MASTER OF COUNSELING IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Visit our how to apply page. The nonrefundable application fee is $75.
The M.C.-CMH program takes approximately 3 years to complete, with courses scheduled every quarter.
This is a part-time, hybrid program. Currently there is no full-time option.
The hybrid format blends in-person, full-day class meetings twice per term with asynchronous, online learning activities throughout the term. Some courses may include a few synchronous online webinars in addition to the full-day, in-person meeting(s).
Our acceptance of transfer credits is limited. Learn more about transfer credits
Yes! Our program was designed to meet the needs of working students and students whose responsibilities would not accommodate the face-to-face “seat time” requirements of a traditional full-time program.
Try out the Ecampus tuition calculator to see how much it would cost for you.
There is a distance education fee and a matriculation fee for Ecampus students in addition to tuition. Please note, Ecampus students are not required to pay fees for on-campus services such as health services, technology, and the recreation center, as these are not services you will use.
Visit the Office of Graduate Education website to see more.
Learn about potential career pathways on the Ecampus website.
As a graduate of a CACREP-accredited program, you will be eligible to begin working toward licensure in many states. If you pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE), you will be eligible to apply to the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) upon completion of your degree for certification as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC); however, specific requirements for state licensure vary by state.
Most states require counselor trainees to complete 2-3 years of supervised experience as registered interns, associate counselors, or under a limited permit before earning full licensure as licensed professional counselors (LPCs) or licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs).
Some states (e.g., CA) also require additional coursework beyond the graduate degree in order to obtain a full license. Please review the professional counseling licensure board relevant to you for detailed information on licensure requirements, policies, and application process. NBCC provides a listing of state licensure boards in the U.S. that you may contact directly.
No prior counseling experience is required. Many students pursue counseling as a life transition or second career. OSU’s M.C.-CMH provides a well-rounded curriculum grounded in the 8 core areas of counselor education to prepare students to begin working in the counseling field upon graduation.
Completion of a baccalaureate (i.e., Bachelors) degree is a prerequisite for admission, and year of graduation does not matter.
Yes. OSU has a long tradition of excellence in counselor education and our Master of Counseling program is accredited by CACREP, the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. To read more about CACREP standards and why accreditation matters visit the CACREP website
Ideally, candidates will have some background or knowledge of psychology and human development, potentially from degrees in Psychology, Addiction Studies, Human Services, Child and Family Studies, Nursing, Public Health, or related fields. Even majors like Sociology or Anthropology may contribute to a knowledge base that will be useful in Counseling. Prospective students who do not possess this background may wish to complete a MOOC (massive open online course) like Introduction to Psychology or Human Services in order to gain foundational psychology and human services-related knowledge in preparation for content in a graduate level curriculum in professional counseling.
While the hybrid format works well for some students, not all students thrive in this format. Student characteristics that are correlated with successful outcomes in a hybrid learning environment include: self-regulation, time management, attitude toward blended learning, social support, and technology competencies (Kintu & Zhu, 2016). Completing an online self-assessment may assist prospective students in determining whether this type of program could work for you.
OSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning includes research and best practice recommendations for asynchronous and hybrid learning environments. Research has shown that hybrid learning environments can equal or exceed traditional classroom settings in terms of student satisfaction, performance and learning outcomes (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004; Swan, 2004; Kintu & Zhu, 2016)
These forms of financial support are currently only available to on-campus, full-time students. Occasionally, unpaid positions may be open to Masters's students. If you are interested in a full-time program, we recommend you learn more about the Master of Counseling program at OSU-Cascades.
We encourage students to begin identifying sites that might be able to provide appropriate clinical skill-building and supervision early in their program. As our main campus is in Oregon, we have some connections to Oregon-based agencies. Students living outside of Oregon are responsible for identifying and securing their own practicum and internship sites. All field placement sites have to be approved by the Counseling Program. The program will work with students collaboratively to address issues related to practicum and internship placements.
While the program does not compensate students financially for this part of your clinical training and education, students are welcome to seek compensation for internship hours. Students may use their current employment sites as practicum or internship sites with permission from the program coordinator if the assigned duties while interning: (a) are consistent with the goals of graduate-level Clinical Mental Health Counseling, (b) differ significantly from current/prior employment experience, (c) have been approved by the employer, and (d) meet the site requirements stipulated by OSU’s counseling program. In other words, students’ internships are designed to offer training and to build skills in the areas of intake, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and consultation.