
Degree Requirements
Degree Offered: Master of Arts
Total Credit Hours: 60
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| COUN 50500 | Research in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 51200 | Interviewing Skills | 3 |
| COUN 51400 | Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 52000 | Advanced Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| COUN 52200 | Career Development Theory | 3 |
| COUN 55200 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| COUN 55300 | Crisis Intervention and Treatment of Trauma | 3 |
| COUN 56500 | Group Dynamics and Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 56700 | Treatment of Substance Abuse | 3 |
| COUN 57500 | Family Dynamics and Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 57800 | Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 57900 | Multicultural Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 58000 | Models and Theories of Clinical Supervision in Mental Health | 3 |
| COUN 58500 | Practicum in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 59000 | Internship in Counseling | 3 |
| Concentration | ||
| Select one of the following Concentrations: | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Concentrations
Adult Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Concentration: ADLT
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 51100 | Individual Appraisal | 3 |
| COUN 54100 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| COUN 57300 | Counseling Theories 1 | 3 |
| COUN 57700 | Counseling Theories 2 | 3 |
| COUN Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Child and Adolescent Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Concentration: CHLD
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 51300 | Individual Appraisal: Child Emphasis | 3 |
| COUN 54300 | Psychopathology: Child Emphasis | 3 |
| COUN 57400 | Counseling Theories: Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy | 3 |
| COUN 57300 | Counseling Theories 1 | 3 |
| or COUN 57700 | Counseling Theories 2 | |
| COUN Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Advanced Training Program in Addiction Studies
Concentration: CADC
In addition to the child/adolescent and adult concentrations, students can also choose to add on the Advanced Training Program in Addiction Studies. Lewis is the first university in Will County to offer an advanced training program in Addiction Studies. By adding these three courses to the CMHC curriculum, students will be prepared to take the examination for Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor or both to help those battling alcohol and substance abuse issues. The required supervision and work experience is embedded in this accredited advanced training program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COUN 53300 | Introduction to Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 53400 | Special Populations in Addictions | 3 |
| COUN 53500 | Internship in Counseling and Addictions 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- 1
Replaces COUN 59000 Internship in Counseling
Full Admission
Students in this category have:
- Completed at least 15 hours of psychology, including a course in statistics or research methods.
- Submitted a completed application with an accompanying personal statement which serves as a writing sample, and a non-refundable application fee.
- Submitted two letters of recommendation from professors, employers or supervisors (at least one letter from an instructor is strongly preferred).
- Submitted an official transcript of all academic work previously attempted or completed. An applicant’s GPA should equal a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Certified their proficiency in reading and writing English, if the applicant is from a non-English speaking country, by achieving a 550 on the TOEFL written exam; 213 on the computerized exam; 79 on the Internet-based exam or IELTS score of 6.0. ELS level 112 completed. Step Eiken (Japan) Pre-1 is also accepted.
- Received acceptance by the Graduate Council of the College of Education and Social Sciences.
Provisional Admission
In select cases, a student who does not meet the requirements for full admission may be considered for provisional admission. Provisional admission does not apply in cases where applicants have fewer than 15 hours of psychology undergraduate courses. In those cases, applicants must complete the 15 hours with a GPA of 3.0 or better and then apply for admission. Provisional status may change after one year if the student maintains a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all coursework. Students may be allowed to take up to 9 graduate credit hours as a provisionally admitted student. The student must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in these courses.
Student-at-Large
A student-at-large is not a degree candidate. However, should a student decide to apply for full admission status at a later time, but within 5 years of course completion, only 4 courses (12 hours) will be accepted for credit toward the advanced degree. At-large students are allowed to take a maximum of 3 courses with permission from the Graduate Program Director.
Transfer Admission Procedures
Students may apply up to 12 semester hours of graduate-level work from other regionally-accredited institutions to their program of psychology prior to their acceptance into Lewis Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. A transfer student, whether admitted as full or provisional, will follow the admission criteria described above and below. The following conditions apply to the acceptance of transfer credit:
- Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted.
- Coursework must have been completed at a regionally-accredited graduate school.
- Appropriateness of coursework will be decided by the Graduate Program Director at the time of the student’s application to the program.
- Courses from outside the United States will be considered if they are evaluated as graduate level by the Office of Admission or the Commission on Accreditation of the American Council on Education.
- Credit for prior learning is not awarded for graduate courses.